Claude Chabrol - Le beau Serge aka Bitter Reunion (1958)

François comes back to his home village in France after more than a decade. He notices that the village hasn't changed much, but the people have, especially his old friend Serge who has become a drunkard. Francois now tries to find out what happened to him and tries to help him.





Le Beau Serge was the first film of French critic-turned-director Claude Chabrol. Though not a murder melodrama, the film is heavily influenced by the works of Chabrol's idol Alfred Hitchcock, Shadow of a Doubt in particular. Ailing city dweller François (Jean-Claude Brialy) makes a therapeutic return visit to his home town in the country. Here he visits childhood friend Serge (Gerard Blain), and is appalled to find how far Serge has plummeted into alcoholism and self-pity. The two protagonists indulge in a transference of personal guilt, then an "exchange of redemption" (to quote Chabrol chronicler Charles Derry). Highly influential in the French New Wave movement of the 1950s, Le Beau Serge has something very special to say about the care and nurturing of friendship, especially one that has dimmed with distance and time. Both male stars, as well as leading lady Bernadette Lafont, would continue working with director Chabrol for the remainder of his career. (AMG)







El bello Sergio
François regresa a su pueblo natal en Francia tras una década de ausencia. Nada más llegar nota que el pueblo no ha cambiado demasiado desde su partida, pero sí la gente, especialmente su viejo amigo Serge, quien se ha convertido en un desagradable borracho. En honor a esa vieja amistad que les unía años atrás, François averigurará lo que le sucedió a Serge para que se convirtiera en ese tipo de persona y también le prestará su ayuda para sacarlo de ese estado. Primera película de Chabrol.





Après plusieurs années d'absence, François revient dans son village auvergnat. Il y retrouve son ami Serge. Mais celui-ci, mal marié, a sombré dans l'alcool et refuse de voir François. Celui-ci tente de l'aider à refaire surface et à accepter son enfant mongolien.





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