A Very Long Engagement and My Boy Jack

A very long engagement, 2004 directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet follows the woes of a young french woman searching for her fiance lost in battle in the trenches of world war one. As we go deeper into the story she unravels the truths and secrets behind her fiance's disappearance, determined he is still alive and not dead. The film is in colour with I'd say a saturated and yellow glow. I can only presume this use of contrast and yellow saturation was used to enhance the very natural and neutral colours of the surrounding set, environment and costume relevant to the time. I found this film very sweet being a story primarily about the love and determination of a physically (but not mentally) fragile woman and felt it highlighted the mental and physical struggle soldiers had to endure and the lengths they would go to just to leave the depressing condition that was the world war one trenches.

My Boy Jack, 2007, directed by Brian Kirk follows the short life of Jack Kipling, Son of Author Rudyard Kipling as he attempts and eventually succeeds in leaving his home and joining the army, becoming a world war one Lieutenant. Complications about his eyesight are his initial obstacles and a reluctant mother and sister. He sadly dies in battle and the central focus becomes the grieving family back in England. There are some good comparison shots of dark, rainy days in Belgium and bright, sunny days in the English country side. My boy Jack is shot in crisp colour reflecting a lot of detail in I’d say a hinted tone of blue. This could reflect the cold conditions of the war and the death which the film highlights.

Visually both films are rich in reference to 1914-1918 interiors and fashion in Europe. A very long engagement's set decorator was Veronique Melery and Nicki McCallum was art director for My Boy Jack. Both seem to have contributed artistically to other “period dramas” that refer to historical fact.