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General Major 
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TITLE |
Eighth Day, The (1996) |
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ALT__TITLE |
Le Huitieme
jour |
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DISABILITY |
General
Down's Syndrome |
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DIRECTOR |
Jaco van
Dormael
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NOTES |
This film is
a must, beautifully acted, beautifully photographed; forget, if
you like, about disabilities this film succeeds whatever. |
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A divorced
businessman who lectures on positive attitudes to |
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sales teams
is so pre-occupied with his job he forgets to pick |
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up his
daughters. But he loses control after being told by their |
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mother that
he can't see them for a long time because his |
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failure to
be there upsets them so much (see "Liar, Liar" on |
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this theme).
Driving through the rain he hits a dog, a young |
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man is
wandering in the road and he presumes it is his dog. |
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The young
man gets into his car without being asked. At this |
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point we
enter another dimension where motives for action |
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have changed
from what we expect. Daniel Auteuil (one of |
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France's
best actors) doesn't know what to make of Pascal |
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Duquenne's
young man. Not because he has Down's |
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Syndrome but
because he acts in ways not expected, which |
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take even us
by surprise but with which we empathise. For |
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example he
directs his 'chauffeur' to this mother's house |
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saying he's
going home; neglecting to mention his mother |
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died years
ago. Later Auteuil heads to his daughters' home |
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hiding from
himself that he is not welcome. Ultimately, it is |
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the young
man who brings about the reconciliation between |
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the father
and his family.. |
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This film is
moving without being sentimental, it's very funny at |
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times and if
there's any justice we'll see Pascal Duquenne |
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Notes
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