Mon oncle d’Amérique

Genre: behavioural docufiction

With: Gérard Depardieu (René Ragueneau), Nicole Garcia (Janine Garnier), Roger-Pierre (Jean Le Gall), Nelly Borgeaud (Arlette Le Gall), Pierre Arditi (Zambeaux), Gérard Darrieu (Léon Veestrate), Philippe Laudenbach (Michel Aubert), Marie Dubois (Thérèse Ragueneau), Henri Laborit (himself)

Director: Alain Resnais

Screenplay: Jean Gruault (based on Henri Laborit’s scientific work)

Release: 1980

Studio: Philippe Dussart, Andrea Films, TF1

Rating: U

MBiS score: 8.9/10

 

 

‟Animals – and men for that matter – are endowed with four instincts: survival, flight, struggle and inhibition.”

 

 

QuickView

Story-line: MON ONCLE D’AMÉRIQUE illustrates Henri Laborit’s behavioural theories by applying them to three fictional characters: (1) Jean Le Gall. a teacher, civil servant, broadcasting executive and controversial writer, (2) Janine Garnier, a fashion stylist and stage actress involved with a married man, and (3) René Ragueneau, a country boy who has worked his way up to a managerial position in the textile industry. Their common trait? They are all driven, ambitious individuals who want to live life to the fullest.  

Pluses: impressive performances by well-known thespians, a serious, detailed and perfectly logical screenplay that ingeniously uses old movie snippets to buttress each character’s motivations, fine direction and editing, plain-Jane photography, adequate production values and a lovely, efficient musical score by Arié Dzierlatka.

Minuses: the first act (25 minutes or so) may feel dry and didactic but the story itself becomes amply relevant once its theoretical foundations have been laid.  

Comments: MON ONCLE D’AMÉRIQUE - an original, enriching and expertly crafted hybrid film - is an invaluable record of Henri Laborit’s genius and a clear-headed demonstration of basic behavioural concepts. According to the Petit Robert dictionary, the French expression ‟mon oncle d’Amérique” refers to an imaginary relative who dies abroad and unexpectedly leaves you a fortune, a pipe dream really, sort of like ‟if I ever win the lottery…” As for the film’s conclusions about the human condition, I’m sure you will find them eye-opening but also horrifying. In spite of his vast knowledge, man still has plenty to learn…   

 

MBiS

© 2020 – All rights reserved