"Le Havre": You don't need a reason to be good

Quinn 2022-03-30 08:01:02

An old shoe shiner who lives in poverty, by chance, met an immigrant child who illegally smuggled into France and was absconding. Although his elderly wife was seriously ill and was admitted to the hospital, and was in urgent need of manpower and financial support, the old shoe shiner still took risks and pressure, and tried his best to run around for the safety of the black children, not hesitate to offend the police detective who investigated the case, not only Contacting the help of the neighbors, he also set foot in a strange foreign land alone to find out the whereabouts of the relatives of the black children. In the end, with the concerted efforts of everyone, the old singer raised enough funds after his comeback, and at the last moment, the old detective came to the rescue, and the black child successfully left the troubled land and went to a foreign country to find his mother.

Directed by Finnish master director Aki Kaurismaki, the film tells a tragic and touching story of illegal immigrants in the French port city of Le Havre. This is a concise film without too many impurities. The character style, storytelling and shooting techniques are a bit like the 1970s and 1980s. It can't help but remind people of John Woo's "Lone Killer" for Alain Delon. The taste of tranquility, although this film is not about a killer story, it is just the conscience of a flesh-and-blood old shoe shiner, and the old French actor André Wilmes is quite handsome.

The end of the film is quite intriguing. After successfully rescuing the black child, when the old shoe shiner came to the hospital and found that his wife was not in the ward, he learned that his severely ill wife had miraculously recovered. When the two happily supported them back to the front of their home, they found that a small tree in the narrow courtyard was full of gratifying flowers, leaving a happy ending that good people have good rewards. Just such a simple movie with a simple story structure and teaching principles, but it is very worthy of aftertaste and reflection. Director Aki Kaurismaki is also very personal. Not only did he boycott the Oscars, but he also refused to attend the award ceremony nominated for "The Man Without the Past". The Finnish government declared "Light of the Mist" in 2006 without his permission. Later, it was requested to withdraw. These boycotts stem only from dissatisfaction with the Bush administration's policy toward Iraq. Brother likes such a master who insists on his own opinions, and his works are even more worthy of us to take a look at, and by the way, educate ourselves on morality.

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Extended Reading
  • Letitia 2022-03-30 09:01:12

    1. The most warm and heart-warming Aki, except for the whistleblower next door, who is a guest star of Jean-Pierre Leaud, all the members are good-hearted people. After the false alarm at the end of the double line, everyone is happy, like a god Tragedy - This just fits with the passage where the male protagonist polishes the shoes of the priest outside the church (talking about [Matthew's Gospel] "But Christ still came to the world"), another interesting irony is that the shoe shiner mocks his own profession "The most disrespectful of [the Sermon on the Mount]," no wonder the film won the Catholic Humane Award at Cannes - special mention (laughs). 2. Discuss the issue of smuggling refugees, but there is no bitterness or hatred. Although the studio moved to France, he is still familiar with Aki. The minimalist atmosphere is like Bresson, and the empty mirror transitions and the ending cherry blossoms are like Ozu, as elegant as Ozu. The oil paintings are cold with warm colors, as well as retro furnishings and nostalgic tones. 3. See also the record player and the radio, Bob's rock concert is really good! 4. The little Bob in the bar was hidden in the darkness alone. When his wife came, the two were instantly bathed in light, and the lyrical music sounded, which was very moving. 5.- "Why should I trust you?" - "Because I have blue eyes." (8.5/10)

  • Dejuan 2022-03-31 09:01:09

    The first big-screen Kaurismaki work. Great OST. The setting of helping smuggled black teenagers, no matter how you look at it, is a bit vulgar, but I really like the life attitude of making fun of hardships, and the image tone that hides warmth in coldness. At one time, I thought of the movie as desperate, for example, my wife who felt colic would definitely die, but in the end, the cherry blossoms bloomed.

Le Havre quotes

  • Marcel Marx: L'argent circule au crepuscule.