Roxy Screening 21st Feb

Tristan loves Belmondo, Belmondo loves Bogey…

“Je t’aime John Wayne” (2000)Director: Toby MacDonaldProducer: Luke MorrisWriter: Luke PonteNo film screening would be complete without a poke at the French New Wave, which “Je t’aime John Wayne” does with a goofy, yet adoring nod to the incredibly influential genre. Tristan, a young man in 1990’s London (played by Kris Marshall who, by the way, seems to be following a trajectory of wannabe characters) tries desperately to emulate Belmondo from “À Bout de Souffle”. He fails to realize the irony; that the original Belmondo is actually copying ol’ Bogey. Instead, he just incorporates his hero’s admiration for Humph into his swagger, hanging a “Treasure of Sierra Madre” above his bed. It all goes to epitomize that fateful scene from Godard’s landmark flick where Belmondo considers a Humphrey Bogart poster and imitates the star’s famous, tough-guy tick – rubbing his thumb dryly across his mouth. While Belmondo follows Bogey’s path to the extreme - ultimately getting himself killed in the street - Tristan only achieves the ridiculous.The film criticizes New Wave’s often annoying tendency of inundating its audience with insider-only, self-referential quotes. “Oh, it’s Jules and Jim” in New Wave filmmaker Jacque Demy’s “Les Demoiselles de Rochefort” and other such wink-wink, nudge-nudge nonsense. If you’re in on the joke, “Je t’aime John Wayne” is an indulgent ride on the New Wave with all its seemingly effortless, supercool appendages. Particularly wonderful is Belmondo’s (AKA. Tristan) posturing on a street corner, spouting French come-ons to passing Londoners. I hope to God this wasn’t staged…