La chute

This story ,although fictionalized,was based on a news item which was widely talked about in the first years of the twenty-first century.

Directing is conventional , following the elders' path ,the great directors of the genre :Yves Boisset and André Cayatte,whose work ,although maligned by the NV , needs to be upgraded. It was quite derivative to open the movie with the arrestation, then to use a flashback to introduce the characters .

Daniel was a safe predictable choice (and a very good one at that)for he is the kind of actor who can tackle thankless difficult parts such as in "l'adversaire" and " l'homme de la cave" ;even though his portrayal sometimes verges on hagiography ,blame it on the screenwriters who put the stress on the good/sincere /loving/generous/liberal granddaddy versus the overpowering/ severe /tough/petulant father ; this first episode boils it down to a simple question of education : a la Pagnol, for granddaddy ,a la Dickens for daddy; but they totally pass over in silence the political side,the father's and of the son's opinions being downright different .

But the episode illustrates the famous sentence :the harder they come,the harder they fall :the hero is a VIP , soon to become a senator,all the same! And overnight ,not only his political ambition is devastated , but mainly ,and the movie depicts it with strength ,he has lost the grandson with whom he shared sweet memories and a tender rapport.

What happens to him can happen to everyone, the high and the mighty or the humble man of the people.....