In Jean-Loup Hubert's sentimental memoir a shy nine-year-old Paris boy enjoys a brief vacation in the country while his single mother is away having a baby. Not surprisingly, he learns some valuable lessons about life and love from the trouble-prone tomboy next door, but the film is more about the childless couple who become his surrogate parents, and who engage in an often-bitter rivalry for the boy's affection. The sudden shifts in tone from earthy humor to poignant tragedy make it a lopsided film, with the expected coming-of-age mischief balanced uneasily against moments of surprising cruelty (the drunkard husband abusing his wife). But the end result is less awkward and mawkish than a casual outline would suggest, certainly less than the inevitable, bland American remake ('Paradise', starring Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson). Hubert's style is remarkably attuned to the lazy pace of rural life (with all its reminders of mortality: notice how often the town graveyard appears in the background), and his story is honest and sympathetic, showing a refreshing lack of hindsight exaggeration.
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mjneu5923 November 2010
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Atreyu_II14 October 2011Although I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie, I expected something a little better. Not that the movie is downright bad, but it wasn't properly what I expected.
I loved the simplicity and beauty of the french rural scenario and the acting by Antoine Hubert as Louis and Christine Pascal as Claire (Louis's mother). Christine Pascal was also a pretty woman, it's sad to know that she committed suicide.
The other actors, Richard Bohringer as Pelo, Anémone as Marcelle and Vanessa Guedj as Martine portray well their roles, but their characters aren't very likable. My biggest problems with this movie are mostly because of these 3 characters.
First off, seeing Marcelle slaughtering a rabbit alive ain't pretty to view. Made me completely hate Marcelle's character from the very start. That part alone was enough to kill the movie for me.
Second, Martine was too naughty for her age. She was only a child, she wasn't supposed to act sexually towards Louis like she often did. That is highly inappropriate for her age. Her actions were often puzzling.
Third, to see Pelo and Marcelle often arguing was unpleasant. Their discussions were often violent and sometimes went as far as domestic violence.
This movie had a remake in 1991 under the title 'Paradise', which I may or may not watch someday. I'm not sure, as my impression on the original wasn't the most favorable, which makes me have even more reservations about a remake. -
zutterjp487 April 2020"Le grand chemin" is a very pleasant, touching and poetic story about adolescents living in a little village and discovering the lives of the people. The performances of Antoine Hubert (Louis) and Vanessa Guedj (Marttine) are really excellent: I enjoy when they discover the secrets of the family, when they a couple making love , when they share these moments of friendship.
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renaldo and clara20 September 2000Of course, after that stupid American remake <Paradise>, with Griffith and Johnson, this alone probably stunted <Le Grand Chemin> from being more recognized.
When I call this a 'dramady', I mean that the technical classification of this film is "drama", because it centers around a married couple who have fallen out of passion or interest for each other since the death of their (unborn?) son. All events occuring around them; the shy little boy who comes to stay with them, the curious, know-it-all girl-neighbor, and even the pace of the movie maintain realism, so that you believe you are in someone's house watching their lives. I was mostly feeling for the couple and hoping they would mend their icy and resentful feelings toward each other.
What's beautiful about the movie is that all the elements come together for an emotional ending. At that point, I realized the boy in the movie (and all people in life) can inadvertently make a great contribution to other people's lives.
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olafra17 February 2005I remember of "Le grand Chemin", as if i were there in this movie as in my own life in a different period. As if little things of life which can be worthless for grow up can be very important to children, for lifetime . I remember Vanessa Guedj who i miss and who i do not see anymore actually. I remember of this atmosphere where untold stories are more painful than the words. I remember the childhood universe that we are building to "go away", i remember that a whole lifetime does not matter, that everything is done and that the bad part of it can finally be the good part of life. (sorry for my English). is n't this any lines ? Now it's OK so...
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elface10 April 2005I do not try to persuade friends, family, lovers that this is an exceptional movie. I let them watch it and if they emotionally and intellectually respond to the movie, then they have entered my intimate world.
If you were to pause the movie during Pelo and Louis' fishing trip when they meet Froggy Mary, it would be a photograph that captures stunning, rural beauty. The slow deliberate piano corresponds ravishingly with the setting. This nervous, cautious city boy is deposited in the home of Marcel and Pelo and their battle of wills. The magnificent tree allows the city boy and the worldly but rural Martine to eavesdrop and categorize the world around them. There is such subtle commentary in the movie like the doctor driving to the death in the peugot and the priest following on the bicycle. Science trumps religion in France. And this is combined with perfect acting by the four main actors.
Why do I like this movie so much? Is it because it captures the fears and escapism of childhood? Or is it an appeal to my leanings of Jeffersonian romanticism? Is it because the power of being yourself can make a positive difference in people's lives? Yes to all. I will always carry this movie with me as it has deepened me. I no longer worry about what could have happened and am now grateful for what has happened. -
drseid5 June 1999Excellent coming-of-age drama involving a boy who visits the country while his mother has her baby. There he meets his aunt and uncle who are having marital troubles, and a young girl a year older than him who helps him grow up very quickly. Powerful acting, and great script writing and direction make this film a must see for everyone!
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angon9 July 2000To me, this is really a SUPERB movie from France even though there is no superstar like Alain Delon or Romy Schneider appearing in this film.(Note: Up to now, the actor Richard Bohringer who appeared in this film has already become famous but many people still do not consider him as a superstar of France movies like Alain Delon)....Yes, this is a children film for adults (but children themselves may still be allowed to view SOME certain parts of this film instead of the whole film). I extremely like the innocent performance of Antoine Hubert (Louis) and especially, the smart and funny performance of Vanessa Guedj (Martine). Besides, the performances of Anemone (Marcelle) and Richard Bohringer (Pello) are also emotional. The movie was beautifully filmed with romantic sceneries of rural France, and its soft music is wonderful. Altogether, these factors made this movie win the hearts of many audiences, including me. A MUST-SEE FILM this "Le Grand Chemin" is !
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The story itself is alright...I was at least entertained. Got pretty annoyed after awhile with seeing Martine's underwear over and over again (we got it, she's a tomboy!), but the climbing of the church and watching the sister and her boyfriend in the barn was funny and entertaining, and the secondary storyline concerning Marcelle's grief for her dead son was quite moving.
*SPOILERS* However, the entire film is spoiled by the ending. Marcelle is raped and beaten and consistently verbally abused by her husband Pelo. Yet, because of the boy and the effect he's had on them, supposedly they've realized again that they love each other, and everything is alright in the end. Let me get this straight...a woman's husband is raped and she forgives him? There is no forgiveness for rape, by a husband, stranger, or anyone else. This has a horrible misogynistic ending, and spoiled the whole viewing for me. -
writers_reign20 September 2004Quite simply this is one of the Best French films of the last fifty years. The relatively unknown Jean-Loup Hubert has produced the kind of film that the overrated Godard could not turn out if you gave him a hundred years (to be fair to the semi-Amateur Godard he would probably have no interest in addressing the Human Condition in such a refreshing straightforward fashion). In terms of story it would be difficult to find something more basic - at one end of the spectrum a married couple living in rural Brittany have slowly grown apart since losing a child, at the other end is nine year old Louis, a city boy from Paris sent to spend a summer with the couple so that his mother (an old friend of the wife) may have her second child without the encumbrance of her first. In other words this is our old friend the bildungsroman/coming-of-age/rites-of-passage movie, the one we've seen so many times before but, as I've said before, it's all in the wrist. The tone is set from the first with a wistful, haunting music track leading us into a nineteen fifties French countryside preserved in amber as Christine Pascal (billed only as the mother of Louis) entrusts her son (Antoine Hubert) to the care of her friend Marcelle (Anemone) and her husband Pelo (Richard Bohringer). This is a French film and French film in a rural setting so we meet Marcelle as she is removing the eye of a rabbit with a knife as a prelude to skinning it. It's a great metaphor for the changes Louis will experience in the next few weeks (you don't see this in Paris, kid) and it also prepares us, the audience, for an arguably alien lifestyle embracing outside privys and indoor chamber pots. Writer-director Hubert (he adapted his own autobiographical novel for the screen) bravely cast his own son, Antoine, in the key role of Louis, despite the boy's complete lack of acting experience and the experiment paid off handsomely. Nor can we argue that he found it easy to coax a performance from his own flesh and blood because he has coaxed an even better performance from Vanessa Guedi as Martine, the ten-year-old tomboy who teaches Louis so much in such a short time. Matching the performances of the two children are those of the two principal adults Anemone and Richard Bohringer, both more than deserving of the Cesars they won as respectively Best Actress and Best Actor. I have been aware of this film for several years but have never been able to track it down until now when I finally located the DVD. On the initial viewing I was overwhelmed and I know it is one I will return to again and again. 10/10
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bjork-bjork23 February 2000This is one of the rare movies that combine all the elements to tell a meaningful story in a light, pleasant, funny, and very touching way. Very French in the best sense. At the end you know how the future will be, how the story will continue, and you are happy.
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A really superior film, this story of a 9 year-old boy leaving his mother temporarily to live in a small French town. He becomes educated to the ways of adults with the help of a worldy-wise girl aged 10. Although children are featured, this definitely is an adult movie, not one for small children.
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AK147519 December 2018I saw this movie when I was 12 (43 now ) and immediately it bacame my favorite one . The story,the actors,the kids,the village and the music all bacame one that made this film for me a masterpiece to love and remember always. After playing the sound track over and over,my young son (11) wanted,at last,to watch him with me . We cried and laugh togther . I think it's going to be a great childhood memory for him as it is for me .
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odiethesecond13 January 2006I went through a lot of trouble to order 'Le Grand Chemin' the DVD, and I'm wondering if the image is at least as clear as the VHS version....I can't view it until I get a region two player. But I do have 'Paradise,' and, although this newer counterpart starring Melanie Griffith is entertaining, it cannot compare with 'Le Grand Chemin' in any way. Martine steals the show (literally), and I think a sequel would have been in order, with the boy revisiting the countryside to reunite with the girl. The picturesque countryside, beautifully filmed, reminds me in a way of my own childhood, which I think this film conveys superbly.
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srawcliffe3 February 2002An uplifting and disturbing film. A heady mixture of innocence and sensuality. Maybe it was the person that I saw this film with, but it showed the sort of summer I (and she) would dearly love to have experienced. If you follow enough French, see it in the original.
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nz man5 May 2002What a delight! This sensitive drama is about as realistic as a film can be, and it enters your heart without being overly sentimental or harsh. See it with a caring, thoughtful, compassionate spirit, and prepare to settle in for film making at its best.
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imgeorg30 April 2004As a genre, I love the so-called "coming-of-age" movies. This one, even though it's French, is one I watch over and over again since I bought the VHS tape. I don't know why it's not available on DVD in the United States,; I know that it is available in Europe. The little girl in the movie is the perfect little tomboy, and has loads to teach her summer friend about life. It's based in the 50s when worldly kids were actually kind of rare. Then there's the heartbreaking sub-story of a childless couple who haven't been intimate in years due to the loss of their own child. Louis gives them both the kind of love they've never known, and they realize what's been missing in their lives. It's just a beautiful story, and I would love for this film to be re-introduced in the United States for a new generation to discover and enjoy. There was an American remake done in the early nineties, but it sucked royally compared to the original French film.
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Le Grand Chemin (English, `The Grand Highway') tells a familiar story of a preteen sent to live with his relatives during the summer of his mother's labor; when he gets back he will deal with the drastic personal changes that occur in any kid's life (new school, adolescence, friends, etc.). In the meantime he discovers the ropes of ways according to various characters that live in his relative's rustic village. Well acted by Richard Bohringer and the entire cast of several unknowns.