DVD Mini Review - The Two of Us
The Two of Us was the late Claude Berri's first feature film (he died on January 12 of this year). And what a wonderful debut it was.
The story is a simple one. Young Claude (Alain Cohen) and his parents are in hiding from the Nazis during World War II. The woman who has taken them in most recently convinces Claude's parents that it might be better for him to live in the country with her parents. He would be much safer there than in a big city. The catch is that he must live as a Catholic and change his last name. Claude and his famiily are Jews and the woman's father is not fond of them.
So off to the country Claude goes. Claude calls the old man Grandpa (Michel Simon plays him). The two of them form a close bond and you can see that they love each other. Claude will sometimes ask Grandpa what he thinks about Jews or why he doeesn't like them but he never blows his cover. Grandpa doesn't just single out Jews - he isn't crazy about Asians, Freemasons or Communists either.
Berri does a wonderful job of directing the film - he also co-wrote the screenplay. Young Cohen is very good as Claude. And Simon is outstanding as Grandpa. He makes his character so likeable despite the fact that his views are deplorable to us.
No need to go into what happens in the film. Just rent it and see for yourself. Included in the DVD is Berri's Oscar winning short Le Poulet (he features love of animals and vegetarianism in these films). In addition, there are a few interviews with Berri (including one with the woman who hid him and his parents), an old interview with Simon and a more recent one with Cohen. I commend folks at Criterion who put this together.
The story is a simple one. Young Claude (Alain Cohen) and his parents are in hiding from the Nazis during World War II. The woman who has taken them in most recently convinces Claude's parents that it might be better for him to live in the country with her parents. He would be much safer there than in a big city. The catch is that he must live as a Catholic and change his last name. Claude and his famiily are Jews and the woman's father is not fond of them.
So off to the country Claude goes. Claude calls the old man Grandpa (Michel Simon plays him). The two of them form a close bond and you can see that they love each other. Claude will sometimes ask Grandpa what he thinks about Jews or why he doeesn't like them but he never blows his cover. Grandpa doesn't just single out Jews - he isn't crazy about Asians, Freemasons or Communists either.
Berri does a wonderful job of directing the film - he also co-wrote the screenplay. Young Cohen is very good as Claude. And Simon is outstanding as Grandpa. He makes his character so likeable despite the fact that his views are deplorable to us.
No need to go into what happens in the film. Just rent it and see for yourself. Included in the DVD is Berri's Oscar winning short Le Poulet (he features love of animals and vegetarianism in these films). In addition, there are a few interviews with Berri (including one with the woman who hid him and his parents), an old interview with Simon and a more recent one with Cohen. I commend folks at Criterion who put this together.
posted by Film Fanatic | 7:48 PM
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