What it’s about
Gilbert Vance (Piccoli) is an aging, well-respected actor starring in a stage production of Exit the King opposite beautiful Sylvie (Leonor Silveira). Then he receives devastating news: his wife, daughter, and son-in-law have all been killed in an auto accident. Assuming guardianship of his grandson, with whom he develops a close bond, Vance returns to work in a screen version of Ulysses directed by priggish American filmmaker John Crawford (Malkovich).
Why we love it
Manoel de Oliveiras elegiac “Im Going Home” avoids the usual clichs of the bereavement film, focusing instead on the courage, dignity, and resolve of a serious actor attempting to revive his daily routine in the wake of tragedy. Serene and poignant, Im Going Home resolves on a wistful exit sequence, which speaks to the fears and frailties of the human heart.
Michel Piccoli, Catherine Deneuve, John Malkovich Manoel de Oliveira