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.
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.
