Summary
When her husband, an agent of the French Resistance, is captured by the German police,
a middle class woman, Juliet, is forced to flee from the Nazi occupied part of France
with her two young sons. She is escorted by a poacher, Noël Fortunat, who poses
as her husband. When they arrive safely in Toulouse, Noël, Juliet and
her children set up home together, and make friends with a Jewish family living next door.
Despite their different social positions, Juliet and Noël form a close bond of friendship
which is strengthened by their shared experiences of poverty and intimidation by the German
police. But how long will their brittle happiness last?
Review
Fortunat is an engaging tragicomic melodrama which paints a realistic and moving
picture of life for ordinary folk living in France during the Occupation. The film
stars two of France’s acting legends, Michèle Morgan and Bourvil, both of
whom are on fine form, with Bourvil in particular giving one of his most sympathetic and
captivating screen performances.
The cinematography (which alternates between the intensely sombre and the radiantly sunny)
manages to evoke the period in which the film is set. It also captures the feelings
of the film’s central characters very effectively and adds a sense of realism to
the drama. As a result, the film is far less cosy and complacent than the more conventional
studio-bound productions of the period, which in part explains why it still feels so fresh
today.
The film combines comedy and drama to great effect – with comic moments often immediately
followed by a sudden tragic development. Whilst this sometimes feels contrived and
overly melodramatic (certainly for a more sophisticated audience), there are several instances
where it achieves a shocking impact on the spectator. The film’s poignant
ending – although almost entirely predictable – is particularly moving.
The tragic conclusion is that divisions between social classes can only be levelled under
situations of extreme peril and hardship; whereas war brings people together, peace keeps
them apart. At the very least, Fortunat makes a keen observation of human
nature.
© James Travers 2001
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