Gérard Morlet is a mild-mannered 60-something who has grown to resent
being put upon by his friends and family, who are always quick to take advantage
of his generous nature. In the end, he becomes so fed up of being the
'good apple' that he packs his bags and quits town, hoping to find a more
satisfying life in pastures new. He ends up in a pretty village where
he plans to take over the running of a garage. Unfortunately, the present
owner of the garage, Rico, isn't quite yet ready to move out, so Gérard
has to bed down at the inn opposite his new home. It is here that he
meets Barbara Manet, the inn's owner.
Barbara is the last person you would expect to see running any kind of business.
Too fond of drink, she is rarely sober and prone to dramatic changes of mood.
She would rather spend her time boozing and gambling than tending to her paying
guests. Yet, despite her wild excesses, Gérard cannot help being
irresistibly drawn to the colourful middle-aged woman. As he gets to
know her he realises he may have found a kindred spirit and naturally he
cannot resist offering her a helping hand as and when the occasion arises.
Little does he suspect that Barbara needs him far more than he realises.
Gérard and Barbara are two people who desperately want to put their
past behind them, but unfortunately their past isn't so keen to give them
up...
Cast:Gérard Depardieu (Gérard Morlet),
Catherine Deneuve (Barbara Manet),
Chantal Ladesou (Mémé Morillon),
Françoise Lépine (Nadine),
Grégoire Ludig (Rico),
Benjamin Voisin (Thomas),
Blandine Bellavoir (Marylou),
Guillaume de Tonquédec (Le maire),
Gauthier Battoue (Manu),
Mourad Boudaoud (Rachid),
Jean-Marie Lamour (Georges),
Céline Jorrion (Arlette),
Emilien Diard-Detoeuf (Livreur),
Jérémie Covillault (Mattel),
Simon Thomas (Le marié),
Jade Henot (La mariée),
Mathis Druenne (Le petit Antoine),
Anaël Snoek (Martine),
Nicolas Guillot (Animateur Dreux)
Country: France / Belgium
Language: French
Support: Color
Runtime: 101 min
Continental Films, quality cinema under the Nazi Occupation
At the time of the Nazi Occupation of France during WWII, the German-run company Continental produced some of the finest films made in France in the 1940s.
In the 1910s, French cinema led the way with a new industry which actively encouraged innovation. From the serials of Louis Feuillade to the first auteur pieces of Abel Gance, this decade is rich in cinematic marvels.