CROSS MY HEART

France, 1990, 104 minutes, Colour.
Sylvain Copans, Nicolas Parodi.
Directed by Jacques Fansten.

Cross My Heart is an entertaining French film about children, looking at life from a child's point of view. The original French title suggests more of a broken heart.

The film focuses on a little boy, Martin, whose mother dies. Befriended by his class group, they help him in the crisis and try to prevent him being taken away to an orphanage. The film is very strong in its showing of bonding between the children. However, parents, teachers and a judge intervene - and the film has a wry ending with Martin in an orphanage being visited by his friends - and saying that it won't be long before he is grown up and will be with them again.

Critics have made comparisons with the work of Francois Truffaut, especially his 400 Blows. This is a much more popular, less stark film, but shows us the world of children, its vitality as well as its bewilderment.

1.An entertaining film? French sensibility? The perspective on children, the children's perspective on adults?

2.The atmosphere of the town, the school and the schoolrooms, the yard, homes? The musical score? The children's songs?

3.The title and its tone? The theme of the broken heart - Martin's mother and Martin himself?

4.How well did the film create the children's perspective? The dialogue, visuals, the children's perspective and interpretation of events?

5.Martin, his age, no father, his love for his mother, his loneliness, her death? His sitting vigil? Popularity and unpopularity at school? Being set up for pranks? The reaction of the teachers, the headmaster? His friends and their support? The effect of his mother's death on him?

6.The group of children - as individuals, names, the way they were photographed? Distinctive personalities? His close friend, Nicholas and his wealthy family, Antoine and his step-parents, Marianne and her step-parents and their brutality, Helene and her being clever, Claire and her mother? The children in class, at the house, their support?

7.The perspective of orphanages, the children's fear, their ignorance? The children's not knowing how to cope but using adult models - treatment of the body, passing the notes around the class to get the box, finding the grandfather clock, the burial of Martin's mother, the rituals and what each one did? Their getting food for Martin? Visiting him? The homework - and their all improving in their grades?

8.The importance of the bonding between the children, friendship, enterprise? Using adult models but using their own ingenuity?

9.The school staff: the principal and his concern, the singing master and their playing tricks on him, teaching for 23 years? Clipman and their playing tricks? Their wanting him to adopt Martin, their response to the information about his homosexuality?

10.The judge, his cajoling the children, his appeal, severity, the notes in class? The assistant teachers?

11.The parents: Claire's mother and her concern and responsibility? Antoine and his stepmother and their clashes? Marianne and her harsh step-parents? Nicholas and his discussions at home about servants and their treatment?

12.Helene, her overhearing the secret, being clever, helping Martin, getting everybody on her side? The contrast with Marianne, her love for Martin, kissing him, his sending her away and regretting it? The children telling her the truth?

13.Martin, coping, avoiding being found? Going to Helene's hideout? His harshness towards Marianne? His apology? His being discovered, his going to the orphanage?

14.The children and their ingenuity, Helene and her plan for leading the police away from Martin? The fact that he was caught? Their response, going to visit him, the gifts? Standing in a group - the communication with Martin? The final freeze-frame and their turning to look at him - anticipation and disappointment?

15.The world of children? Innocence, experience? Bonding? Disappointment and hope?