This historical movie has the depth necessary to convey an appropriate message and reflect on the very widespread process of colonisation and assimilation. The eternal theme of liberty and freedom are omnipresent, but there also is a very human aspect to it. Since the movie is almost exclusively confined to a jail cell, it was nice to see the effects political imprisonment had on individuals. The movie clearly explains the motivation French Quebecers have to be independent and also deals with the actualisation of loyalty, friendship, love and sacrifice. The script is well written and the acting thorough. All in all, a great Quebec film.
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christian9431 January 2001
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christ-72 July 2002Luc Picard is a great actor. I've seen several of his films and I think this is his best performance. Pierre Falardeau, despite his seemingly extreme separatist views, makes powerful films. His comments about not caring what they thought of his film in remote parts of English Canada are really arrogant, but I can't wait to see what he gives us next. And Sylvie Drapeau was wonderful in this one, too.
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I cannot believe there are no more than three reviews of this film, given the importance of the man who made it in the general culture of Quebec film making.
I should say that I am not a big fan of Falardeau's and so my attempt to clarify his intentions and aesthetic will no doubt be weak at best. This is probably his most polished looking film. His other dramas, "Octobre" and "Le Party" are rougher looking, sometimes hand held and choppy in the editing, to suggest the edgy situations or settings. Here Falardeau has adopted a very slow, elegant style, with slow travelling shots following or pushing in to the actors.
At the time the film came out Falardeau was very careful to make clear that he was not attempting to make an historically accurate account of Thomas Chevalier de Lorimier's last day before being hung. In fact Falardeau repeatedly told interviewers that people who were interested in a more fact based film, should see Michel Brault's "Quand je serai parti... vous vivrez encore." (The Long Winter) made the same year. Both films were submitted to the same government bodies for grant money and so were in direct competition not only for development money, but for box office. While Brault's film is very good, Falardeau's is superb.
Falardeau (who passed away recently) was a politically engaged film maker and an active, even rabid separatist. Each and every film he made had a contemporary political slant. His short "Le temps des bouffons" is a must see if you can stomach that level of vitriol. Or you could rent the low budget "Octobre" which caused quite a stir when it came out. Again with this film, if you are able to place it in perspective, is one of the more powerful dramas to come along on the Quebec film scene in the past 20 years.
Falardeau uses the historical event of de Lorimier's death as a pretext for political commentary. This is not to say Falardeau has not rigorously researched his subject matter. As with Octobre, he spent a lot of time reading books on the period, the personal diaries and letters of the men who participated in these events, but also the writings of Che Gueverra and other revolutionaries past and present. If you listen to his commentary track on the DVD, he dissects quite clearly where he stole (his own word) all the ideas in the movie and what he distorted for the sake of either drama or as fodder for his political agenda.
In a nutshell, the film tells the story of two political prisoners, men condemned by the British military court for rebellion against the crown, who are to be hanged as an example the following day. As they face the prospect of death and political martyrdom, their fellow prisoners try to help them through the long hours leading to their death.
Thomas Chevalier de Lorimier (a folk hero after whom a major boulevard is named in Montreal) is a notary, a man of education and sensitivity. He receives a visit from his wife. Luc Picard, one of Quebec's best living actors, and Sylvie Drapeau, give heart wrenching performances as de Lorimier and his wife.
The other condemned man is a french émigré, who spends his last hours on earth joking and playing games with the other prisoners in the cell block. There is a large and talented group of actors in this film, playing the prisoners in a wonderful ensemble.
This is a slow paced film. At times touching, funny and irreverent, the tension builds towards the inevitable denouement and execution of the prisoners. The hanging scene at the end is not for the squeamish. -
Movie maker Pierre Falardeau had to make a stupid and dumb movie (Elvis Gratton : Miracle à Memphis) to finance this wonderful film. For about the last five years, he had to battle to get any source of financial support. That's the big problem with movies in Quebec. We have a lot of real great directors, but they don't have any money. At last, here's the film! And Falardeau, I suppose, had to be very proud of it. And we're proud of Falardeau, and we hope that people of others country had a chance to see his talent with this film (and not Elvis Gratton!). This is the warm and touching story of the last day of two men, on February 15th 1939. The two were part of the patriotic rebellion of Canadians (most of them French Canadians) against the British. If the film make politics and historical points, the principal idea deals with the feelings of two men about to die by hanging. There's also big feelings about friendship, solidarity and, of course, patriotism. Luc Picard is absolutely wonderful as the star. And theatrical actress Sylvie Drapeau makes one of the most powerfull presence for an actress in a Quebec movie. One little thing that anoying me is the language of the actors : Quebec's own slang (joual) was not really the French the people here were speaking in 1839. There's also dirty words of religious source that will appear in our culture only 30-40 years later. Also note that, two times, actors relate to Dollars and cents, and that was not the money in use in Canada at that time (Pennies and Shillings). Despite this, the movie is a must to see !