Figure 1.--"La ville dont le prince est un enfant" is set in a private French bording school.

A German reader asks, "The novel by Henry de Montherlant "La ville dont le un enfant" (The City of One Child) was made into a film in 1969. My question is, what is the name of the film and who directed it." A French reader tells me that the title isn't quite right and that a word or two is missing. Another HBC reader believes that the fim in question is probably "La ville dont le prince est un enfant" [The City whose Prince is a Child"] by Christophe Malavoy (1996). Adapted from a novel by Henry de Montherlant, written in 1950 or 1951. It was first performed as a play. The folm is set in a highly regulated French Roman-Catholic secondary school early in the 20th century. I do not yet have any details on the school uniform. Sevrais (Naël Marandin) is a brilliant 17-year old who is enchanted by Souplier (Clément van der Bergh), a much younger boy. Father Pradts (Christophe Malavoy) is set to thwart this friendship which, as the boys are in different grades, was contrary to school rules. It becomes clear that his motivation is not only upholding and enforcing school rules but other more complicated motivations as well. He then tries to have Sevrais expelled. Another HBC reader reports that was a 1997 TV film directed by Christophe Malavoy. No references are available on an earlier version.

Filmology

The film was directed by Christophe Malavoy who also acts as Abe de Pradts. The film was released in 1996-97. It was apparentkly a made for TV producriion. No references are available on an earlier version.

Book

The film was adapted from a novel by Henry de Montherlant, written in 1950 or 1951. It was first produced as a play.

Author

Henry de Montherlant, né à Paris, est élevé dans des écoles catholiques. I1 y fait l'expérience d'une formation morale et d'amitiés adolescentes dont son premier livre, La Relève du matin (1920), garde le souvenir. Blessé au combat en 1918, il admire jusque dans la vie civile l'effort et l'héroïsme (le sport: Les Olympiques, 1924, la tauromachie: Les Bestiaires, 1926). Écrivain aristocrate, Montherlant développe dans ses écrits les thèmes qui guident toute sa vie: le choix libre de son existence, la possession de soi, l'acceptation de son sort, une claire définition du devoir et du bien, un sens aigu du néant et de la mort, une philosophie de l'individualisme où ses héros choisissent leur voie, délaissant la médiocrité environnante Son moralisme ambigu, qui mêle aux plus nobles exigences un scepticisme hautain, s'exprime d'abord dans des romans (Les Célibataires, 1933; Les Jeunes Filles, 1936-1939). Admirateur de Nietzche, il produit une oeuvre hybride où tragique et bonheur trouve un point d'équilibre. Mais bien que déjà célèbre, c'est en 1942, que sa première pièce La Reine morte, va lui apporter la gloire. Suivront douze drames dont Le Maître de Santiago (1947), Malatesta (1950), Port-Royal (1954), un théâtre centré sur l'"exploration de l'homme", une série de pièces qui mettent en scène un héros souvent religieux, inspiré par le souci d'être au-dessus des autres hommes, servies par une prose classique et très belle, presque anachronique par sa pureté et sa rigueur. Toute l'oeuvre de Montherlant affirme que l'homme est face à son destin; devenu aveugle, voulant que sa mort soit libre,"un acte de sa seule volonté" il se suicide en 1972.

Henry de Montherlant, born in Paris, was educated in catholic schools. He made there the experiment of a moral formation and teenagers friendship where from his first book, The Changing of the morning (1920), keeps the memory. Wounded during 1914-1918, he admires up to civil life the effort and heroism (the sport: The Olympic ones, 1924, bullfighting: Bestiaries, 1926). Aristocrat writer, Montherlant develops in his writings the topics which guide whole his life: the free choice of one's existence, the self-control, the acceptance of own fate, a clear definition of the duty and good, an acute sense of nothingness and death, a philosophy of individualism where his heroes choose their way, forsaking the surrounding mediocrity. Its ambiguous moralism, which mixes with the noblest requirements a haughty scepticism, is expressed initially in novels (the Single people, 1933; Girls, 1936-1939). Admirer of Nietzche, he produced a hybrid work where tragic and happiness find a point of balance. But although already famous, it is in 1942, that his first theater work, The dead Queen, will bring glory to him. Will follow twelve dramas of which the Master of Santiago (1947), Malatesta (1950), Port-Royal (1954), a theatre centered on the "exploration of the man ", a series of works which put in scene an often religious hero, inspired by the concern to be above other men, evidenced by a traditional and very beautiful prose, almost anachronistic by its purity and its rigour. All the work of Montherlant affirms that the man is face to face with his destiny; Having become blind, wanting that his death be a free act, " an act of his own only will " he commits suicide in 1972.

Cast

The actors include: Christophe MALAVOY, Michel AUMONT and for the kids' parts: Nael MARANDIN, Clément Van den Bergh, Pierre-Arnaud JUIN. Another child actor is Pierre-Alexis Hollenbeck.

Setting

The film is set in a highly regulated French Roman-Catholic secondary school early in the 20th century.

Costuming

I do not yet have any details on the school uniform. The jacket cover reproduced her shows one of the boys, presumably Souplier wearing a blue beret with the capes that French boys and girls attending private schools are often depicted as wearing. The younger boy, Souplier (Clement van den Bergh) wears a dark, long jacket with a brown-white ringled scarf and a dark cap (it could be a hat as well, I'm a bit unsure about the terms) without a visor. At some ocasions he wears a grey jacket but it isn't as heavy and warm as the dark one.(probably a part of a suit) Under that jacket he wears a red pullover and a white shirt. He wears short trousers and stockings. The older boy Sevrais (Nael Marandin) wears a dark jacket (as heavy as that of Souplier) and a dark scarf. He has got a grey suit with a tie, long trousers and a white shirt on. He wears a grey cap with a visor. When the play was perfomed the actors should be dressed like this: Andre Sevrais should wear a golfing suit and Serge Souplier (according to the play Serge Sandrier) half stockings and a pullover. These clothes shouldn't look brand-new, but quite the contrary.

Plot

Sevrais (Naël Marandin) is a brilliant 17-year old pupil at a conservative private boarding school who is enchanted by Souplier (Clément van der Bergh), a much younger boy. The latter is turbulent and rebels against authority. This complicity is enjoyed by the other boys, but not quite the taste of abbot De Pradts. Father Pradts (Christophe Malavoy) is set to thwart this friendship which, as the boys are in different grades, was contrary to school rules. It becomes clear that his motivation is not only upholding and enforcing school rules but other more complicated motivations as well. He then tries to have Sevrais expelled.

Sevrais, brillant élève de dix-sept ans, se lie d'une amitié pour son benjamin, Souplier. Ce dernier est turbulent et totalement rebelle à toute autorité. Cette complicité ravit les autres pensionnaires mais n'est pas du goût de l'abbé de Pradts. L'amitié entre élèves de sections différentes étant absolument proscrite, l'abbé tente de s'interposer entre les deux adolescents. L'abbé de Pradts devient extrêment jaloux et possessif. Il manigance alors le renvoi de Sevrais afin de lui soustraire Souplier.

Created: January 30, 2000
Last updated: January 23, 2003