Un secret (2007)

Réalisateur:

Claude Miller

Scénaristes:

Philippe Grimbert (novel)
Claude Miller (writer)

Date de sortie:

3 octobre 2007 (France)

Genre:

Drame | Guerre

Intrigue:

A 15-year-old boy unearths a shocking family secret. |

Plot Keywords:

Family Secret | Secret | World War II Bomber | Imaginary Person | Nightmare

Récompenses:

2 wins & 10 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

Longing and Loving and the Precipice of War

Ensemble

Cécile De France	...	Tania Stirn / Grimbert
Patrick Bruel	...	Maxime Nathan Grinberg / Grimbert
Ludivine Sagnier	...	Hannah Golda Stirn / Grinberg
Julie Depardieu	...	Louise
Mathieu Amalric	...	François Grimbert à 37 ans
Nathalie Boutefeu	...	Esther
Yves Verhoeven	...	Guillaume
Yves Jacques	...	Le commandant Béraud
Sam Garbarski	...	Joseph
Orlando Nicoletti	...	Simon Grinberg à 7 ans
Valentin Vigourt	...	François Grimbert à 7 ans
Quentin Dubuis	...	François Grimbert à 14 ans
Myriam Fuks	...	La mère d'Hannah
Robert Plagnol	...	Robert Stirn
Michel Israel	...	Le père d'Hannah

Autre(s) titre(s):

A Secret (International: English title) (festival title) (USA) (new title)

Durée:

Argentina:105 min

Pays:

France

Langue:

Français | Yiddish | Allemand | Hébreu

Couleur:

Noir et Blanc | Couleur

Rapport de forme:

1,85 : 1

Son:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Classification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Argentina:13 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Australia:M

Lieux de tournage:

Baraize, Indre, France

Société:

Canal+

Anecdotes:

Eva Green was considered for the role of Tania and Pascal Elbé for the role of Maxime

Connexions De Film:

Références La grande illusion (1937)

Bande son:

Maréchal, nous voilà!

Longing and Loving and the Precipice of War

Claude Miller has created one of the more challenging and intensely human dramas about World War II in his film UN SECRET (A SECRET). Though one of many stories about the plight of Jews during the events that lead up to and exploded into WW II, Miller's story is less about the cruel destiny of the Jews in Hitler's plundering of Europe than it is a study of a few individuals who struggled with their identity in the face of probable extermination. Based on a true story in Phillippe Grimbert's novel by the same name, UN SECRET gracefully and artistically draws the viewer into the psyche of the narrator François Grimbert (played at ages 7, 14 and 37 by Valentin Vigourt, Quentin Dubuis, and Matthew Almaric) whose relationship to his father Maxime (Patrick Bruel) has always been strained. The story winds from contemporary time, to the period in France before WW II, through the horrors of the Halocaust, and the years of rebuilding following the war. Maxime 'Grinberg' (Patrick Bruel) marries Hannah (Ludvine Sagnier) in a beautiful Jewish wedding. Hannah's brother is married to a brilliant athlete Tania (Cecile De France) and even at the wedding the equally athletic Maxime has eyes for Tania. All possible conflicts seem to diminish when Maxime and Hannah have a son, Simon (Orlando Nicoletti) who develops into a naturally gifted athlete – the joy of Maxime's life. As WW II approaches the Jews of Paris are instructed to wear their yellow Star of David patches, and while Hannah feels pride in her race, Maxime refuses to be 'labeled' and defies the ruling. When the SS come to transport Jews out of Paris, Hannah and Simon are removed to a camp while Maxime manages to stay in Paris with a new French name. Popular as a fashion model and designer, Tania is able to stay unnoticed as a Jew also, but her husband is off to war and extermination. Maxime and Tania learn of their families' demise and bond, eventually marrying using French names (Grimberg becomes Grimbert), join the Catholic Church and have a son – François – who is nothing like Simon nor does he know of his father's rejection of him as a poor comparison to the perfect Simon But as the years pass François discovers his family's past and a reconciliation with his Jewish heritage confronts him. How the maturing François ultimately relates to his distant father brings closure to the story. The cast is excellent, including some of the lesser roles - especially the ever-present Louise (Julie Depardieu) - played by gifted actors. Claude Miller's recreation of time lapses is successfully highlighted by interchanging black and white with color photography (by cinematographer Gérard de Battista) and the changing moods of the story are greatly enhanced by the musical score by Zibigniew Preisner. UN SECRET, then, is a stunning work that explains many aspects of the varying responses of Jews to that horrid period of history designed by Hitler. It is a deeply satisfying and profoundly moving film. Highly recommended.