Quelques jours avec moi
Encyclopedia
Quelques jours avec moi (English title A Few Days With Me) is a French film by director Claude Sautet
, released in France in 1988. It received three César Award
nominations in the 1989 Festival's edition.
) is discharged from a mental insitution where he spent a few years due to a serious nervous breakdown. During his hospitalization, he ceases to speak with everyone, including his wife Régine (Thérèse Liotard
), whom he had encouraged to find a new partner soon after entering the clinic. Upon his return he finds his mother (Danielle Darrieux
), a busy business woman who owns a supermarket chain. She's convinced that his son, whom by now hardly talks to anyone after his experience, will be able to find himself again if tasked with some responbibilities. Soon enough, he's sent to Limoges
on a business trip to check on one of their stores in the hope to reinvigorate its failing business. Once he arrives, Martial is faced with responsibilities he had never imagined, including dealing with the store's personnel. Due to his lack of people skills, this job is a difficult task. Meantime, as instructed by his mother, he checks on the accounting handled by the manager, Mr. Fonfrin (Jean-Pierre Marielle
) and he soon realizes that the reason for the branch's close-to-failure status is that Fonfrin is padding the books. Due to his inability to take charge for anything in life, Martial fails to perform his duties and instead befriends the crooked manager, who invites the naive heir to join him and his wife (Dominique Lavanant
) for dinner one night. He immediately falls in love with Francine (Sandrine Bonnaire
), the maid, an eccentric young woman with whom he has a brief relationship. Martial unconditionally showers her with all kinds of gifts, as this is the first time in several years that he feels close to someone; it is a short episode that makes his dejected life momentarily look brighter. He lets his work fall behind for her but unfortunately the romance doesn't last long and upon his return to Paris, he is deemed incompetent and re-admitted to the hospital.
Claude Sautet
Claude Sautet was a French author and film director.-Biography:Born in Montrouge, Hauts-de-Seine, France, Claude Sautet first studied painting and sculpture before attending a film university in Paris where he began his career and later became a television producer...
, released in France in 1988. It received three César Award
César Award
The César Award is the national film award of France, first given out in 1975. The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des arts et techniques du cinéma....
nominations in the 1989 Festival's edition.
Plot
Martial (Daniel AuteuilDaniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:...
) is discharged from a mental insitution where he spent a few years due to a serious nervous breakdown. During his hospitalization, he ceases to speak with everyone, including his wife Régine (Thérèse Liotard
Thérèse Liotard
Thérèse Liotard is a French actress best known for her role in the film My Father's Glory .She is known on British television for her appearance in the series Bergerac....
), whom he had encouraged to find a new partner soon after entering the clinic. Upon his return he finds his mother (Danielle Darrieux
Danielle Darrieux
Danielle Yvonne Marie Antoinette Darrieux is a French actress and singer, who has appeared in more than 110 films since 1931. She is one of France's great movie stars and her eight-decade career is among the longest in film history....
), a busy business woman who owns a supermarket chain. She's convinced that his son, whom by now hardly talks to anyone after his experience, will be able to find himself again if tasked with some responbibilities. Soon enough, he's sent to Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
on a business trip to check on one of their stores in the hope to reinvigorate its failing business. Once he arrives, Martial is faced with responsibilities he had never imagined, including dealing with the store's personnel. Due to his lack of people skills, this job is a difficult task. Meantime, as instructed by his mother, he checks on the accounting handled by the manager, Mr. Fonfrin (Jean-Pierre Marielle
Jean-Pierre Marielle
Jean-Pierre Marielle is a French actor. He has played in more than a hundred movies in which he brought life to a very large diversity of roles, from the banal citizen , to the serial killer , to the World War II hero , to the compromised spy , to the has-been actor Jean-Pierre Marielle (born...
) and he soon realizes that the reason for the branch's close-to-failure status is that Fonfrin is padding the books. Due to his inability to take charge for anything in life, Martial fails to perform his duties and instead befriends the crooked manager, who invites the naive heir to join him and his wife (Dominique Lavanant
Dominique Lavanant
Dominique Lavanant in Morlaix, Finistère, is a César Award-winning French film and theatrical actress, famous for her comedy skills especially with posh and distinguished characters, like Rosalind Russell's; characters often defined by the adjective BCBG , bon chic bon genre, and which refers to a...
) for dinner one night. He immediately falls in love with Francine (Sandrine Bonnaire
Sandrine Bonnaire
Sandrine Bonnaire is a French actress, who has appeared in more than 40 films including Hollywood movies.Bonnaire was born in the town of Gannat, Allier, in the Auvergne region. She was born into a working-class family, the seventh of eleven children. Her acting career began at the age of 16 in...
), the maid, an eccentric young woman with whom he has a brief relationship. Martial unconditionally showers her with all kinds of gifts, as this is the first time in several years that he feels close to someone; it is a short episode that makes his dejected life momentarily look brighter. He lets his work fall behind for her but unfortunately the romance doesn't last long and upon his return to Paris, he is deemed incompetent and re-admitted to the hospital.
Cast
- Daniel AuteuilDaniel AuteuilDaniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:...
(Martial Pasquier) - Sandrine BonnaireSandrine BonnaireSandrine Bonnaire is a French actress, who has appeared in more than 40 films including Hollywood movies.Bonnaire was born in the town of Gannat, Allier, in the Auvergne region. She was born into a working-class family, the seventh of eleven children. Her acting career began at the age of 16 in...
(Francine) - Danielle DarrieuxDanielle DarrieuxDanielle Yvonne Marie Antoinette Darrieux is a French actress and singer, who has appeared in more than 110 films since 1931. She is one of France's great movie stars and her eight-decade career is among the longest in film history....
(Madame Pasquier — Martial's Mother) - Jean-Pierre MarielleJean-Pierre MarielleJean-Pierre Marielle is a French actor. He has played in more than a hundred movies in which he brought life to a very large diversity of roles, from the banal citizen , to the serial killer , to the World War II hero , to the compromised spy , to the has-been actor Jean-Pierre Marielle (born...
(Mr. Fonfier) - Dominique LavanantDominique LavanantDominique Lavanant in Morlaix, Finistère, is a César Award-winning French film and theatrical actress, famous for her comedy skills especially with posh and distinguished characters, like Rosalind Russell's; characters often defined by the adjective BCBG , bon chic bon genre, and which refers to a...
(Mrs. Fonfier) - Thérèse LiotardThérèse LiotardThérèse Liotard is a French actress best known for her role in the film My Father's Glory .She is known on British television for her appearance in the series Bergerac....
(Régine — Martial's wife)
Reception
New York Times' Vincent Canby described Claude Sautet as an artist who often uses his films to lambast bourgeoisie's hypsocrisy, a trait that is seen in this and other movies he directed. In Quelques Jours Avec Moi, he uses Martial's character to counter the above, as he represents its antithesis. In Le Figaro, Nicolas Jouenne notes his perception of the film as a comedy at first, rather hilarious, that swirves onto a tragedy toward the end.Awards
| Organization | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| César Award César Award The César Award is the national film award of France, first given out in 1975. The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des arts et techniques du cinéma.... |
César Award for Best Actor César Award for Best Actor This is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... |
Daniel Auteuil Daniel Auteuil Daniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:... |
|
| César Award for Best Supporting Actor | Jean-Pierre Marielle Jean-Pierre Marielle Jean-Pierre Marielle is a French actor. He has played in more than a hundred movies in which he brought life to a very large diversity of roles, from the banal citizen , to the serial killer , to the World War II hero , to the compromised spy , to the has-been actor Jean-Pierre Marielle (born... |
||
| César Award for Best Supporting Actress | Dominique Lavanant Dominique Lavanant Dominique Lavanant in Morlaix, Finistère, is a César Award-winning French film and theatrical actress, famous for her comedy skills especially with posh and distinguished characters, like Rosalind Russell's; characters often defined by the adjective BCBG , bon chic bon genre, and which refers to a... |