IMDb > La nuit américaine (1973)
La nuit américaine
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La nuit américaine (1973) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   5,650 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
François Truffaut
Writers:
Jean-Louis Richard (writer)
Suzanne Schiffman (writer)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Day for Night on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 September 1973 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Comedy more
Tagline:
A movie for people who loves movies.
Plot:
A committed film director struggles to complete his movie while coping with a myriad of crises, personal and professional, among the cast and crew. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 5 nominations more
User Comments:
The reality of illusion more (42 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jacqueline Bisset ... Julie
Valentina Cortese ... Severine
Dani ... Liliane
Alexandra Stewart ... Stacey
Jean-Pierre Aumont ... Alexandre
Jean Champion ... Bertrand
Jean-Pierre Léaud ... Alphonse (as Jean-Pierre Leaud)

François Truffaut ... director Ferrand
Nike Arrighi ... Odile
Nathalie Baye ... Joelle
Maurice Seveno ... TV Reporter
David Markham ... Doctor Nelson
Bernard Menez ... Bernard the Prop Man
Gaston Joly ... Lajoie
Zénaïde Rossi ... Madame Lajoie
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Day for Night (USA)
Effetto notte (Italy)
The American Night (International: English title) (literal title)
more
Runtime:
115 min
Country:
France | Italy
Language:
French | English
Color:
Black and White | Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Filming Locations:
Alpes-Maritimes, France more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film is dedicated to the Gish sisters (Lillian Gish and Dorothy Gish). more
Goofs:
Continuity: Several takes are wasted trying to get a cat to drink milk from a tray. Eventually Joelle brings in "the studio cat" to do the scene. But the cat that actually drinks the milk is actually a third, different cat. more
Quotes:
director Ferrand: Making a film is like a stagecoach ride in the old west. When you start, you are hoping for a pleasant trip. By the halfway point, you just hope to survive. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Splendor (1989) more
Soundtrack:
Grande Chorale more

FAQ

Why was this movie nominated for Academy Awards in two different years?
Why was the title changed?
more
12 out of 17 people found the following comment useful.
The reality of illusion, 30 December 2002
10/10
Author: jutulen

La Nuit américaine (1973) or Day for Night as it's also known, is a classic film about making films. Whereas Fellini's 8 1/2 focuses on the inner creative process of the film director, Day for Night focuses on the practical details of physically making the film. We see the often absurd process Ferrand (the director played by director Francois Truffaut) and crew engage in to create a film.

The director must constantly answer questions about every detail of props, sets, camera, lighting, costumes and at the same time engage in a constant delicate negotiation with the actors. In one scene Ferrand is frustrated as he tries to direct a cat: "Listen, it's very simple. We'll stop and begin shooting again when you find me a cat who knows how to act!" Ferrand tells the actors whatever they need to hear to keep them going. He strokes some egos and treat others as children as he negotiates the turmoil of their personal lives when it affects their performance in the film. The whole process of making the film is a controlled chaos with many details and even the story constantly changing. Towards the end of the making of the film, one of the actors die, making it necessary to do a last-minute re-write. Day for Night is an entertaining film that shows the good, the bad and the ugly of making a film. While the technology and process has changed a bit since this film was made, the core of the story is as relevant today as it was then.

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