What do INTIMACY, ’71 and A LONG WAY DOWN all have in common? They are all British films directed by a Frenchman. Having taken François Truffaut’s famous criticism ‘British cinema is a contradiction in terms’ to heart, not to mention, ‘coq au vin or steak and kidney pudding – I know what I would choose’ British film producers have been keen to woo French talent behind the camera. Truffaut himself (FAHRENHEIT 451), the late Patrice Chéreau, Yann Demange and Pascal Chaumeil are just some of the French directors who have been tempted by English weather (mauvais temps) and great British actors like Julie Christie, Mark Rylance, Jack O’Connell and, erm, Pierce Brosnan to dabble in Cinema Anglais. I myself am looking forward to Catherine Breillat’s film version of the X Factor musical, C’EST TERRIBLE, NON * – her film ROMANCE was advertised with a Big X - not to mention Michel Gondry’s biopic of Nick Park, AARDMAN C’EST NE FUMEZ PAS EN HIVER *.
What these directors bring to British films is a rather uninhibited perspective. I could not think of a single British director, except for maybe Michael Winterbottom, who could have had a film of Hanif Kureishi’s INTIMACY so hard core. A French director does not have hang ups about sex or extreme violence and simultaneously show such compassion for his characters. ’71 is by all accounts an intense mood piece that rivals Steve McQueen’s debut feature HUNGER for visceral impact. As for A LONG WAY DOWN – well, Pierce Brosnan is no Romain Duris, the star of Pascal Chaumeil’s earlier L’ARNACOEUR.
It’s not simply the intensity that these directors bring to the mise en scene, they also chuck out the dialogue. Why have pages of text that you can’t fully understand when instead you can have long takes that create their own level of suspense. The director acts it out – c’est facile, non – and the star is willing to go on that journey, just as long as there is a catering break.
French directors also tend to be more daring in the editing department, letting scenes develop their own momentum but indulging in those lyrical sequences that look crap when British directors do them. A British director will go for treacly piano music or half an orchestra, l’auteur français will choose rock.
Of course British working methods do put some French directors off. Louis Malle abandoned his PHANTOM LIVERPOOL* project for PHANTOM INDIA after his documentary subjects kept asking for introductions to Jeanne Moreau. The catering is likely to depress even the bravest realisateur as are the working time regulations. Why can’t they work with children over 15 hours a day, c’est okay, non? English children aren’t as open and unguarded as French enfants which is why LES QUATRE CENT COUPS is a classic and THE RAILWAY CHILDREN is simply charming.
I wondered what it would be like for British directors to make French movies, then of course I remembered: Stephen Frears’ DANGEROUS LIAISONS, American stars (plus Keanu Reeves) and not a stitch of French. We just can’t let go of the English language! Roger Michell’s LE WEEKEND didn’t feature a single French character. Ken Loach has made films in Spanish (LAND AND FREEDOM, CARLA’S SONG) but not French. Peter Greenaway has a Dutch backer. The only directors who feel comfortable working in France are America. I put it down to the similar system of government, a bill of rights and of course a mutual love of le hamburger. The problem with one way traffic is that it tends to go round in a circle so French directors in Royaume Uni will come and go, like KARMA CHAMELEON. Could François Ozon direct L'HISTOIRE DU BOY GEORGE?
A LONG WAY DOWN (pictured) opens in UK cinema on March 21. * Don't try looking for these.
