The Two of Us (1967)
Directed by Claude Berri
Genres - Comedy, Drama, War |
Sub-Genres - Childhood Drama, Odd Couple Film, Period Film |
Release Date - Feb 17, 1968 (USA - Unknown) |
Run Time - 86 min. |
Countries - France |
MPAA Rating - NR
Share on
Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Having been forced into minor parts for several years by a debilitating illness, veteran film actor Michel Simon made a triumphant return to leading roles in the charming, poignant The Two of Us (Le Vieil Homme et L'Enfant). Simon plays a likeable old soak with one significant character flaw: he is a flagrant anti-Semite. During the Nazi occupation of Paris, 8-year-old Jewish lad Alain Cohen is sent to the country, there to live with the parents of his family's Catholic friends. One of those parents is, inevitably, Simon. Taking a liking to Alain, and unaware that the boy is Jewish, Simon attempts to introduce the lad to the doctrine of anti-Semitism. The boy plays along with the old man, teasing him about his prejudices. Despite their obvious philosophical differences, Simon and Alain form a strong and affectionate bond. Director Claude Berri, whose films have often touched upon the Jewish experience in France, once more draws from his own experiences to weave a sensitive, seriocomic scenario.
Characteristics
Moods
Keywords
anti-Semitism, boy, Civil-Rights, cross-cultural-relations, dog, family, generation-gap, grandfather, prejudice, problems, relationship, religion, return, safety, war
Attributes
High Artistic Quality