D’homme à hommes (1948)

D’homme à hommes is a French period drama film first released in 1948, directed by Christian-Jaque.  The film stars Jean-Louis Barrault, Bernard Blier, Hélène Perdrière, Louis Seigner and Abel Jacquin.  It has also been released under the title: Man to Men.  Our overall rating for this film is: very good.


In 1858, the Swiss-born Henri Dunant is having difficulties managing a colony in Algeria.  He decides to visit the Emperor Napoléon III, who is currently in the middle of a campaign in Italy, to ask for support to build a system of irrigation.  Arriving in the battle of Solferino, Dunant is appalled by the suffering he sees and immediately begins to take care of the wounded and dying soldiers.  With help from influential friends such as the wealthy Madame Kastner, he finally achieves his great ambition in 1863: the foundation of a society dedicated to relieving human suffering: the Red Cross Organisation.  Dunant’s success comes at a cost, however.  When it is revealed that he used his creditors’ money in his philanthropic work, he is compelled to resign his position in the Red Cross and to live the rest of his life in obscurity.  It is not until 1901 when, a poor old man, that Dunant finally receives recognition for his good work – he is awarded the first Nobel Prize for Peace.

Christian-Jaque’s account of the life of Henri Dunant, founder of the Red Cross, is a masterful composition, meriting a place amongst the director’s best works and a must-see film for anyone interested in the life of arguably the greatest humanist that ever lived.  The part of Dunant is played to perfection by Jean-Louis Barrault, one of France’s most accomplished stage and screen actors, who is perhaps best known for his leading role in Marcel Carné’s Les Enfants du paradis (1945).  Barrault’s compelling and perfectly judged performance brings great depth and humanity to what could easily have been a humdrum biographical drama.  Meanwhile, Christian-Jaque excels himself with his direction, whether it be the stunningly realised battle scenes, the haunting, expressionist dream sequence, or the quieter moments in which the film’s central character lives out his own personal tragedy in order to achieve his humanist goals.  It is a poignant and absorbing work, charged with pathos and humanity, and a fitting tribute to a truly great man.

© James Travers 2006

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