The Fox and the Child
October 22, 2010 by admin
The Fox and the Child
What would it be like to have a fox for a friend? A 10-year-old girl who wants to know sets out to befriend a beautiful wild fox she names Lily. Bit by bit, in woods and fields blanketed by snow and carpeted by wildflowers, the girl and Lily build an extarordinary friendship as the fox leads her human companion on adventures bold, funny and even sometimes scary. Filmmaker Luc Jacquet follows his Academy Award-winning* March of the Penguins with another enduring tale of nature. A life-affirming story, astonishing vistas and warm narration by Kate Winslet (Titanic, Revolutionary Road) make The Fox and the Child a share-and-share-again family event.It’s no surprise that the director of March of the Penguins should follow up that Oscar-winning effort with another film brimming with breathtaking footage of animals and their environment. But Luc Jacquet’s The Fox and the Child (Le renard et l’enfant in its original French) is considerably more than a nature documentary; it’s also a fantasy, a fairy tale, a family film, and perhaps even a comment about the relationship between humans and the animal world. Jacquet also wrote the script, which tells the story of a girl of perhaps 10 (played by Bertille Noël-Bruneau, with Kate Winslet supplying the voice-over narration) who’s wandering through the forest near her home in mountainous eastern France when she encounters a fox and impulsively decides to “tame” it. The process whereby she earns the animal’s trust is sweet (and very gradual, as we pass through several seasons en route), but what really distinguishes these sequences is the astonishing cinematography, with a seemingly endless parade of breathtaking vistas and brilliant colors, along with an impressive array of local fauna (lynx, bear, hedgehog, deer, wolves… you name it). This is unquestionably grade A family fare, but while Jacquet manages to convey the child’s sense of wonder and curiosity, it is not a kids’ film, as there are several genuinely scary moments–the fox, whom the girl names Lily, is in serious jeopardy more than once, and the girl’s night in the forest, lost and surrounded by spooky noises, is potentially the stuff of nightmares. And that’s not even including the ending, when the child, as people will do when confronted with cute, furry creatures (and the fox is very appealing), considers trying to take Lily out of her own world and into the humans’. That caveat aside, The Fox and the Child is a wondrous piece of entertainment. –Sam Graham
Rating: 
(out of 22 reviews)
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Review by Daniel G. Lebryk for The Fox and the Child
Rating:
The definition of what family entertainment is all about – a lovable story, absolutely stunning scenery, and perfect photography – that is meant for everyone. The film is narrated wonderfully by Kate Winslet. She has a special wonderful sweet voice, that is never sappy.
This is the story of a girl who befriends a fox. It’s the slow getting to know eachother, the dance where they both mistrust each other, build to trust, and then a realization that this is a wild animal that should fear humans. Almost the classic love story.
The synopsis really misses out on the spectacular scenery, the images of nature, the gorgeous animals, and the incredible sound. From the film credits, most of the locations are in Ain, a small town north of Lyon / East of Macon, France. This is the beginning of the French Alps, the foothills where there is a variety of landscape from fields to fairly high mountains (green all the way to the top though). The forests are green and lush, the snow amazing, the fall colors superb; it’s a perfect filming location. The animal scenes are stunning, how they did this filming is frequently impossible to understand – simply amazing they got those shots. The sound was almost another character – birds, rain, thunder, woodpeckers, every sound imaginable in the woods was recorded clearly.
Luc Jacquet (did an outstanding job directing this film. He is best known for March of the Penguins (March of the Penguins (Widescreen Edition)). And this film follows in the same mold, he understands how to tell animal stories, capture them on film, and translate them into a movie. Isabelle Noel-Bruneau is the sweet redheaded star of the movie along side the fox. They make a beautiful couple.
Most will think, G rated nature film, why would I care? This movie very gradually pulls you in with beautiful scenery, and Kate Winslet’s gorgeous voice. The story builds gradually and you begin to care very much about what happens to the fox. It’s a classic story told in a straighforward manner.
There is a subtle feeling of Jean Craighead George in this film, (My Side of the Mountain Trilogy (My Side of the Mountain / On the Far Side of the Mountain / Frightful’s Mountain)). Studying nature and trying to understand what nature says to us.
The movie is rated G. Everyone should enjoy this film. For the sensitive child, very near the end of the film the fox is in the girl’s room and feels trapped. It runs all over the room and eventually crashes through the window. You are expected to believe the fox has died. The girl carries it to the woods. That might be a bit tough for some children who have very sensitive parents. I mention this only because of the flack from Marley and Me, with the ending. This scene is not as intense, but there is an animal that appears to die. Some parents may feel obliged to protect their children.
If there is one small problem with the DVD – there is only one language available. The film is presented in English. I would have liked the option to have French with subtitles. The DVD also does not include a making of featurette. As much as I hate those, I sure would have enjoyed seeing this particular making of.
A gorgeous film that everyone should love.
Review by James Frick for The Fox and the Child
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This is a touching and beautifully photographed movie. The directing and photography are amazing. Bertille Noël-Bruneau’s performance is excellent. There are some sequences that would be frightening, disturbing or sad for young children. For ages 8+.
Review by A. Russell for The Fox and the Child
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A handful of other reviewers have already touched on all of the fine attributes of this unique film. I will add, as someone who lives & spends most of my time in a very natural setting, that these types of encounters & relationships, between man & other species, are quite common. It’s all about boundaries, respect & putting in the time to observe & associate; and this tale drives home these very points in such a magical – if not fanciful – way.
This is a beautifully filmed & executed story. If you liked “The Bear,” and/or “Bambi,” you will be in good company with “The Fox & the Child.” Highly recommended!
Review by Rodney A. Pearson for The Fox and the Child
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Recently I watched the “Fox and the Child” with the sound turned off as not to be distracted by the voice over. The film was a new experience. I have not experienced technical aspects of this quality in a film since Terrace Malick’s “Days of Heaven;” especially the glorious cinematography of Nestor Almendroes.
The “fox” re,minded me of the great work of Carroll Ballard and Caleb Deschanel (“the Black Stallion”)and the gift Steven Spielberg has for working with children. “E.T. & Empire of the Sun.”
I wonder what Gene Siskel and Pauline Kael would have thought of the film. Where are some of the finest critics today- Roger Ebert, Jeffery Lyons, Manohla Dargis, Chris Hewitt, and Peter Travers? They should comment on the “Fox and the Child”.
Why wasn’t the “Fox and the Child” released for the big screen in the USA?
Review by D. J. Nardi for The Fox and the Child
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Luc Jacquet has done it again. While this film’s locale and wildlife could not be more different from March of the Penguins, it manages to capture that sense of humanity in animals.
The movie is half documentary/half children’s tale, but has enough of both to satisfy all audiences. The film had some amazing footage of foxes and other wildlife. In one scene, a Bobcat chased the vixen through the forests, and the camera team caught most of the chase. I’ve seen just about every David Attenborough documentary made and many others, but my jaw was left gaping by that sequence. The chase was extremely fast-paced and through pretty dense woods, yet Jacquet’s team caught it. There are also some beautiful shots of foxes standing in front of a full moon.
The children’s movie half is very subtle and involves the girl (Bertille Noël-Bruneau) getting to know the fox and, ultimately, the realities of nature. The story has the sort of child’s wisdom that readers of The Little Prince (itself another French classic) will recognize. Bertille doesn’t just scoop the fox up as a pet, but ultimately realizes that her vixen friend is a wild animal who lives in nature, and that their friendship must be on the fox’s terms, not humanity’s. In short, the movie’s them is that love does not equal possession. Kids in America today, spoiled and overprotected, could learn a thing or two from this film.
At many points, I wondered where the nature documentary ended and where the fictional story began. The two genres flowed together seamlessly in the film. At many points, Bertille gets closer to dangerous animals such as brown bears and wolves than David Attenborough ever would. I would love to have seen a “making of” featurette for his movie.
The only drawback: Kate Winslet as the narrator. I’m not a fan of her voice (too husky) and though the girl (who incidentally had a charming voice) could have done the narration far better. Better yet, the DVD should have included an option to have the original french narrator, Isabelle Carre, with English subtitles.
In short, this would be a great gift for families with kids, or wildlife enthusiasts who are young at heart.