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"Au Revoir Les Enfants"
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Director: Louis Malle
~French with English subtitles~
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Orion Home Video
Rated: PG Length: 103 minutes
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Plot Summary
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"Au Revoir Les Enfants" is a French movie produced around 1987 (I've heard both 1987 and '88). It is set during the time of World War II, in a French private boarding school for boys. One of the main characters, Julien Quentin (Gaspard Manesse) befriends the second, Jean Bonnet (Raphaël Fejtö). Julien initially treats Bonnet with hostility, due to the fact that he is new and different. He soon realizes, however, that they have much in common. Throughout the film, Julien notices differences in Jean and the way he is treated. One day, he discovers the true secret about Bonnet. The film ends in Julien's tragic mistake that changes the rest of his life.
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My Thoughts
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I, personally, really enjoyed this movie. I found it to be very touching. I was particularly moved when I learned that the charcter of Julien was based on the life of the director, Louis Malle. I'm an avid researcher of World War II films and literature, primarily that of the Holocaust. This movie tugged at my heartstrings, and if the movie "Schindler's List" tugged yours, then "Au Revoir Les Enfants" will surely do the same. I was also very impressed with the performances of the actors, especially those of the young ones. Raphaël Fejtö and Gaspard Manesse were both excellent. I have looked into the career of Gaspard Manesse, but have found that he made only one other movie, which came only a few years after this one.
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Gaspard Manesse (Julien)
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Raphaël Fejtö (Jean)
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