Coup de foudre (1983)

Director:

Diane Kurys

Writers:

Diane Kurys (scenario and dialogue)
Diane Kurys (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

6 April 1983 (France)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Plot:

In 1942 in occupied France, a Jewish refugee marries a soldier to escape deportation to Germany. Meanwhile...

Plot Keywords:

Liberation | Jewish | Marriage | 1942 | Refugee

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Miou-Miou	...	Madeleine
Isabelle Huppert	...	Lena Weber
Guy Marchand	...	Michel Korski
Jean-Pierre Bacri	...	Costa Segara
Robin Renucci	...	Raymond
Patrick Bauchau	...	Carlier
Jacques Alric	...	Mr. Vernier
Jacqueline Doyen	...	Mme Vernier
Saga Blanchard	...	Sophie
Guillaume Le Guellec	...	René
Christine Pascal	...	Sarah
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacques Blal	...	Lionel Feldman
Bernard Cazassus	...	Le chef de gare
Gérard Chambre
Patricia Champane	...	Florence
François Cluzet	...	Un militaire
Jean-Claude de Goros	...	Le patron du cabaret
Norton de Matos	...	Journaliste (as Luís Norton de Matos)
Anne Fabien	...	La femme élégante
Dominique Lavanant	...	L'aboyeuse
Denis Lavant	...	Un militaire
Anne Lévy	...	Maria
Sonia Pfirmann	...	Louisa Feldman
Pascal Pistacio	...	Un militaire
Joseph Michael Roth	...	Un Militaire
Serge Ruben	...	André Feldman
Nils Tavernier	...	Le milicien

Also Known As:

Entre Nous (Australia) (USA)
At First Sight (UK)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:11 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:PG | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Lyon, Rhône, Rhône-Alpes, France

Company:

Partner's Productions

Trivia:

The movie is based on Diane Kurys' parents and the woman that came between them.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At the celebration following Liberation, the U.S. flag has 50 stars. At that time there would have been a 48-star flag.

Wonderfully Moving and Sad Movie About Style and Incompatibility

This is a very moving film. I think I found it more sad than some of the other reviewers. It's really about the decline of a marriage through the incompatibility of the couple.

The incompatibility is brought home to the woman by her class, education, style, grace and education. (The sophisticated one, played by Miou Miou is just extraordinary acting). In essence, the sophisticated woman causes the central woman (played by Isabelle Huppert) to realize that her husband is a dolt, and that they share far more than she and her husband. The wonderful thing about the movie is that though the husband is a boob, insensitive and sometimes prone to violent anger, there is no doubt that he slaves for his family, is very humble, and deeply loves his wife and his two daughters - no question about it.

We get to see his pain as his wife falls out of love for him, his sometimes violent jealousy of the woman who has made his wife see him differently, and his heartbreak. It's quite profound. Those who say it all ends happily were watching another movie!

I loved the periods, the costumes, the settings - from Paris on Liberation Day through the 1940s and 1950s. Although it's the daughter's story, we see much of how the couple earlier met, married and began their married life. You will love it - it's more fast-paced than many French movies, and wrenching.