Bed & Board (1970) Domicile conjugal (original title)

Director:

François Truffaut

Writers:

François Truffaut (scenario and dialogue) and
Claude de Givray (scenario and dialogue) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 September 1970 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Some time after "Baisers Volés", Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud) and Christine Darbon (Claude Jade) are married and Antoine works dying flowers...

Plot Keywords:

New Job | Violin | Japanese | Flower | Japanese Woman

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Antoine Doinel
Claude Jade	...	Christine Darbon Doinel
Hiroko Berghauer	...	Kyoko (as Mademoiselle Hiroko)
Barbara Laage	...	Monique, la secrétaire
Danièle Girard	...	Ginette, la serveuse
Daniel Ceccaldi	...	Lucien Darbon
Claire Duhamel	...	Madame Darbon
Daniel Boulanger	...	Le voisin ténor
Silvana Blasi	...	Silvana, la femme du ténor
Pierre Maguelon	...	L'ami de Césarin
Jacques Jouanneau	...	Césarin
Claude Véga	...	Le pseudo étrangleur
Jacques Rispal	...	Monsieur Desbois
Jacques Robiolles	...	Jacques
Pierre Fabre	...	L'employé de bureau ricaneur
Christian de Tillière	...	Baumel
Billy Kearns	...	Mr. Max
Annick Asty	...	La mère de Marianne
Marianne Piketti	...	Marianne
Guy Piérauld	...	Le réparateur TV (as Guy Piérault)
Marie Dedieu	...	Marie, la prostituée
Marie Iracane	...	Madame Martin, la concierge (as Marie Irakane)
Yvon Lec	...	Le contractuel
Ernest Menzer	...	Le petit homme (as Menzer)
Christophe Vesque	...	Le petit Christophe (as Christophe)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Emilie Barbault	...	Alphonse Doinel (uncredited)
Marcel Berbert	...	L'employé de M. Max (uncredited)
Jacques Cottin	...	Monsieur Hulot (uncredited)
Frédérique Dolbert	...	Alphonse Doinel (uncredited)
Nicole Félix	...	L'employée de M. Max (uncredited)
Miss Irakane	...	Alphonse Doinel (uncredited)
Iska Khan	...	Le père de Kyoko (uncredited)
Ada Lonati	...	Madame Claude (uncredited)
Philippe Léotard	...	L'homme ivre (uncredited)
Nobuko Maki	...	Amie de Kyoko (uncredited)
Marcel Mercier	...	Un homme dans la cour (uncredited)
Joseph Mériau	...	Un homme dans la cour (uncredited)
Jérôme Richard	...	L'employé de M. Max (uncredited)
Serge Rousseau	...	Petit rôle (uncredited)
Helen Scott	...	Dame au restaurant (uncredited)
François Truffaut	...	Le marchand de journaux (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
François Truffaut

Writing credits
François Truffaut		(scenario and dialogue) and
Claude de Givray		(scenario and dialogue) and
Bernard Revon		(scenario and dialogue)

Produced by
Marcel Berbert	....	producer
André Mucchielli	....	producer (uncredited)
Hercule Mucchielli	....	producer (uncredited)
François Truffaut	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Antoine Duhamel

Cinematography by
Néstor Almendros		(as Nestor Almendros)

Film Editing by
Agnès Guillemot

Production Design by
Jean Mandaroux		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Jean Mandaroux

Costume Design by
Françoise Tournafond		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Nicole Félix	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Claude Miller	....	production manager (as Claude Miler)
Roland Thénot	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Suzanne Schiffman	....	first assistant director
Jean-François Stévenin	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jean-Claude Dolbert	....	property master

Sound Department
René Levert	....	sound
Jacques Maumont	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Emmanuel Machuel	....	camera operator
Pierre Zucca	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Yann Dedet	....	assistant editor
Martine Kalfon	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Lucette Desmouceaux	....	production secretary
Christian Lentretien	....	production administrator
Christine Pellé	....	script girl

Production Companies

• Les Films du Carrosse
• Valoria Films
• Fida Cinematografica (co-production)

Distributors

• Valoria Films (France) (theatrical)
• MK2 Éditions (2001) (France) (DVD) (special edition)
• Columbia Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (Korea) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• S.I.S.  sound recording

Also Known As:

"Domicile conjugal" - France (original title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Les Films du Carrosse

Trivia:

One of the composer portraits decorating the Doinels' front room is actually a portrait of the actor Oskar Werner dressed as Mozart for a play. Truffaut directed Werner in two films, Jules and Jim (1962) and Fahrenheit 451 (1966).

Quotes:

Christine Doinel:Virgin at twenty. I was a living anachronism, a real creep!

Movie Connections:

References The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

The Second Greatest Romantic Film Ever Made!

"Bed And Board" is the fourth installment in the great Antoine Doinel (played by a maturing Jean-Pierre Leaud) film series, directed by Francois Truffaut. This film is really almost as perfect as it's predecessor "Stolen Kisses", and (in ways) almost a sort of remake, using the same characters and similar situations. The story begins with a newly weded Antoine, who works as a flower dyer, while his wife teaches musical lessons. Again, Antoine goes through his life trying to find his occupational and romantic nitch. His occupational endeavors consist of becomming the guy who electronically maneuvers model boats at an American corporation. His wife soon is pregnant with his baby boy, and the idealistic domestication becomes shakey, as Antoine begins an affair with a Japanese girl named Kyoko (played by Hiroko Berghauser). What is somewhat interesting, is the French purest attitude (or small town mind set) that seems to take place in the film. The owner of the American corporation is played by American actor Billy Kearns (can be seen playing Freddie Miles in "Purple Noon") and he's the stereotypical baffoon American. Japanese girlfriend Kyoko, is the quiet reserved Asian that thinks of romantic suicidal notions for Antoine and herself. Another outsider (who everyone in the Parisian village is afraid of, until he's found out to be a comedian/ impersonator and NOT a strangler) is treated with contempt until it has been established through media/ television performance spoken in French. But it seems that Antoine and Christine's happiness is being constantly pulled at, by French outsiders. But I suppose this is what Antoine would like us to think. Still the character who (accidently) lies and cheats his way through life. This is a far more cynical version of love, compared to "Stolen Kisses", yet all the more relevent in it's depiction of growing love pains.

The Antoine we see here is more emotionally lonesome than he ever was, yet he's married and has a kid. It still contains some of the greatest romantic moments in cinema history though. The scene where Antoine asks Christine to put her glasses on (one more time) is beautiful. Also the reversal situation of fetching wine from the wine celler, will put smiles on the faces of anyone who'd seen a similar scene as this in "Stolen Kisses". Though Antoine may not be as innocent as he once was in the earlier films, his Antoine is a far more realistic portrayel of men in general. This is truly another wonderful film by Truffaut, that would be as great as "Stolen Kisses" if it had retained some of the innocence. Highly recommended, one of my personal favourites!!! I give this a 13 out of 10!