Man, Woman, and Child - (US, 1983)


Figure 1.--Jean-Claude played by Sebastian Dungan is shown here in the short pants suit and kneesocks that he arrived in from France. Martin Sheen is the adult star, playing Professor Robert Beckwith. the father that Jeran-Claude had never met before. CVopurtesy of the RS collection.

Nice movie based on the book. A little French boy, Jean-Claude (Sebastian Dungan), comes to America to see the father he did not even know about. He arrives in a short pants suit with knee socks. He doesn't put it on again until he leaves. It is a blue-grey short pants suit with long, dark blue socks. The other boys in the neighborhood didn't see him in his suit. The French kid wears blue jeans most of the time. He does wear American casual shorts though, khaki shorts and blue ankle socks and blue jeans. The other kids are depicted in typical early-1980s attire, OP Cord shorts, soccer shorts and tube socks. In one scene, some American boys tease him for being a sissy because he has been staying with the girls. One boy who has been taunting him, says "maybe you should wear a dress." The French boy gets his own back, however, by going one on one with him with a soccer ball. Very well played by the boy, but I don't know his name. A HBC reader comments, "The last scene in the film is one of the most heartrending I've ever seen." The main other kid is Billy Jacoby, who plays Craig T. Nelsons obnoxious son. He's the one that Jean-Claude embarresses with the soccer ball.

Filmology

Nice movie based on the best selling book, Man, Woman and Child written by Erich Segal in 1980. For a made for TV film from 1983 it handled its mature theme (a husband's "love child") quite tastefully and realistically.

Cast

Jean-Claude Guerinis very well played by the boy, Sebastian Dungan. Sebastian was 10 years old when he made the film. Sebastian played his role as Jean-Claude deftly, and he wins the audience's support for his efforts to adjust to a new family and a new country. I don't think he ever made any more movies after this, at least HBC is unaware of them. Pity as he was quite a competent little actor. He had a French accent in the movie that sounded realistic, so he may very well have been French. The main other kid is Billy Jacoby, who plays Craig T. Nelsons obnoxious son. He's the one that Jean-Claude embarresses with the soccer ball. Martin Sheen is the adult star, playing Professor Robert Beckwith. While not one of my favorite American actors, Sheen is entirely believable as the husband and father. Blythe Danner remains one of the most underrated of American actresses. She turned a typical classy and accomplished performance as the mother trying to accept Jean-Claude.

Plot

The quite life of a college professor and his family is disrupted when a little French boy appears. Jean-Claude (Sebastian Dungan), comes to America to see the father he did not even know about. He was the love-child that the Professor Robert Beckwith had fathered during World War II sevice in France. Jean-Claude's mother sent the boy, who he had never seen, to live with him in the United States. He is about 10 years old. He arrives from France wearing the short pants suit and kneesocks you see here (figure 1). While trying to adjust to life in the U.S., he wore tradional American clothes for most of the movie. Unfortunately, the end of the movie was sad, because Martin Sheen's wife in the movie, never warmed up to the boy, and made it necessary for Martin to send him back to France. The mother can not overcome feeling betrayed, and though Jean-Claude is accepted and loved by the other family members, he returns to France--actually not all that bad a place to return to. HBC readers comment on how sad it was for Jean-Claude to haveto return to France--primarily because of the mother. A HBC reader writes, "For me, it was a real tear jerker, because you really rooted for the boy to become part of the family." The film had a similar effect on another freader, "The last scene in the film is one of the most heartrending I've ever seen." In has been some time since HBC has seen the film, but I seem to recall something of a reluctance on his part to commit to America and entirely give up France.

Costuming

Jean-Clauder arrives in a short pants suit with knee socks. He doesn't put it on again until he leaves. It is a blue-grey short pants suit with long, dark blue socks. The other boys in the neighborhood didn't see him in his suit. The French kid wears blue jeans most of the time. He does wear American casual shorts though, khaki shorts and blue ankle socks and blue jeans. The other kids are depicted in typical early-1980s attire, OP Cord shorts, soccer shorts and tube socks. The American Jean-Claude wears for most of the film symbolize his efforts to adjust to a new life. In one scene, some American boys tease him for being a sissy because he has been staying with the girls. One boy who has been taunting him, says "maybe you should wear a dress." The French boy gets his own back, however, by going one on one with him with a soccer ball. When the boy packed and was ready for the flight back, he had again dressed himself in the same short pants suit that he arrived in. I suppose the symbolism of Sebastian changing back from American clothes to the more French-like short pants suit with knee socks, was meant to show that he gave up the pursuit of the American dream with his Dad in this country, to return to the totally contrasting life in France. As you can see from this picture, Sebastian was impeccably dressed. This may have been an idealistic portrayal, since we all know that boys often tend to be casual with their clothes.









Christopher Wagner





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Created: April 25, 2002
Last updated: April 26, 2002