Au Revoir les Enfants (1987)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Highly Overrated But Still Good

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

(Flash Review)This film takes place in 1944. The viewer is placed in a Catholic school in France where a mother has abruptly sent her Jewish son to go to school to avoid getting captured in Paris by the Nazi's. The film focuses very little on that heavy topic but primarily on the Jewish boy and the friendships he makes with a Christian boy who keeps his true identity a secret. There are endless scenes of boys being boys in school and doing their things, which is fine for character development which eventually builds up to a heavy emotional scene at the end. It was a good drama, nice little scenes but lacked intrigue. One of these films I heard tossed around a lot in discussions so I had to check it out.

Another fine film by Louis Malle. An understated drama about two pubescent boys, one of whom is a Jew hiding from the Germans. The pacing is slow, but the various dramatic are scenes telling. The ominous ending creeps up like a thief in the night and the finale comes down like a sledgehammer. Even if it is as subtle as can be.Gaspard Manesse, on whose character the film focuses mostly in the first part, plays wonderfully natural, but I have no complaints on any of the cast. And the setting of rural France is beautiful to boot.This may not be the sort of film I watch a lot, but from to time, I can really appreciate it. A good 8 out of 10.

The sad days of France during WWII take a new meaning, as a Jewish mother, in order to spare her young son of the horrors of the times, decides to send him to a catholic boarding school, where the local Carmelite priests welcomed, and protected, some of these unfortunate children. It was not an easy for Jean Bonnet, the newly arrived boy to settle into a world that was totally foreign to him.One thing becomes clear immediately, Jean was a smart kid, way ahead of his classmates. He was an easy object of ridicule because of his introspective nature. At the same time, Jean attracted the attention of Julien Quentin, who went on to become Jean's best friend, and whose life was touched by the incident he lived at the school. Life in the boarding school was not a happy one for many of the children. Being away from family took a heavy toll on most of them, while for others was a great time to be away in a somewhat safe environment. Justin, who spies on Jean as he prays during the night, is the first to discover his real identity, which was a well kept secret. In fact, Justin is quite concerned as the boys are brought to a bath house knowing Jews were not welcome. The same goes when during mass, Jean makes an attempt to receive communion from one of the priests, who clearly knew he was not catholic and passes him by without giving him the sacrament. The film is Louis Malle's tribute to a similar incident he lived during his boyhood. It is the most autobiographical of his work, dedicated to his children. "Au revoir les enfants" is a timeless account about an era in which the horrors of the war was seen through the eyes of innocent children, totally at sea in the madness going on around them. The gloomy winter atmosphere was photographed by Renato Berta, a frequent collaborator of Mr. Malle.The two principals do an excellent work. Gaspard Manesse who played Justine Quentin and Raphael Fejto, showed great promise, but did not go into great screen careers as one would have hoped.

In 1944, the upper class boy Julien Quentin (Gaspard Manesse) and his older brother François travel to the Catholic boarding school in the countryside after vacations. Julien is a leader and good student and when the new student Jean Bonnet (Raphael Fejtö) arrives in the school, they have friction in their relationship. However, Julien learns to respect Jean and discovers that he is Jewish and the priests are hiding him from the Nazis. They become best friends and Julien keeps the secret of the origins of Jean. When the priest Jean (Philippe Morier- Genoud) discovers that the servant Joseph (François Négret) is stealing supplies from the school to sell in the black market, he fires the youth. Sooner the Gestapo arrives at school to investigate the students and the priests that run and work in the boarding school."Au Revoir les Enfants" is an awarded film written and directed by Louis Malle apparently based on true events during World War II in the boarding school where he studied. The touching story of friendship and betrayal is beautiful and sad, and the boys have great performances. Louis Malle highlights the despicable behavior of collaborators and traitor and the most impressive, the German soldiers are tough but respectful with the French civilians. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Adeus, Meninos" ("Goodbye, Boys")