Chris Marker and Pierre Lhommes LE JOLI MAI (The Lovely Month of May) is a portrait of Paris and Parisians during May 1962the first springtime of peace after the ceasefire with Algeria and the first time in 23 years that France was not involved in any war.
Review
Historical look at Paris in May 1962. Chris Marker questions a variety of Parisians the month the Algerian War ended on a plethora of topics ranging from racism to dancing. Images are accompanied by commentary providing statistics ("14 people died of suicide 10 male 4 female") and philosophical musings ("maybe the truth is not only the end but also the means"). Marker also employs humor when a scene of men discussing technology and leisure is juxtaposed with pictures of cats while obviously undermining their rambling it also offers more possibilities for interpretation. The freewheeling camera work and insistent questioning create a cachet of curiosity.