On the final evening of Guild Hall's superb film series programmed by Gavin Wiesen who also led the Q&A, the actress Candice Bergen introduced her late husband Louis Malle's masterpiece about growing up during the German occupation of France. The events take place in a convent school outside of Paris where Julien and his older brother board. Three new students are introduced to the mischievous crowd, and before too long Julien forges a friendship with the very talented Jean after a bit of rivalry. Needless to say, the newcomer is Jewish and after a betrayal, by the end, the Nazis have sniffed out these children pretending to be Catholic, leaving an indelible impression on young Julien (the Louis Malle surrogate). Bergin said that of all the films Malle made, this was the one he waited to tell, it was that close to the bone. She said that after the film had been nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar in 1987, the filmmaker flew his children in from France, to attend the Hollywood ceremony–he was that sure–only to suffer the embarrassment of losing. After that, he returned to making films in Europe. Alan Alda, Bob Balaban, and Joy Behar, were among those who stopped to chat, wanting to congratulate Candice Bergen and Chloe, her daughter with Malle, on this fine evening. Stories of the Occupation have only just begun. Malle's realistic memoir is a perfect counterpoint to the playful pastiche of Tarantino's Inglouious Basterds and anticipates the film of Irena Nemirovsky's Suite Francaise.

Regina Weinreich