Friendship and the way we relate to those people that have had a clear effect on us, fill our lives with a kind of well being, and to a degree, makes us happy in knowing they are just within a short distance away. This is clearly a story about how a group of friends go through a tough period in their lives. It is an ode by the director, Claude Sautet, that celebrate friendship, and to a certain extent, the intimacy developed when people have an affinity to care for others.
Vincent, the main character in the film, is the owner of a small factory. His business cannot compete with larger enterprises. Times are tough, but he is a great boss with a rapport for his employees as well as a loyal friend to them. There is Francois, a doctor, who has lost his zest to a profession he chose. Paul, a writer, is suffering from writer's block. The three meet over drinks, playing soccer, and staying in close contact in good times and in bad times.
The three men observed in this story are in their forties, facing emotional, as well as financial crises, especially Vincent, who cannot raise enough capital to keep his business afloat, no matter what he does. His wife, Catherine, has left him and now wants a divorce. Lucie who is Francois wife, is attracted to a younger man. Vincent's protégé, Jean, a factory worker, enters a boxing match at a disadvantage, something the three friends look at with dread.
At heart "Vincent, Francois, Paul, and the Others" is an account about people facing a crisis, either created by what life had in store for them, or by the paths they followed in pursuit of their dreams. Loyalty is the bond that keeps them together. These are your basic decent guys anyone would feel blessed to enjoy. Claude Sautet's films examine those intimate moments among people that must face decisions that will change their lives completely, while getting the strength to face those situations with the support of true friends.
The cast is first rate. Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, Serge Reggiani, are seen as Vincent, Francois and Paul. It is a pleasure to see these three men, at the height of their profession perform a sort of choreography where they cross each other in small moments that are tribute to the way the men feel about the others. The women are less predominant in the film. Stephane Audran, herself one of the best in the French cinema, has nothing to play. Marie Dubois, her beauty intact, makes a perfect Lucie. A young Gerard Depardieu is seen as Jean.
Vincent, the main character in the film, is the owner of a small factory. His business cannot compete with larger enterprises. Times are tough, but he is a great boss with a rapport for his employees as well as a loyal friend to them. There is Francois, a doctor, who has lost his zest to a profession he chose. Paul, a writer, is suffering from writer's block. The three meet over drinks, playing soccer, and staying in close contact in good times and in bad times.
The three men observed in this story are in their forties, facing emotional, as well as financial crises, especially Vincent, who cannot raise enough capital to keep his business afloat, no matter what he does. His wife, Catherine, has left him and now wants a divorce. Lucie who is Francois wife, is attracted to a younger man. Vincent's protégé, Jean, a factory worker, enters a boxing match at a disadvantage, something the three friends look at with dread.
At heart "Vincent, Francois, Paul, and the Others" is an account about people facing a crisis, either created by what life had in store for them, or by the paths they followed in pursuit of their dreams. Loyalty is the bond that keeps them together. These are your basic decent guys anyone would feel blessed to enjoy. Claude Sautet's films examine those intimate moments among people that must face decisions that will change their lives completely, while getting the strength to face those situations with the support of true friends.
The cast is first rate. Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, Serge Reggiani, are seen as Vincent, Francois and Paul. It is a pleasure to see these three men, at the height of their profession perform a sort of choreography where they cross each other in small moments that are tribute to the way the men feel about the others. The women are less predominant in the film. Stephane Audran, herself one of the best in the French cinema, has nothing to play. Marie Dubois, her beauty intact, makes a perfect Lucie. A young Gerard Depardieu is seen as Jean.