The Two of Us (1967) Le vieil homme et l'enfant (original title)

Director:

Claude Berri

Writers:

Claude Berri
Gérard Brach
(more)

Release Date:

19 February 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Claude is a Jew. Because of the risks of an arrest (France is occupied by the Nazis), his parents send him away to an elderly couple in the country...

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Jew | France | Vichy | Bath

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Michel Simon	...	Pepe
Alain Cohen	...	Claude
Charles Denner	...	Claude's Father
Luce Fabiole	...	Mèmè
Roger Carel	...	Victor
Paul Préboist	...	Maxime
Jacqueline Rouillard	...	Teacher
Aline Bertrand	...	Raymonde
Sylvine Delannoy	...	Suzanne
Zorica Lozic	...	Claude's Mother
Marco Perrin	...	The Priest
Elisabeth Rey	...	Dinou, Maxime's daughter
Didier Perret	...	Dinou's brother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kinou	...	Le chien
Denise Péron
Yves Boussus	...	Man in toy shop. (uncredited)

Directed by
Claude Berri

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Claude Berri
Gérard Brach
Michel Rivelin

Produced by
Paul Cadéac	....	producer
André Hunebelle	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
Jean Penzer

Film Editing by
Denise Charvein
Sophie Coussein

Production Design by
Georges Lévy		(as Georges Levy)
Maurice Petri

Set Decoration by
Louis Seuret
Albert Volper

Costume Design by
Jacques Cottin

Production Management
Jean Darvey	....	production manager
Noel Mouton	....	unit manager (as Noëlle Mouton)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Confortès	....	assistant director
Philippe Garrel	....	assistant director
Pierre Grunstein	....	assistant director
Jérôme Kanapa	....	assistant director

Art Department
Yves Decaix	....	props

Sound Department
Jacques Bissières	....	sound assistant
Julien Coutelier	....	sound (as Julien Coutellier)
Jean Labussière	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean Chiabaut	....	camera operator
Jacques Gimel	....	still photographer
Pierre Li	....	assistant camera
Arlette Massay	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Marguerite Gregorz	....	assistant editor
Arlette Langmann	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Henri Charrier	....	administrator
Colette Robin	....	script supervisor
Madeleine Santucci	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• P.A.C.
• Renn Productions
• Valoria Films

Distributors

• Cinema V (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS) (dubbed) (pan and scan)
• Rialto Pictures (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Valoria Films

Also Known As:

"Le vieil homme et l'enfant" - France (original title)

Runtime:

90 min | USA:86 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Not Rated

Company:

P.A.C.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Henri Langlois: The Phantom of the Cinémathèque (2004)

Beautiful Story

I caught this at the local art museum, what a treasure it is! I became interested because the director is Claude Berri, and his "Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources" story is one of my favourites of all time. Although this movie is in black and white, it's a superior quality and beautiful to watch. The story, of a little Jewish boy hiding out in the country with an anti-semitic old man in occupied France, could easily have gone down the path of sadness and tears, but instead it is a joyous movie full of laughter and love. I must say Michel Simon is a delightful actor, and makes even a narrow-minded, ignorant, brainwashed old man like Pépé a kind, fun grandpa that any child would love to have. I believe this movie is based on Claude Berri's actual experience, but I did have to wonder at the end if Pépé was ever told the truth about the child's heritage and if so, did it matter? Anyway, this is a fantastic heartwarming movie that you shouldn't miss if you ever get the chance to see it.