Les tricheurs (1958)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Marcel Carné

Writers:

Marcel Carné (screenplay)
Marcel Carné (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

10 October 1958 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Bob Letellier, a good looking rich kid who studies science, makes the acquaintance of Alain, a cynical and immoral young man. The latter introduces him to the existentialist circles of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Bob is invited to a party and becomes Clo's lover, a rich heiress.

Cast

Pascale Petit	...	Mic
Andréa Parisy	...	Clo
Jacques Charrier	...	Bob Letellier
Laurent Terzieff	...	Alain
Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Lou (as J.P. Belmondo)
Dany Saval	...	La fiancée de Bernard
Alfonso Mathis	...	Peter
Pierre Brice	...	Bernard
Jacques Marin	...	Monsieur Félix
Dominique Page	...	Nicole
Jacques Chabassol
René Sartoris
Jacques Portet	...	Guy
Gabrielle Fontan	...	La logeuse de Mic
Michel Nastorg	...	Le père de Bob

Also Known As:

Peccatori in blue jeans (Italy)
The Cheaters (USA) (literal English title)
Youthful Sinners (UK)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:18 (nf)

Company:

Silver Films

Trivia:

Italian censorship visa #28271 delivered on 17 January 1959.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Oi apenanti (1981)

Soundtrack:

Oscar & Pete's Blues

Did I say it was a great movie ?

First, I rated this movie 10/10. To me, it's simply one of the best I saw since I was born (I'm 23, but I saw numerous films). The story is cruel, but reality is, too, not ? It went deep into me and stirred my bowels. I saw it about 5 or 6 years ago and it still shakes me - and I still remember it !

Second, there is no 'national preference' (this expression is a direct translation from the French) for this movie. I mean it's not because it is a French movie that I put it so high : it has really caught me when I saw it. Furthermore, I don't know well Marcel Carne's filmography, so I don't know if it is or not his best movie, but I know it is not his most famous : Hotel du Nord, Quai des Brumes and Les Enfants du Paradis are the most famous.

Third, the movie's in B&W, but it deals with inter-temporal problems of youth (not acne) like love, friends and studies in a modern way. It could even be remade frame-by-frame with actual young actors, a Dolby(tm) sound and special effects (a car crash), it would still be a great film !

Problem : Maybe is it a film to be seen by young adults (from 16 to 25 years old) - and above, of course - for its message to be well understood... Did I say it was a great movie ?