• F I L M 5 , u D I E 5 • ral shF
-- by Louis Goyette ~ like to reestablish Jutra's motives for moving to Toronto to work for the CBC. After the release of Wow in 1969, (Translated by Tom Waugh) Jutra shared'his thoughts with a Quebec critic: he death of Claude Jutra represe?ts "Tbe simple fact of wanting to make an immense loss for the Canadian films in Quebec is a political act. It's Tfilm world. His name is associated only here that Ifeel myself, I belong here first and foremost with Mon Oncle An and it's here that I can find my identity. toine (1971), considered to this day as T couldn't create elsewhere. And when the best Canadian film ever. This film we demand the right to makefilms here was also acclaimed by the international at home, we demand the control not press, with prizes garnered abroad as only of our cinema, but also of our well as in Canada. Jutra's renown was country.") based primarily on films he shot in These comments might seem surpris Quebec: Tout prendre (1963), Wow A ing considering that Jutra made several (1969), Kamouraslfi (1973) and La films outside of Quebec. All the same, we Dame en couleurs (1985) are works must remember the social and political that have earned a central place in the 5l context Quebec was plunged into dur Canadian film repertory. § ing those years. Nationalist feelings were It is important, however, to remember ~ stronger than ever before in Quebec cul that Jutra had a brief but important ~ ture, Think of Charlebois's songs from career in English Canada, and the princi- :g that period or of the appearance of other pal goal of this article is to assess the <3 deeply nationalist popular music. Jutra filmmaker's English Canadian produc- 12 was himself also caught up in nationalist tion. This part of the filmmaker's work .§ feelings and these comments are tes has been unjustly overlooked by critics E timony to his intimate ties to Quebec. and I would like to restore it to its im- E In 1975, his film Pour Ie meilleur et portant place within Jutra's oeuvre. In 8 pour Ie pue was released, an event particular, Ada and Dreamspeaker ~ from which Jutra probably never reco share wholly in Jutra's personal themes g: vered. The reviews were very harsh, and and deserve our attention all the more. 1ii to make matters worse, weak publicity They must certainly not be seen as ~ ~ managed to keep the film only three minor works. At the same time, I would g ~ weeks in its first-run showplace. Devas ------S ~ tated, Jutra changed his tone, telling Le Louis Goyette is an award-wi!1ning un- a .!!lJour, dergraduate student offilm at Concor- 3l ~ "IfI always refused to do film abroad, dia University. ~ ,£. it was not principles but a state Offeel -
June 1987 - Cinema Canada/25 = • F I L M 5 T u D I E 5 •
ings that made me do so. Now, today, connection between my medical stu I'm heartbroken that I've spent two dies and this film. As for the failure Of years of my life for a film that lasted m edicine, it's a hardproblem to resolve. three weeks at the Parisien, and that's r used to believe in medicine. My father that. ,,2 was a doctor, my grandfather was a A profound bitterness arises from dentist. I was obliged to believe in me these words. One thing was sure, gone dicine. From my point of view, I didn't were the days of making films only in make this film as an accusation Quebec on the pretext of being against doctors. That was already pre Quebecois. Invited by Toronto, Jutra sent in Margaret Gibson's story. All the then decided to go and direct for the same, the ir:zstitution is an alienating CBC (joining several other Quebecois place. r think that it would be ridicu like Gilles Carle, Francis Mankiewicz, lous to make a film showing that peo and Andre Theberge in the process). p le coming out of that hospital become 'normal' and hapf,l again. That seems impossible to me. " he II For the Record" Series Ada offers to the spectator an impres sive gallery of characters. Jutra always On several occasions,Jutra declared that said that he w as more interested by the he "had to express himself in filmmaking psychology of women than of men. Gib whatever the cost," because it was like a son's story thus became a perfect vehicle drug, a veritable passion. Directing for for analysing, in depth, relations be the CBC gave him this chance to express tween women. The cast was made up al himself. His acceptance of several pro most exclusively of actresses from the jects in Toronto was due to the fact that theatre, including Anne Anglin and Janet nothing interesting was available in Amos for the leads. For a long time,Jutra Quebec. In my interview with him on himself had studied and performed for October 14, 1986, Jutra offered this cla the theatre. That explains the importan rification: ce the filmmaker placed on the acting of "Every Quebecois filmmaker who his players: spoke English and who was interested "My relations with actors are always in working in English was welcome to established directly, since the world of participate in this project. I very often actors was also my world. When I di went from one side to the other, that is, rect, the perf ormance of the actors is carrying out projects at the same time what's most imp ortant, it's a priority. ,,9 in Quebec and elsewhere. I was doing It should be noted that during his stay the Montreal- Toronto shuttle. I took the in Toronto, Jutra participated in theatri train to go to Toronto but I would come cal activities as well. In particular, he di back regularly to Montreal to work on rected n Teatro del Pepperonni, a co other projects. People thought that I had media dell'arte praised by the critics for been in exile in Toronto for years but its originality. In addition, Jutra perfor that's false. In Toronto, everything went med in several of his own films, inclu well. I really like working with the ac ding A tout prendre, Man Onele An· tors I had. As for the films, they were toine, and Pour Ie meilleur et pour Ie suggested by the GBG peop le. They came p ire, not to mention films by other di look ing for me. ,,3 rectors, like Riel and Two Solitudes. The main goal of the For the Record The scenario for Ada remained very series was to reflect Canada in an honest faithful to Gibson's story. The film 's dia manner, its joys and its problems. In his logue is, with some exception, an exact article on the series, 4 Marc Gervais de transcription from the original. tails that all the films were structured Dreamspeaker, also from the For around a rather modest budget. In terms the Record series, w as shot on Vancou of their narrative design, these films re ver Island. One more time, an institution present a kind of hybrid of fiction and of rehabilitation is presented as an alien the great Canadian documentary tradi ating place. The film's plot goes like this: tion. They explore and analyse different Peter, a young boy suffering from serious mechanisms of our SOCiety, and are psychological problems, escapes from praised by Gervais for their high degree an institution and finds refuge with an of realism and credibility. old Indian living in a forest. In touch Jutra made two excellent films for this with nature, Peter gets back his equili series, Ada and Dreamspeaker, pro brium and his serenity. But the authori duced in 1977 by Ralph Thomas. Ada is Ada tells the story of the relations of a I was familiar with the patients' mise ties recapture him and send him back to inspired by a short story of the same title group of women living in a psychiatric rable conditions and the injustice that the institution. He can't tolerate this published in Margaret Gibson'S collec hospital, relations that are sometimes could exist.,,7 existence and commits suicide. 5 tion The Butterfly Ward. In directing very tender but often very tense. The The use of a certain kind of violence With Dreamspeaker, Claude Jutra Ada, Jutra collaborated closely with theme of the film clearly relates to Jutta's became a means of making these condi renewed a theme that he had long given Gibson: personal experience, since he had stu tions and this injustice more convincing. special emphasis: youth. On this subject, "As for Ada, they had me read the died medicine before becoming a film In Ada, injustice centres on the loboto he explained in 1970. short story in question. After reading it, maker. Ada's statement is coloured by a my that the doctors had committed on "Youth. I am the prisoner of my the first thing I did was meet Margaret violence that the viewer may find hard the brain of Ada, one of the characters. youth. There's nothing I can do about it. Gibson. She was a very beautiful wom But far from sensationalistic, this violen I think I will be always talking about it an, of a truly bizarre beauty. She resem to take. This stand is justified by the film ce is motivated and part of the author's in one way or another. The more I move bles all the characters in the film. She maker's own words: statement. Ada is primarily a film where ahead the more I regress. When I was 30, has surely lived what those characters During the Duplessis Period, I was f i the intimate relations among the charac I made A tout prendre about myselfat have lived. I worked closely with Mar nishing my last y ears ofm edicine. I was ters are in the foreground. Jutra's ap 2 7. With Wow, it's 18-year-olds. In Mon garet. With her, I found myself in unbe very interested in psychiatric problems. proach was scrupulous: Onele Antoine, they're 14. ,,10 lievable situations... ',6 Work ing in these specialized hospitals, "I believe that y ou can in fact make a Strangely enough, this phenomenon
26 / Cinema Canada - June 1987 • F I L M 5 , u D I E 5 • 8. Entrevue rCallsCe avec Claude }utra Ie mardi Notes 14 octobre 1986. 9.journal de Montreal, November 26, 1977. 1. Conscil Quebecois pour Ia Diffusion du Ci 10. Conseil Quebecois pour la Diffusion du Ci nema. Claudejutra, collection "Cineastes du nema, ClaudeJutra, Collection "Cineastes du Quebec", 1970. Quebec", 1970. 2. LeJour, Friday February 27, 1976. 11. KneIman, Paul, 'Jutra on the Tube", Cine 3. Interview with Claude }utra which took place ma Canada 53, March 1979, pp. 21·24. Tuesday October 15, 1986. 12. Atwood, Margaret, Surfacing, Toronto, of regression with time Jutra refers to is ural location of the action, the privileged 4. Gervals, Marc, "Ught years ahead", Cinema McClelland and Stewart, 1972. verified all the more in his last films. setting where the truth and the charac Canada 36, March 1977, pp. 34· 36. 13. KneIman, Martin, "After we came in - Mum's Dreamspeaker features a young boy of ters' emotional instincts and drives 5. Gibson, Margaret, The Butteifly Ward, Ot· the word", Take Two: A Tribute to Film In tawa, Oberon Press, 1976. Canada, Edited by Seth Feldman, Irwin 11, while La Dame en couleurs re come to the surface and explode. counts the life in an orphanage for chil 6. Interview with Claude Jutra which took place Publishing, 1982, pp. 21·23. In agreeing to direct Surfacing how Tuesday October 15, 1986. 14. Ibid. dren between 8 and 15. Dreamspeak ever, Claude Jutra made an important 7. "Entretien avec Claude Jutra: ce sont les elans 15_Petrowski Nathalie, "Le retour de l'exile: en· er, it should be mentioned, was named bargain with the producer - Beryl Fox du coeur qUi m'animent". Clne-Bulles, Februa tretien avec Claude Jutra", Actuallte 5,}anuary in 1977, the "best Canadian TV drama" agreed, in return, to produce his next rylMarch 1985, pp. 4· 7. 1980. by the Canadian Film Awards, an honour film, namely By Design. well deserved. By Design is a light comedy in which Jutra saw a major difference between Jutra explores the theme of lesbianism. a film shot for television and a theatrical The highly original conception can be film: summarized thus: two women love each "I'm mucb less interseted in televi other and decide jointly to have a child. Budget-Friendly sion tban I am in film or in tbeatre.. . The They embark on a real manhunt to ac tbing about television is it is instant, it complish their goal. Video Produdion is ephemeral You get quite a bit offeed This time, even if Fox continued as ~k immediately after a programme. producer, Jutra was completely in char Instantaneous exposure. But, tbougb it ge. Inspired by an original idea by Joe bas a wide audience and reacbes a great Wiesenfeld, Jutra co-wrote the script number ofpeople on all levels of soci with Wiesenfeld and David Eames. ety, it is forgotten." The impact is as brief Unfortunately, Jutra and By Design as it is intense. » 11 scarcely had it easier this time round. Having made this distinction, Jutra One more time,Jutra ran into hostile cri didn't conceive his work for television tics, not to mention a full year's delay in very differently from his usual work for the release date. Critics accused the film the cinema To say "a film made for TV" of superficiality and of ridiculing margi was in hiS opinion unjustified and ridicu nal characters, an exaggerated reaction lous. in my opinion. Using a light comedy as a vehicle, Jutra treated a delicate subject Originates on Film Surfacin and By Desi n with finesse, at the same time respecting the lifestyle of his two heroines. I myself in the proven reliable Surfacing and By Design are the two would go along with Martin Knelman on this subject: feature films that Jutra directed in En "By Design glish Canada, both produced by Beryl bas also been bad cameras from ARRI- Fox. However, I don't believe we can moutbed by journalists and industry insiders wbo normally know better. Is it consider Surfacing as a Jutra film in eve because tbey're still trying to punisbJu ry respect. Based on Margaret Atwood's Ira and Fox for tbe dreariness ofSurfa novel of the same title, 12 the plotisfocu L....J L....J cing? Is it because tbey're made un sed on Kate, a young liberated woman comfortable by tbe wbole notion ofles who decides to drop everything to look bianism as a subject for comedyr l 4 D D for her father who has disappeared. As It is interesting to note that By De the search advances through the nor sign eventually did better in New York D D thern woods, Kate's own interior search ·than here, with even the Festival ofFesti No matter how you post, is revealed to the spectator through her vals rejecting it. film origination simplifies your D D tense and violent relations with her production, w ithout the worry companions. of an obsolete video format 0 In fact, according to journalistic ac Conclusion 0 counts of the film, Jutra was called in at (high-definition or low-). the last minute to save the Surfacing In spite of all the different problems he 0 0 shoot. Originally, Beryl Fox had hired an faced, Jutra summed up his English Ca Enhance the sales potential American scriptwriter, Bernard Gordon, nadian production in a very positive of your productions by 0 0 to adapt the novel, as well as a cast of way, even if it was only to keep him choosing film . American actors, notably Kathleen Bel working: 0 0 "In Toronto, tbey offered me tbings ler and Joseph and Timothy Bottoms, the The comprehensive ARRI latter dropping out before shooting be wben notbing was available bere.. .1 0 0 system is available exc lU Sivel y gan. The director was to be Eric Till who went to Toronto to avoid getting rusty. also withdrew just before the shoot. The I don't care wbat I said in tbe past. One through the professionals at 0 0 film's financing thus seriously threaten film every four or five years in Quebec r-l ed, it would have had to be cancelled if is insufficient. And unsatisfying. I bave r-l Fox were not able to find another direc to express myself in film wbatever tbe • tor. Called to the rescue, Jutra arrived cost. It's a drug, a passion. ,,15 too late to rewrite the script and had to The death of an artist always involves orrl begin shooting immediately, setting asi the reconsideration of hislher work. In de his usual custom of writing or at least this article, I hope to have shed new light [fi)@©[f@ collaborating on his own scripts. on certain films by Jutra that have been On its release, Surfacing met with se unfairly neglected by critics. In addition, • vere criticism and seriously damaged as tribute is paid to Jutra more and more Inc the reputations of both Fox and Jutra. regularly in future retrospectives and re Surfacing, it was said, "transformed pertory screenings, I hope I will have en Atwood's unfilmable quest allegory into couraged filmgoers to discover or redis 6467 Northam Drive a simpleminded feminist equival.ent." I cover a body ofwork tied together by Ju Mississauga, Ontario Canada L4V 1J 2 myself consider that Surfacing is not a tra's personal preoccupations. The film Significant Jutra work, showing none of maker's English Canadian films and the Telex : 06-983694 his stylistic and thematic concerns. Per various paths they reflect, taken by Jutra 416-677-4033 haps the only common point between between 1976 and 1980, must be apart Surfacing and the other films is the nat- of this discovery. •
June 1987 -Cinema Canada/27 •
-1930 OFLI SECLAUDE BACO~ J:DDRESSI~G THE ~A FOR IMMEDIATE TELBEC:OI II THE FUTURE TRA SHOULD ALSO T/ O~AL ASSEMBLY ' " DISTRIBUTION F TOP SERVE A . THE PE - QUALITY QUEB S AN EXAMPLE RSERVERA~CE . rQuebec~ C. EC CI~EMA" FOR THOSE W A~D TALE~T Ministe lty. Wednesda . HO BEl/EVE I~ r of CuI Y. Aprl1 conCerning turdl Affaf 29, 1987) from th the loss of . rs presented lise B -1987 e text of the mot ,'rim-maker Claud "motl0n to aeon,the NVice_Pr' emler. "s. Ion paSsed e Jutra H atlonal , I nCe the tOday by th • ere are a f Initially recent loss e National A ew of Shattered b of fOm-mal< SSembly: several test . y the newer Cl dude J Jutra". 1monies made by s,' has been able tutra til e Quebec lndividuals who 0 appreciate t pUblic, knel¥ the IHe he quality and wOrk of Some Spoke of h ' For others CI 15 talent, hlS cinema • dude Jut profess) • He was ra was onahsm It emotIons f abo. all one of the " !S lOve for • for rom lOve e a human be ' p oneers of t Quebec Cinema the estabJ ' to hate Satist T"9 Subject t 0P-qualfty Qu' • array of fi !Shed order' actIon t 0 a w' ebec . SUdden and rst-rate works and for total 0 revolt h ' Ide array performer tragic end t • Jutra had a anarchy. T~e aVlng both a • plaYing se ook many by very full author of ~eed " veral impor SUrprise career 1 a WIde Of al I the tant rol es in '. Claude Jutra ndeed, its • Jutra charts the distanCe travelled c aptured by testimonies Quebec films. was al so a
freedom the theme made oVe ,.. tn e • a freed of freedom e past few days I.II: tent. that ch araam that we--'::"::":':'allpo • 50 dear to CI • my attentIon C aude Jutra". cteriled and determinedSSess but not alwaysaude Jutra . It the prof . real1Z1ng t esslonal 0 \~I'l. . 9'w. 1"\1-;\\ .t"'~\"~" ,,;. ~ ~ ... ~ ·' M.,-v. (f1o.t.4 the talent of ~;",~", s.~"""~\'(oO--""'-~~~ \oS1)1- 0. 'V'-",\M.L SOmetimes CI. d eludes us" u e Jutra and his attaChment ..;) ~ .. ~~ o-v-A ~ ~.v> ~ t"'--"'V"'-8.: If <;,I,...... ~""'I" -\,.0. dJ:rv-A- ' ~o. Co.,,,.,,'" ~ J'," ~ ~ ;.r ~ ~ ~ .... -:.-.. """""""'""'\ ~."..",.-u:~"" <>-~
i-~ ""' .... 4.. ~ "",0"''1' N~ ~~e.L , cI. . "\....M:r "I would like ",,",,'I...... Supported Cl to s ay thank o.<>~~ ~ +e~" ~ ~~ ~ ~ for having aude Jutra d you to all he' Uring hI' s ' of thos .,M ...... ~ ~ .....""o.. Q.~ ~ ~ ~'\\ vve-...... , Inc' redible sen Sltped us know a Itfetime. I e people ~~O"' . M-v...""'Y "'\) ""'-'\' ~ ,,,,,,,~ ~ ~'\, -\Jo,v.. o.."""C).l'\..L down f 1V1ty man f WOuld mportant lesso regarding th ~ talent. a lIke "The ns that I am e human Co . man bless ;,'« war> oCL~ ~c..d... "'~M'- ~ 0(} Cb",....:"'-t 'J ~ pe Sure ~" ed WIth exam rserverance e WI I I t and Who \,:) Q~ ..... ,\...... """'. ~ 0-"'-0. J""""'" I+; .... ~c:>,...~ ~"'~ r t pIe to those and tal ent ake ful I adva has paSSed ~ ~ ""'-.... "-~ ~~V) .;...... ~...... ~ ~ c..t!.c... . G f\.eD.. o attain SUch Who believe I of ClaUde Jutra ntage of" \-\...on\ \-w.> . "-,,,,'VI<.. • • G. footsteps an a level. n the future should al so ~ 4M ,~"'" ~ ~.::A \t'~\' while co , d Clearly d we must be of tOP-rat serve as top_ u , ntlnually b eflne the able t o e Quebec : A-w~,.\.a" " "1'1-0.",', • ~ ~ ~4A- ~ -n..... t"'~ Q allty film ea ring prOblem' fOllow In CInema. -But prOduction" In mind th ISSUes that af Claude ...., ; ~ , ,\( , ~ ",-"," ~ V~ ~ ~ ... d. o-~ -\".....r e details that fect OUr SOC1ety. contribute ~ ~'~ v .. ol" ~,,"'~o .c:af . ~ ' ,NL. \I'J:J'" \I.L~ "Jutra did di Sa PPOi nt Q not dl' sapPoi 'I ...... 'J 'J',...,..., ~ S~c.. ~" ~ ~
~...,-v ~ ~~ , ~I.l v-.h'r ~~ . \>.'d ~ -t~ - 30 • ...... '\~"I.O""'~ 0...... 0 ~rfV.o.JI. . J ..... ,r o-lo- - --.:::n"t. Ie r~~ foJ\ ...... Kro..Po-J... . 'J-t· ~ ... 0 . S~ urce: AntOine G Office of Odbou t . Press j w~ s.~~.-----... M' ' the Vi AttaChe ~ ... ~~~ lnl ster ce-Premi 5 0- .::J'/'>-f'I 0f c..",d, ~ku,-r ~~ ;'" ~ d"",,'~ -\-...~ V~ "('~ . -V'''''' ~",vJ. (418) 643· Cultural er and -2110 Affairs ----AV~" .. . M..-T ~ 'IV'-r-~...( ~ . \~~'- J;N-4I"'''~ . • •
Photos from Morocco, taken in Rabot by Terence Macartney-Filgate
A sense of freedom: Michel Brault and Claude Jutra by the water in Morocco, 1960 theNFB) 1961: Cinema canadien (Unllf!T host _r'a