The Siblings in Summer HoursWe saw the movie ‘Summer Hours” last week. I have decided that I need to put up an outline of the story before I discuss it. Reading this synopsis doesn’t spoil the film because most of it becomes clear in the first fifteen or twenty minutes but it does give an idea what all the interactions are about and this film is a film about working through events – ‘a slice of life’ if you like
For her 75th birthday, Helene's (Edith Scob) sons, Frederic (Charles Berling) and Jeremie (Jeremie Renier), bring their wives Lisa (Dominique Reymond) and Angela (Valerie Bonneton) plus their respective children, and her daughter Adrienne (Juliette Binoche) flies in from America. The widowed Helene lives in the country house of famous artist the late Paul Berthier, whose works and collection of antiques has to be passed on appropriately after her death. Indeed, it's not long before the siblings have to face this reality, made complicated by their differing needs. Carving up the estate, especially the house, brings out their different lifestyles and wishes. Teenage granddaughter Sylvie (Alice de Lencquesaing) comes to understand the importance of her late grandmother and the role the house played in her life.
This is a very French film; at least I found it so. I have read that it has been described as a mature film by an accomplished director. I am happy to believe this and I am happy to believe that the characters all behave in a very French way. Their reactions to situations are reactions that I wouldn’t expect to find within a New Zealand or Australian family. This made the film more interesting but less satisfying as it was hard to identify with them. Looking at another culture is always interesting and of course the French are fascinating.
To show just how little we do understand the culture there were times when some the characters laughed out loud. Neither my friend (a good Australian) and I could see the joke. For example Frederic and Lisa were in the café of the Musee d’Orsay discussing their children having a party when they both burst into ‘rolling around the floor type’ of laughter.
If anyone knows what was so funny do tell me.
At the end of the film I felt I had had a very beautiful visual experience and on a chilly late autumn evening that is a pleasure in itself. However I felt let down at the end and I can only put that down to all the people being so civilized and nice that they were unreal. It would not be stretching it to say they were bland. Maybe it was the culture
Another cultural difference I found interesting was the attitude of the two siblings who were planning to make their lives overseas. Not once did they say “of course France will still be home” or “I’ll always be French” or words to that effect. I believe Australian and New Zealanders would have needed to state that out loud to prevent themselves feeling guilt about leaving their country of birth; perhaps it just an unfortunate habit we have.
For her 75th birthday, Helene's (Edith Scob) sons, Frederic (Charles Berling) and Jeremie (Jeremie Renier), bring their wives Lisa (Dominique Reymond) and Angela (Valerie Bonneton) plus their respective children, and her daughter Adrienne (Juliette Binoche) flies in from America. The widowed Helene lives in the country house of famous artist the late Paul Berthier, whose works and collection of antiques has to be passed on appropriately after her death. Indeed, it's not long before the siblings have to face this reality, made complicated by their differing needs. Carving up the estate, especially the house, brings out their different lifestyles and wishes. Teenage granddaughter Sylvie (Alice de Lencquesaing) comes to understand the importance of her late grandmother and the role the house played in her life.
This is a very French film; at least I found it so. I have read that it has been described as a mature film by an accomplished director. I am happy to believe this and I am happy to believe that the characters all behave in a very French way. Their reactions to situations are reactions that I wouldn’t expect to find within a New Zealand or Australian family. This made the film more interesting but less satisfying as it was hard to identify with them. Looking at another culture is always interesting and of course the French are fascinating.
To show just how little we do understand the culture there were times when some the characters laughed out loud. Neither my friend (a good Australian) and I could see the joke. For example Frederic and Lisa were in the café of the Musee d’Orsay discussing their children having a party when they both burst into ‘rolling around the floor type’ of laughter.
If anyone knows what was so funny do tell me.
At the end of the film I felt I had had a very beautiful visual experience and on a chilly late autumn evening that is a pleasure in itself. However I felt let down at the end and I can only put that down to all the people being so civilized and nice that they were unreal. It would not be stretching it to say they were bland. Maybe it was the culture
Another cultural difference I found interesting was the attitude of the two siblings who were planning to make their lives overseas. Not once did they say “of course France will still be home” or “I’ll always be French” or words to that effect. I believe Australian and New Zealanders would have needed to state that out loud to prevent themselves feeling guilt about leaving their country of birth; perhaps it just an unfortunate habit we have.
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