Mouchette (1967)

Director:

Robert Bresson

Writers:

Georges Bernanos (novel) and
Robert Bresson (scenario & adaptation and dialogue)

Release Date:

12 March 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Mouchette is a young teenager living in the tough country. Her mother is going to die, and her father does not take care of her...

Plot Keywords:

Alibi | Poacher | Woods | Policeman | Humiliation

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Nadine Nortier	...	Mouchette
Jean-Claude Guilbert	...	Arsène
Marie Cardinal	...	Mouchette's Mother
Paul Hebert	...	Mouchette's Father
Jean Vimenet	...	Mathieu - gamekeeper
Marie Susini	...	Mathieu's wife
Liliane Princet	...	Schoolteacher
Suzanne Huguenin	...	Undertaker
Marine Trichet	...	Luisa
Raymonde Chabrun	...	Grocery Shop-owner

Directed by
Robert Bresson

Writing credits
Georges Bernanos		(novel)
Robert Bresson		scenario & adaptation and dialogue

Produced by
Anatole Dauman	....	producer

Original Music by
Jean Wiener

Cinematography by
Ghislain Cloquet

Film Editing by
Raymond Lamy

Production Design by
Pierre Guffroy

Set Decoration by
Pierre Guffroy

Costume Design by
Odette Le Barbenchon

Production Management
Michel Choquet	....	production manager
Philippe Dussart	....	production manager
René Pascal	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jacques Kébadian	....	assistant director
Mylène Van der Mersch	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jean Catala	....	props

Sound Department
Jacques Carrère	....	sound
Daniel Couteau	....	sound effects editor
Séverin Frankiel	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Bonis	....	assistant camera
Jean Chiabaut	....	camera operator
Emmanuel Machuel	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Odette Le Barbenchon	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Arlette Lalande	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jean Drejac	....	conductor: score

Other crew
Françoise Reinberg	....	script girl (as Françoise Renberg)

Production Companies

• Argos Films
• Parc Film

Distributors

• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC) (1967) (France) (theatrical) (as U.G.C.)
• Compagnie Française de Distribution Cinématographique (CFDC) (1967) (France) (theatrical) (as C.F.D.C.)
• Argos Films (worldwide) (sales)
• Cinema Ventures (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Rialto Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Hen's Tooth Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Nouveau Entertainment Ltd. (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Pioneer LDC (2000) (Japan) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Les Chanteurs de St. Eustache  chorus: Monteverdi's Magrigal
• S.I.M.O.  auditorium
• Studios de Billancourt  auditorium (as Paris Studio Cinéma)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

78 min | USA:90 min (VHS version) | Portugal:82 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | UK:15 | West Germany:16 | Spain:18 | Portugal:M/12 | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Argos Films

Trivia:

It was rumored for years that the trailer for this film was by Jean-Luc Godard, and he has recently confirmed this by programming it in a self-curated retrospective of his work. The trailer is virtually a miniature essay on (or subversion of) the film, jarringly intercutting excerpts from it with a written commentary that calls it "Christian and sadistic".

Goofs:

Continuity: (at around 1 min) The canteen changes position after being dropped.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Au hasard Bresson (1967)

Soundtrack:

Magnificat

Mouchetts the perfect Bresson

Bresson one of the true architects of modern cinema found in this story the perfect distillation of form and content coupling his pared down style with the poignant story of a young french girl trying to live through impoverished circumstances and doing her best to survive. Being one of my heroes I have always had nothing but total respect for the way he intellectualized every aspect of film-making without denuding it of emotional impact. A chemist of cinematic ingenuity there will never be a more profoundly personal look at cinema than that of Bresson. May the film-makers of today at least make the effort to rob from this man. Viva Bresson!