It’s nice to see views from the other side of the pond, and the film America as Seen by a Frenchman seems to be a typical observation in 1960. However, in this movie it’s a view of our land in a decade some 70 years ago. The good side is that the documentary filming gives Americans a chance to see how “innocent” and content they were back in the day. But, showing it today brings a tarnished meaning for this travelogue that loses its luster unless you just want to add it to the memory bank and you lived it.
For the older folks it’s a glorious time depicted here, even though they just came off a terrible war just 16 years earlier and then one that should never have been fought in Korea just 8 year prior to this filming. Ahead of the people being filmed in the documentary is another tragic time of assassination, Vietnam and a cold war.
Back in 1960 showing the glossy time is more like an advertisement for pulling up roots in France and coming to the land of milk and honey. But WAIT! The distributors of the film may be using it as a wake-up call that life can be a wonderland for Americans once again. So if you want a little nostalgia to shake it up for a better future learn from the past. And for you older folks that live it look at it as a bit of historical filming and a bit of melancholy of life on our continent in pre-1960.
SPECIAL FEATURES
“F for French” 23 min. Film Historian Philip Kemp talks about the filmmaker Francois Reichenbach giving his affluent background which might explain the fairytalesque documentary. Kemp goes on to put the filmmaker in perspective and his life growing up and eventual ability and desire to make documentary films.
“Image Gallery
The film has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains brief divisive nudity and some vague misleading scenes.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A wake up call maybe? (2 out of 5 Stars)
Specifications and additional video information:
Directed by: Pierre Braunberger and Francois Reichenbach
Genre: Documentary
MPAA Rating: brief nudity
Running Time:
Video Release Date: June 2, 2020
Original Theatrical Release Date: June 8, 1960
Language: French with English subtitles
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray
Subtitles: English
Released on: Blu-ray
