Le Beau Serge (1958) Le beau Serge (original title)

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Writer:

Claude Chabrol (writer)

Release Date:

January 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Francois comes back to his home village in France after more than a decade. He notices that the village hasn't changed much...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Gérard Blain	...	Serge
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	François Baillou
Michèle Méritz	...	Yvonne
Bernadette Lafont	...	Marie
Claude Cerval	...	The priest
Jeanne Pérez	...	Madame Chaunier
Edmond Beauchamp	...	Glomaud
André Dino	...	Michel, the doctor
Michel Creuze	...	The baker
Claude Chabrol	...	La Truffe
Philippe de Broca	...	Jacques Rivette de la Chasuble
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christine Dourdet	...	(uncredited)
Géo Legros	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Claude Chabrol

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Claude Chabrol		writer

Produced by
Claude Chabrol	....	producer
Roland Nonin	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Émile Delpierre

Cinematography by
Henri Decaë

Film Editing by
Jacques Gaillard

Makeup Department
Lucette Deuss	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jean Cotet	....	production manager
Jean Lavie	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles L. Bitsch	....	assistant director
Philippe de Broca	....	assistant director
Claude de Givray	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jean Labussière	....	boom operator
Jean-Claude Marchetti	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
André Bouladoux	....	key grip
André Dino	....	still photographer
Pierre Ginet	....	assistant camera
Alain Levent	....	assistant camera
Jean Rabier	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Gisèle Chézeau	....	assistant editor
Janine Oudoul	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Bob Amon	....	exporter
André Bouladoux	....	machinery
René Limat	....	effects
Roland Nonin	....	accountant
Jacqueline Parey	....	script girl
Jean-Paul Sassy	....	technical consultant
Ben Smith	....	english subtitles (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Ajym Films
• Coopérative Générale du Cinéma Français

Distributors

• Les Films Marceau (1959) (France) (theatrical)
• United Motion Pictures Organization (UMPO) (1959) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Interama (????) (USA) (theatrical)
• Kino-Filmi (????) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Les Acacias (1994) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Regionale (????) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Viljafilmi (1961) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Eureka Entertainment (2013) (UK) (DVD)
• Eureka Entertainment (2013) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Gaumont (????) (worldwide) (all media)
• Hen's Tooth Video (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Le beau Serge" - France (original title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Taiwan:GP | UK:12 | France:U | Singapore:PG | Italy:16+ | Finland:K-11 (new rating 2001) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Sardent, Creuse, France

Company:

Ajym Films

Trivia:

Finnish censorship certificate register # 54816 delivered on 23-8-1960.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cinéma! Cinéma! The French New Wave (1992) (TV)

What a nice movie! "Quel Beau Film!"

Born in 1930, this contemporary of Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut and Eric Rohmer really was, like them, a vital part of the French "New Wave"...if only to have helped usher it in via a neo-realist approach. This is Claude Chabrol's first film and it launched him on a career that spanned 40 years and included mostly thrillers, often inspired by Alfred Hitchcock. Other of his notable works include LES COUSINS (1959), OPHELIA (1962), LE BOUCHER (1969) and MADAME BOVARY (1991) An "enfant terrible" and a genuine eccentric, he approached the making of this first film in a way that would later be identified with the "new wave" movement. He used mostly inexperienced actors, crude editing, lots of location filming and imbued it with a sense of spontaneity. Focusing on content over style allowed him to carve out a distinct piece work that is both compelling and a fine study of human nature. From opening shots of pensive lead actor J.C. Brially* riding a bumpy bus into his childhood town to the powerful closing shot of Gerard Blain shocked into sobering up, this film will have you looking at LE BEAU SERGE with adoration. *(Catch Brially starring in one of the finer French horrror films made; LE DEMON DANS L'ILE)