À Saint-Henri le cinq septembre

1962
42m

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-Documentary made by Hubert Aquin in 1962 about a 24-hour tour of the popular Saint-Henri district in Montreal (in the province of Quebec, Canada). We discover the simplicity of this uninhib... Read all-Documentary made by Hubert Aquin in 1962 about a 24-hour tour of the popular Saint-Henri district in Montreal (in the province of Quebec, Canada). We discover the simplicity of this uninhibited population, neither very rich nor absolutely poor, which has begun to decline as Sain... Read all-Documentary made by Hubert Aquin in 1962 about a 24-hour tour of the popular Saint-Henri district in Montreal (in the province of Quebec, Canada). We discover the simplicity of this uninhibited population, neither very rich nor absolutely poor, which has begun to decline as Saint-Henri is no longer the kingdom of the tanneries it once was. The film was inspired by th... Read all

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IMDb RATING

7.5/10

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Jacques Godbout

Narrator

Director
- Hubert Aquin
Writer
- Jacques Godbout
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7.566

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6lucius27

Saint-Henri as it was...

This short documentary portrays daily life in Saint-Henri, a working-class district of Montreal. From dawn to late night, the film shows various people and their occupation, as well as local landmarks. It is fascinating to see how urban life was during those years (circa 1960), and it helps minimize local poverty if compared to other countries.

There is no story told, but what makes the structure of À Saint-Henri le cinq septembre is the narrator's commentary on various social issues. It sometimes makes the people's condition look more special than it was.

While its purpose is to give a meaning to common things, the commentary seems more adapted for Saint-Henri as it was before World War II, and as depicted in Gabrielle Roy's Bonheur d'occasion for example. Could it be that Hubert Aquin was disappointed by what he saw ? Real life is no novel.