The Man on the Train with Jean Rochefort and Johnny Hallyday - A film about Calling

The Man on the Train with Jean Rochefort and Johnny Hallyday

A film about Calling

This is a terrific film about calling.

The glorieuse Jean Rochefort plays Monsieur Manesquier.

Johnny Hallyday, the regretted, recently departed singer is Milan.

Monsieur Manesquier is a teacher in a small town.

Milan is the opposite.

He has been a criminal, robbing banks and running from the law all his life, carrying with him three pistols.

They meet in a pharmacy.

Monsieur Manesquier invites the stranger to stay over at his house, when the small hotel in the village has no vacancies.

The teacher is the talkative one, while Milan is reserved, probably a side effect of his profession which must involve discretion…

-          Absolute discretion if possible

The criminal meets with a couple of colleagues, one of them explaining the plan of hitting the local bank…

-          Piece of cake

-          You can choke on a piece of cake

Even less outspoken than Milan, the third man is so quiet that he becomes funny, with his habit of pronouncing a sentence per day.

-          What is his story

-          Oh, he only talks at 10 a.m.

-          Is he crazy?

-          His wife left him…

-          When

-          Seven years ago

A strong bond develops between Monsieur Manesquier and his guest, with both looking at the other’s occupation.

In the manner of the infamous Taxi Driver Travis, the host talks to himself in the mirror, using different lines:

-          My name is Wyatt Earp

-          There is a new sheriff in town

-          I am the only one with the guns…

-          Bam, bam…or words to that effect

It is obvious that the two men wish they had the life of the other, one longing for tranquility and the other for action.

This is a clear case of:

-          Missing one’s calling or at the very least

-          Getting tired and bored with the activity or lack of action respectively

Milan is wondering about the tranquility, the peace and equanimity offered by the life of a teacher in a small town.

At the same time, the professor is attracted by the three guns he found in the room of the adventurous guest.

As a favor, he wants to try and fire them and they get to an isolated, ruined house where he can shoot at empty cans.

Milan is trying on the slippers, which he receives as a gift from his host, who wants to take part in the robbery.

When the teacher is out, one of his private students comes at the house where he is received by the would-be professor, Milan:

-          I take the place of your teacher

-          Yes

-          What did you have to study?

-          Eugenie Grandet

-          Tell me about it

-          She waits for her lover

-          How long?

-          Until the end

-          What if Eugenie Grandet had a phone? Think about that

The ending invites the audience to think of the two characters and their different lives- one taking the place of the other, a switch suggested by the poster of the film as well…