What a strange and beautiful film--combining a predictable theme with unpredictable images in a very entertaining way. I liked the small touches, like when the family pulls in their caravan to park and a tree branch comes in the window, the boy wakes up, and reaches up to eat a berry from the tree.
shareSpeaking of the little touches, was one of the photographers trying to put a porkpie hat on his head a nod to Buster Keaton?
shareI imagine so. I also thought the caravan drive with all the acrobatics was very Keatonesque.
share. . . and I was reminded of Keaton when Etaix sat and watched the circus with a solemn expression. During the entire first section of the film, set in the 1920s, he seems very much like the pampered rich guys Keaton played in The Navigator and Battling Butler.
shareI just watched this for the first time, and wish I had recorded it. I need to watch it again - so many things to catch several times around.
One of the things that made me laugh out loud was the Zampano poster.
I also love that animals are so vital and "human" in this story: Bobby the dog; the castle rabbit; and of course the savior elephant.
Pierre Etaix has an elegance that belonged also to the silent greats: Keaton and Chaplin in particular. It was a joy to watch him, both as father and son; he and script brought tears as well as laughs.