There are some movies, of which La Tete en Friche stands as a shining example, that could or would never be made in America. With its title transposed into the more prosaic My Afternoons with Margueritte, this French film by Jean Becker is a gentle, subtle exploration of emotional detachment. A simple vegetable farmer (Gerard Depardieu) leads a surprisingly optimistic existence, considering that the aging, bitter mother for whom he cares cannot stand him and his friends in town cannot help but make fun of his ignorance and simple ways. He befriends an elderly woman in a park named Margueritte (Gisele Casadesus), who treats him kindly and gradually opens the world of literature to him in a way that he can understand and, for the first time, appreciate.
As opposed to American “high concept” movies, there is little excitement, suspense or eye-popping visual stimulation to found in My Afternoons with Margueritte. What the film provides instead is understanding and enrichment. Through brief but telling flashbacks into the farmer’s childhood, it is clear why he has not progressed socially, and it is a wonder that he has not totally withdrawn into himself, or, at the other extreme, gone postal. And then he meets Margueritte, who does not laugh at him or condescend to him, and treats him as someone of worth. Her respect for him turns his whole world around, and he eventually reciprocates her generosity with his own.
Small complications parallel those of real life: thoughtless words by friends, jealousy based on incidental evidence, the advance of senility, an unexpected bequest, love. The result is a slim but satisfying movie about how people influence each other, both positively and negatively, with an emphasis on the hopefully positive. It is a pleasant movie that reinforces intellectual art as a worthwhile, meaningful endeavor and yet celebrates the very earthy pursuits of people who care not for such high thinking. It is a film that advocates taking responsibility not only for one’s own actions, but also for those who can no longer take care of themselves. It is the most pro-life film I have seen in quite a while. I enjoyed it very much. ✰ ✰ ✰. 8 Oct. 2011.