Les valseuses (1974)

Director:

Bertrand Blier

Writers:

Bertrand Blier (novel)
Bertrand Blier (writer) ...

Release Date:

13 May 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Two whimsical, aimless thugs harass and assault women, steal, murder, and alternately charm, fight, or sprint their way out of trouble...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Window Smashing | Burglary | Citroen | Stealing

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	Jean-Claude
Patrick Dewaere	...	Pierrot
Miou-Miou	...	Marie-Ange
Jeanne Moreau	...	Jeanne Pirolle
Brigitte Fossey	...	Woman in the train
Christian Alers	...	Jacqueline's father Henri
Michel Peyrelon	...	The Doctor
Gérard Boucaron	...	Carnot
Jacques Chailleux	...	Jacques Pirolle
Eva Damien	...	Doctor's wife
Dominique Davray	...	Ursula
Isabelle Huppert	...	Jacqueline
Marco Perrin	...	Supermarket inspector
Jacques Rispal	...	Maton
Claude Vergues	...	Merian

Also Known As:

Getting It Up
Going Places (USA)
Making It

Runtime:

France:150 min (restored: 1999) | Germany:111 min | USA:117 min | West Germany:116 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-18 (original rating) | France:U (re-rating) | France:-12 (TV rating) | UK:R (1974) | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Norway:(Banned) (1974-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Valence, Drôme, France

Company:

C.A.P.A.C.

Trivia:

The original French title is slang for "balls" (the testicular variety).

Goofs:

Continuity: Marie-Ange is shot in the shins when the boys leave her at the barbers shop, but there is no trace of any injury when they rejoin her (although there is no exact indication of the time past, it does not appear long enough for an injury of that kind to heal completely).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nos 18 ans (2008)

To dance a valse you need to be elegant, but going places you don't.

Not so many people like the movies of Bertrand blier simply because they don't understand them. Simply because they are different kinds of people.

If you have not been living under a deep desperation intertwined with great personal hope it may be hard for you to enjoy the humor blier shown here.

And also the film of blier cannot be classified easily as black-comedy or cult etc. like those of pulp fiction etc. Because there is this delicacy which the audience of north-america frequently fail to appreciate.

When I looked at these two `hooligans' dining with Jeanne moreau in the seaside restaurant, I felt they were more gentil than any gentleman can have been.

The urge to make love wildly like these is the normal reaction we feel under the unbearable pressure of meaningless being-symbolized by the camion suddenly emerges at the Carrefour.

SO, les valseuses is much better a name than going places. To dance a valse you need to be elegant, but going places you don't.