Man to Man (2005)

Director:

Régis Wargnier

Writers:

William Boyd (writer)
Michel Fessler (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 April 2005 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An epic about anthropologists who hunt and capture pygmies for study back in Europe, in an attempt to illustrate the link between man and ape.

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joseph Fiennes	...	Jamie Dodd
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Elena Van Den Ende
Iain Glen	...	Alexander Auchinleck
Hugh Bonneville	...	Fraser McBride
Lomama Boseki	...	Toko
Cécile Bayiha	...	Likola
Flora Montgomery	...	Abigail McBride
Patrick Mofokeng	...	Zachary
Alistair Petrie	...	Beckinsale
Hubert Saint-Macary	...	Comte de Verchemont
Mathew Zajac	...	Hector Duncan
William McBain	...	Angus
Robin Smith	...	Douglas
Theo Landey	...	Purvis
Ron Donachie	...	Sir Walter Stephenson

Also Known As:

Anthropini lysi, I (Greece) [el]
Man to Man (Argentina) [es]
Man to man (Spain) [es]

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

France | South Africa | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Hungary:14 | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Bristo Square, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Company:

Vertigo

Trivia:

visa d'exploitation en France #97135

Quotes:

Elena Van Den Ende: You and I would make a great alliance.
Jamie Dodd: Alliance?

Soundtrack:

Three blind mice

The Civilized White Man

In 1870, in Central Africa, the expeditionary Professor Jamie Dodd (Joseph Fiennes) and his associate Elena Van Den Ende (Kristin Scott Thomas) kidnap a couple of pigmies, Toko (Lomama Boseki) and Likola (Cécile Bayiha), and bring them to Scotland for research. Professors Alexander Auchinleck (Iain Glen) and Fraser McBride (Hugh Bonneville) are studying the missing link with Professor Jamie Dodd, and they believe they Africans might be the connection between man and monkey. However, Jamie finds evidence of intelligence in the couple, but their partners do not want to destroy their theory, and they imprison Jamie and travel with the pigmies to present them to European intellectuals. Jamie unsuccessfully tries to bring them back to Africa, but he has serious problems with the civilized society.

"Man To Man" has an original screenplay, with a wonderful cinematography and magnificent performances and direction. Unfortunately, the story does not flow well. For example, the abrupt beginning, without a previous development of the characters or the situation is confused and gives the impression of an action film. When Jamie is discussing with Alexander and his sister about the destiny of Likola, there is an ellipsis without explanation for the attitude of these characters. The ambiguous character of Elena Van Den Ende is also confused, showing contradictory feelings. The music score is also very beautiful. The "civilized" attitudes of the white man with the pigmies are also very impressive. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Elo Perdido" ("The Missing Link")