Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Au revoir, les enfants: A reservoir, the childrens (I don't really know French)


Reservoir Dogs got it's name from a mangled pronunciation of the Louis Malle film Au revoir, les enfants. Yeah yeah, I know, déjà vu. I didn't do it on purpose, it's just where Roger Ebert's Great Movies led me.

This is a sweet film about the relationship between two boys at a Catholic boarding school in France during World War II. In the beginning the new kid, Jean, tries to befriend Julien, the main character. Julien is very dismissive and very hostile towards Jean. Eventually this adversarial relationship morphs into a kind of friendship as Julien begins to suspect that Jean is a Jew in hiding. Julien's suspicions lead him to his older bother and the two share this exchange:
"Francois, what's a yid?"

"A Jew."

"I know, but what exactly is a Jew?"

"Someone who doesn't eat pork."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Not at all."

"What have people got against them?"

"The fact that they're smarter than us, and that they crucified Jesus."

"That's not true. It was the Romans. Is that why they have to wear yellow stars?"

"Will you take my letter to Davenne?"

"No. What do you want with her anyway?"

"Never mind. Be nice. I'll lend you my Arabian Nights. It'll give you a hard-on."
I think that speaks volumes.


If the Nazis ever take over your country, try to make sure that nobody gets dicked-over because that just leads to bad things.

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