Mon oncle d’Amerique (1980)

Directed by: Alain Resnais | 120 minutes | drama, comedy, romance | Actors: Gérard Depardieu, Nicole Garcia, Roger Pierre, Nelly Borgeaud, Pierre Arditi, Gérard Darrieu, Philippe Laudenbach

‘Mon oncle d’Amérique’ is an unconventional, but largely brilliant film by director Alain Resnais, which makes the viewer think about human behaviour. Are we very different from animals, like lab rats, are we really unique, thinking beings, or do we follow instincts and primordial drives that are said to be as old as mankind?

They are interesting reflections that seem more appropriate for a documentary broadcast at midnight on a moderately watched channel. Resnais, however, turns it into fascinating cinema, although the unusual style will not appeal to everyone. Certainly in the beginning, the film resembles a documentary, with life sketches of the three protagonists – who tell this themselves in an oval frame – from their childhood. First of all, there is Roger Pierre as Jean, a middle-aged man of good descent with high social positions. He is strongly connected to the island where he was born and where he spent a lot of time with his grandfather during his childhood. Then there’s Janine (Nicole Garcia), raised with communist ideas and dreaming of a stage career. Finally, René (Gérard Depardieu), from a poor peasant family, a dutiful Catholic who is unhappy in his job.

With each of the three, their emotions are linked to shots of famous French actors from an earlier era: for Pierre it’s actress Danielle Darrieux, for Garcia it’s Jean Marais and for Depardieu it’s Jean Gabin. It is an original way of conveying feelings, but it is very effective.

Director Resnais has already introduced a number of philosophical considerations, grouped around animal behavior (crabs, a goldfish, a puppy and a wild boar), with “they are forced to act within a space” as the central theme. Still, the film does not seem very special, certainly by French standards. Then psychologist and behavioral scientist Henri Laborit comes into the picture, who simply plays himself, and talks about his theories from his primary research field. Then the film suddenly looks like a documentary again. Laborit explains the scenes, gives motivation for the behavior of the actors and strings together the separate storylines. These, of course, appear to be interconnected in several ways.

It would be a shame to say too much about the plot, not only because it’s much more fun to discover it for yourself, but also because it’s not easy to explain what’s happening. A summary of the events would not sound so sparkling at all. After all, it is about people who are faced with crucial choices in their lives. Which movie does not apply to? It is Resnais’ master hand, aided by the fluently narrating Laborit, who makes ‘Mon oncle d’Amerique’ a very strong film. Thus unfolds a powerful drama, backed up by science and thought provoking as to why people act the way they do and why – although they may think they are rational beings in control of their own lives – they are little more than talking animals. This is particularly illustrated by the already mentioned laboratory rats, which are even used to re-enact some earlier scenes.

The great thing is that ‘Mon oncle d’Amérique’ is never pretentious despite the intellectual stimulation – and unlike many other French films. It is as if Laborit is teaching, but then portrayed by excellent French actors. Definitely not suitable for a large audience, but what is shown remains fascinating from start to finish. Definitely recommended – after some settling in – to take another look.

‘Mon oncle d’Amérique’ won the jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980, received an Oscar and a handful of César nominations, and also won several awards at international film festivals.