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They Were Five

Name: They Were Five
Director: Jack Pinoteau
Released: 1952
Duration: 89 min

Representation Score

1.5/10

Minimal

1952

Director

Jack Pinoteau

Runtime

89 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film explores post-war disillusionment through a fatalistic lens, focusing on the moral decay of individuals and the breakdown of society. It avoids optimistic Western narratives but fails to offer diverse perspectives. The story centers on a homogeneous group of men, lacking characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity.

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Category Breakdown

Does They Were Five have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any characters with non-binary or transgender identities. Romantic conflicts revolve around a male character replacing his fiancée.

How does They Were Five portray gender?

Limited

Women play supporting roles that advance the plot or act as prizes for male characters. They are not central figures in the narrative.

How racially and ethnically diverse is They Were Five?

Limited

The story focuses on a group of French men with no significant racial diversity. Even though the Indochina War is referenced, the perspective remains Eurocentric.

How does They Were Five represent religion and culture?

Good

The film challenges optimistic post-war narratives by presenting a cynical view of social progress. It highlights moral decay and social instability.

Does They Were Five include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no information available regarding the depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in this work.

Present on Screen

Challenges optimistic post-war narratives by presenting a darker, more cynical view of social reality.
Critiques social stability by highlighting different social standings and moral trajectories.

Limited or Absent

Does not include meaningful representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-binary narratives.
Female characters have minimal impact on the plot, serving mainly as catalysts for male-driven stories.
Maintains a Eurocentric perspective, focusing on French experiences even during colonial conflicts.

Official Synopsis

Now that the world conflict is over, five inseparable wartime buddies swear eternal friendship now to each other. But there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip. Jean becomes a postman, Marcel a boxer, Roger an actor, André a student and Philippe remains what he has always been, a young man of good social standing. Roger, who can't find any role, is introduced through his singer sister Valérie, to Frédo, a shady nightclub owner.Roger soon becomes one of Frédo's henchmen. To make matters worse, he swipes Jean's fiancée, Simone. Marcel, who loses fight after fight, ends up joining Fredo's gang as well. André, who wanted to redeem the faults of his father during the Occupation, gets killed in the Indochina war. Marcel is shot down while taking part in a robbery. In her turn, Valérie is bumped off by an accomplice of Fredo and Roger is sent to jail.

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