LE FIL/ THE THREAD

France, 2024, 115 minutes, Colour.

Daniel Auteuil, Gregory Gadebois, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Alice Belaide, Gaetan Roussel, Florence Janas.

Directed by Daniel Auteuil.

The Thread is a courtroom drama, French style. It is very much a film by Daniel Auteuil, the celebrated French actor for many decades, who has written, produced, directed and acted in the central role of the defence lawyer, Maitre Jean Monier.

The film is based on an actual place, and a memoir by the lawyer defending. A woman has been killed, an alcoholic, wife and mother, suspicion on her husband, who is seen at home with the children, devoted, preparing their meals, a kind man, suddenly arrested, the main plausible suspect in the murder.

Jean is separated from his lawyer wife but works in collaboration with her, discussing his meeting with the accused, his belief in his innocence, the intensity of his commitment to defending the accused. The proceedings become something of a crusade for Jean.

While there are many similarities to court cases dramatised in English-language films, there are differences, a bench, judges presiding, the way testimony of witnesses is handled, the behaviour of the prosecution as well as the defence – and the interventions of the judge.

Courtroom dramas do tend to be interesting, the audience invited to be members of the public in the court but also to take on some of the attitudes of the jury, sympathy or not for the accused, the credibility of the witnesses, one or other of them in this case losing their temper in the stand. How much evidence is circumstantial? The reliability of witnesses? Beyond reasonable doubt?

The focus of the case is the accused going to see his friend at the local bar, their discussions, the possibility for committing the murder and burying the body.

Which means then that there is the double interest throughout the film, the proceeding of the case, sympathy for the accused, something of a laid-back performance from Gregory Gadebois, a large man, quiet, seemingly bewildered by what is happening to him.

And, the case proceeds, verdicts, and intervention by the judge. And, probably, the film’s audience winding down, everything clear and settled – but, it is not, and the final part of the film has quite some dramatic impact, a highly emotional and moral challenge.

1. Based on a true story? The memoir of the lawyer? The title, the focus on the thread, evidence?
2. 21^st-century murder case, the episodes in 2017, the family situation, the arrest of Nicolas, the meal with his children, his being held for three years? The flashbacks to his going to the bar, the discussions with Roger, the discussions with Roger’s wife? The reconstruction of the situation, Nicolas’s wife and her alcoholism, absence, on the city bench? The car, the witnesses about the car, the man who saw the three figures, his interpretation? The finding of the body?
3. Jean, his reputation as a lawyer, losing a case, prosecutor, his wife and the relationship, her work? His going to the station, the meeting with Nicolas, the discussions, the questions? The impact on him, his decision to take the case? Convinced of Nicolas’ innocence? The preparation for the case, the evidence, after three years and Nicolas consistent?
4. Nicolas, scene with his children, the meal, his arrest, in prison, the three years, meek, listening, attitude towards Jean, gratitude towards him? Receiving respect from Jean?
5. The French legal process, the Judge, the bench, the jurors? The interrogations, the witnesses? The technical witnesses about the wounds, the body? The witnesses observing the scene, the young woman, the driver and his angry reactions, rebuked by the judge? Roger’s wife and her testimony?
6. The character Roger, the flashbacks, his attitude towards Nicolas’s wife, urging him to get rid of her? His death, not able to testify?
7. The questions, the skill of the prosecutor, the defence, the interventions of the judge? The final speeches? The seeming guilt, no other possibilities for murderer? The decision of the jury, the juror explaining to Jean the influence of the judge for the decision?
8. Nicolas, his resigned reaction, 20 years, keeping the children, the background discussions of their mother, the tensions, prospects for divorce, her death?
9. The effect on Jean, years passing, summoned to Nicolas – and audience response to the revelation about his sexual behaviour, his wife’s knowledge, the threats, divorce and her making manifest the truth, killing her?