MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY FILM INQUIRER

In a Nazi-occupied Paris that is becoming incredulously more dangerous, Farewell, Mr. Haffmann finds itself trapped. After the eponymous, Jewish jeweller fails to flee to the unoccupied zone of France, he is forced to reside in the basement of his own store under the careful and fearful watch of his apprentice Francois and Francois’ wife, Blanche. As lockdowns become stricter and the true cost of the regime settles on the city, Mr Haffmann’s hope of reuniting with his escaped family begins to dim.

The colouring of the film looms throughout each frame as a constant reminder of this melancholy. An at first dampened palette, with slightly desaturated, grey tones, is eventually rendered completely muted by the conclusion, in correspondence with the darkening reality and deteriorating relationships that reside in it. Alongside this overall decline, colours are sparingly re-introduced through stolen Jewish gems which pierce scenes with their tragic weight. This exquisitely specific use of colour is not only visually appealing but amplifies the thematic trajectory of the film’s central characters.

The shifting dynamic between Mr Haffman, Blanche and Francois becomes an engaging and horrifying plot that continuously boils over in tension. In a setting where the risks and stakes of actions are high, and deceit sits at every corner, none of them can truly trust each other, but they are all relying on one another in some aspect. Individual motivations blur across events, and we see a stark contradiction in every player from their original to concluding states, providing for a rich exploration of their psyches as the war marches on and hopes dwindle.

As adapted in these ways from stage to screen, Farewell, Mr. Haffmann makes for a nuanced and emotive take that explores the horrors of war without explicit violence. A nail-biter of a watch, with historical and subtextual substance to support the high-stakes, covert situations, it explores the insidious power of the Nazi regime, and France’s place in it, through an approach that unapologetically explores deep and dark facets of the human mind.

Farewell, Mr. Haffmann, aka Adieu Monsieur Haffmann, can currently be seen at the Alliance Française French Film Festival, running in Melbourne until April 6th. You can find more info on what’s showing here.