"The Christmas Tree" is a 1969 film made in France, with a multi-national cast. It debuted in America in September of that year - two weeks ahead of its opening in Italy and three weeks ahead of its release in France. While that's a little strange (although not completely unusual as with the plethora of spaghetti Westerns made during the middle to late 20th century), there's very little information online about this film, or about one of its stars or about the book it's based on - and it's author.
Two very big international names of the period star in this film - American Academy Award winner William Holden is Laurent Sêgur, and Italian Virna Lisi is Catherine Graziani. A prominent French actor of the time, Bourvil, plays a major role as Verdun. Others in the cast, are Austrian and Russian as well as French and Italian. And, then there's the young American co-star, Brook Fuller, who plays 10-year-old Pascal Sêgur. All the IMDb Web site has about him (with no more information anywhere else) is that he was born in 1958 in Monterey, California; and, he's an actor and a writer, and he is connected to three films. He was a child actor in two 1960s films, and a writer for a 2012 film made in the Ukraine. Yet, this 11-year-old child gives a tremendous performance in this film. So, one can puzzle over why Brook Fuller didn't appear in many more films and possibly become a major star.
Well, that aside, this film has an unusual plot as well, and some very different - if not quirky, situations and scenes. The plot is based on a novel by French author Michel Bataille. Very little information is available online about him, except that he was born in 1926 in Paris, studied and worked as an architect for 13 years then left that to take up writing fulltime. British director and writer Terence Young ("Dr. No," "From Russia With Love," and "Thunderball") wrote the screenplay and directed this film. So, one doesn't know how much it sticks to the book. A subtle undertone of the story - either from the book, or the screenplay, or both, is an anti-nuclear arms race tone. This was at the height of the Cold War with the nuclear arms race in full swing between America and the Soviet Union. Without any other way of understanding how it could happen and not become well known in the story, a nuclear accident is the basis for this movie. It happens when a military plane explodes in the air, with subsequent explosions that release radiation from an atomic bomb that floats down to the sea under parachutes.
Holden's Laurent Sêgur is an American of obvious French ancestry, who is a multi-millionaire. We never learn what his company or business is. But during WW II he was in the American Army and worked with the French and Italian underground to sabotage German installations. That's how he and Verdun became friends. In the 24 years since the war, Sêgur has become super wealthy. He now is a widower with a 10-year-old son, and lives in Paris. His son, Pascal, is in an exclusive school much of the year, and they spend 6 ½ weeks together on his vacations. One of their frequent places to stay is the castle in the French countryside that Laurent bought years before, and where his wartime friend, Verdun, now manages and takes care of the estate. It has just one other employee, Marinette, an elderly French cook, and they use just half a dozen rooms of the huge estate. Laurent admits that he doesn't even know how many rooms the place has.
Laurent now also has a lady friend who is an art designer for a magazine in Paris. Catherine is about to become his fiancé, but only after she meets Pascal who comes home for the summer vacation. Laurent asks Pascal where he would like to go on vacation, and they wind up in Corsica, camping out on a beach. While out on a raft, the military plane accident occurs overhead. Laurent goes into the water to retrieve something Pascal has dropped, and during that time Pascal is exposed to the radiation from the bomb that is floating down to the sea.
After they learn that Pascal will die from the radiation exposure in three to six months, Laurent spends the rest of the time with him at the country estate. He and Verdun do all they can to make Pascal happy. Some of the things they do are far out. The film has some good moments of light humor as well. Pascal gets a tractor to drive and two pet wolves that his dad and Verdum have to steal from the Paris zoo. Pascal takes to Catherine and she to him, and on Christmas Eve when Laurent and she return after last minute shopping, Laurent finds Pascal finally at rest under their Christmas tree.
I'm not a rich person myself - monetarily, that is. But as a dad, I would have done anything I could to make a child of mine happy who was dying of an incurable disease. This just happens to be based on a book about a wealthy widower and his son. I think most people will find this film a wonderful and warm (though with a sad ending) snapshot of life and family, whether at Christmas or any time.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Catherine Graziani, "But do you know really why I'll marry you?" Laurent Sêgur, "Mmm hmm. It's because you want two passports."
Catherine Graziani, "Ah, the trouble with men - they just don't know how to count."
Marinette, as Pascal leaves with a large bowl of meat to feed the wolves, "Shall I go with you?" Pascal Sêgur, "Marinette, women and wolves don't mix."
Two very big international names of the period star in this film - American Academy Award winner William Holden is Laurent Sêgur, and Italian Virna Lisi is Catherine Graziani. A prominent French actor of the time, Bourvil, plays a major role as Verdun. Others in the cast, are Austrian and Russian as well as French and Italian. And, then there's the young American co-star, Brook Fuller, who plays 10-year-old Pascal Sêgur. All the IMDb Web site has about him (with no more information anywhere else) is that he was born in 1958 in Monterey, California; and, he's an actor and a writer, and he is connected to three films. He was a child actor in two 1960s films, and a writer for a 2012 film made in the Ukraine. Yet, this 11-year-old child gives a tremendous performance in this film. So, one can puzzle over why Brook Fuller didn't appear in many more films and possibly become a major star.
Well, that aside, this film has an unusual plot as well, and some very different - if not quirky, situations and scenes. The plot is based on a novel by French author Michel Bataille. Very little information is available online about him, except that he was born in 1926 in Paris, studied and worked as an architect for 13 years then left that to take up writing fulltime. British director and writer Terence Young ("Dr. No," "From Russia With Love," and "Thunderball") wrote the screenplay and directed this film. So, one doesn't know how much it sticks to the book. A subtle undertone of the story - either from the book, or the screenplay, or both, is an anti-nuclear arms race tone. This was at the height of the Cold War with the nuclear arms race in full swing between America and the Soviet Union. Without any other way of understanding how it could happen and not become well known in the story, a nuclear accident is the basis for this movie. It happens when a military plane explodes in the air, with subsequent explosions that release radiation from an atomic bomb that floats down to the sea under parachutes.
Holden's Laurent Sêgur is an American of obvious French ancestry, who is a multi-millionaire. We never learn what his company or business is. But during WW II he was in the American Army and worked with the French and Italian underground to sabotage German installations. That's how he and Verdun became friends. In the 24 years since the war, Sêgur has become super wealthy. He now is a widower with a 10-year-old son, and lives in Paris. His son, Pascal, is in an exclusive school much of the year, and they spend 6 ½ weeks together on his vacations. One of their frequent places to stay is the castle in the French countryside that Laurent bought years before, and where his wartime friend, Verdun, now manages and takes care of the estate. It has just one other employee, Marinette, an elderly French cook, and they use just half a dozen rooms of the huge estate. Laurent admits that he doesn't even know how many rooms the place has.
Laurent now also has a lady friend who is an art designer for a magazine in Paris. Catherine is about to become his fiancé, but only after she meets Pascal who comes home for the summer vacation. Laurent asks Pascal where he would like to go on vacation, and they wind up in Corsica, camping out on a beach. While out on a raft, the military plane accident occurs overhead. Laurent goes into the water to retrieve something Pascal has dropped, and during that time Pascal is exposed to the radiation from the bomb that is floating down to the sea.
After they learn that Pascal will die from the radiation exposure in three to six months, Laurent spends the rest of the time with him at the country estate. He and Verdun do all they can to make Pascal happy. Some of the things they do are far out. The film has some good moments of light humor as well. Pascal gets a tractor to drive and two pet wolves that his dad and Verdum have to steal from the Paris zoo. Pascal takes to Catherine and she to him, and on Christmas Eve when Laurent and she return after last minute shopping, Laurent finds Pascal finally at rest under their Christmas tree.
I'm not a rich person myself - monetarily, that is. But as a dad, I would have done anything I could to make a child of mine happy who was dying of an incurable disease. This just happens to be based on a book about a wealthy widower and his son. I think most people will find this film a wonderful and warm (though with a sad ending) snapshot of life and family, whether at Christmas or any time.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Catherine Graziani, "But do you know really why I'll marry you?" Laurent Sêgur, "Mmm hmm. It's because you want two passports."
Catherine Graziani, "Ah, the trouble with men - they just don't know how to count."
Marinette, as Pascal leaves with a large bowl of meat to feed the wolves, "Shall I go with you?" Pascal Sêgur, "Marinette, women and wolves don't mix."