The Sorrow and the Pity (1969)
Le chagrin et la pitié (original title)Reference View | Change View
- PG
- 4h 11min
- Documentary, History
- 25 Mar 1972 (USA)
- Movie
An in-depth exploration of the various reactions by the French people to the Vichy government's acceptance of the German invasion.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast
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Helmut Tausend | ... |
Self, former Wehrmacht Captain
(as Helmuth Tausend)
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Marcel Verdier | ... |
Self, pharmacist in Clermont-Ferrand
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Alexis Grave | ... |
Self, Yronde farmer
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Louis Grave | ... |
Self, Yronde farmer, Résistance Fighter
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| Pierre Mendès France | ... |
Self, Former Prime Minister Of France
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Emile Coulaudon | ... |
Self, Former Head of the Auvergne Maquis
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Walter Warlimont | ... |
Self, General, adjutant to the Wehrmacht Supreme Command
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Georg Stumme | ... |
Self, general in the Wehrmacht (archiveFootage)
(as General Stummel)
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Tausend | ... |
Self
(as Frau Tausend)
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| Anthony Eden | ... |
Self, Winston Churchill's foreign Secretary 1940-1945
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Sepp Dietrich | ... |
Self, SS commander (archiveFootage)
(as Zepp Dietrich)
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Roger Tounze | ... |
Self, journalist for La Montage newspaper based in Clermont-Ferrand
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| Adolf Hitler | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Albert Speer | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Mr. Leiris | ... |
self, Former Mayor Of Combronde
(as Monsieur Leiris)
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| Christian de la Mazière | ... |
self, an aristocratic ex-fascist and Veteran of the French division of the Waffen SS
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André Harris | ... |
Self, interviewer
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| Philippe Pétain | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Georges Bidault | ... |
Self
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Jacques Duclos | ... |
self, former secretary of the clandestine Communist Party
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Charles Braun | ... |
Self, restaurateur, Clermont-Ferrand
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Edward Spears | ... |
Self
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Marcel-Bruno Gensoul | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
(as Admiral Gensoul)
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Paul Schmidt | ... |
Self, Adolf Hitler's chief interpreter
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Bruno Fritz | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Edouard Lefèbvre | ... |
Self, 110,000th French worker in Nazi Germany (archiveFootage)
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Elmar Michel | ... |
Self, chairman of Salamander Shoes
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R. Du Jonchay | ... |
self, Colonel, Head of the Résistance Movement
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Jean Louis Gontier de Vasse | ... |
Self, pilot-sergeant (archiveFootage)
(as Gontier de Vasse)
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Henri Rochat | ... |
self, defense Lawyer for Pierre Mendès France
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Georges Lamirand | ... |
self, Minister of Youth, 1941-43
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Alphonse de Chateaubriant | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
(as Alphonse de Châteaubriant)
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Charles Laville | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Danton | ... |
Self, teacher, Lycée Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand
(as Monsieur Danton)
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Dionnet | ... |
Self, teacher, Lycée Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand
(as Monsieur Dionnet)
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Marius Klein | ... |
Self, shopkeeper, Clermont-Ferrand
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Bernard Natan | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Pierre Le Calvez | ... |
self, cinema owner, Clermont-Ferrand
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| Albert Préjean | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Danielle Darrieux | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Suzy Delair | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Junie Astor | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Viviane Romance | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Reinhard Heydrich | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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René Bousquet | ... |
Self - with Laval (archiveFootage)
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Louis Darquier de Pellepoix | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Fernand de Brinon | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Raphaël Geminiani | ... |
Self - Champion Professional Cyclist
(as Raphaël Géminiani)
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Mr. Mioche | ... |
self, Hotelier in Royat
(as Monsieur Mioche)
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Sgt. Evans | ... |
Self, retired British pilot
(as Flight Sergeant Evans)
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| Denis Rake | ... |
self, British Secret Agent in occupied France
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| Maurice Buckmaster | ... |
self, Former Head of the British Espionage Network
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| Marcel Ophüls | ... |
Self, interviewer
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Emmanuel d'Astier de la Vigerie | ... |
self, Founder of the Liberation Résistance Movement
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Marcel Fouche-Degliame | ... |
self, Director of the Combat Movement
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| Charles de Gaulle | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Jacques Doriot | ... |
self, head of the Fascist French Popular Party (archiveFootage)
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René de Chambrun | ... |
self, International Lawyer
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| Pierre Laval | ... |
self, French Minister of State (archiveFootage)
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Claude Levy | ... |
Self - Author and Biologist
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Cmdt. Menut | ... |
Self, member of the French Résistance
(as Commandant Menut)
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Matthäus Bleibinger | ... |
Self - Wehrmacht Soldier in the Auvergne
(as Matheus Bleibinger)
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Mme. Solange | ... |
Self, beautician
(as Madame Solange)
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Henri d'Astier de la Vigerie | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Raymond Guyot | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Maurice Chevalier | ... |
Self - Denies Making Tour of Germany (archiveFootage)
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Directed by
| Marcel Ophüls | ... | (as Marcel Ophuls) |
Written by
| André Harris | ... | (writer) |
| Marcel Ophüls | ... | (writer) |
Produced by
| Charles-Henri Favrod | ... | co-producer |
| André Harris | ... | producer |
| Alain de Sedouy | ... | producer |
Cinematography by
| André Gazut | ||
| Jürgen Thieme | ||
Editing by
| Claude Vajda | ||
Editorial Department
| Heidi Endruweit | ... | assistant editor |
| Wiebke Vogler | ... | assistant editor |
| Julie Keye | ... | apprentice editor adr (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Wolfgang Theile | ... | production director |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Claude Vajda | ... | assistant director |
Sound Department
| Bernard Migy | ... | sound |
| Wolfgang Schröter | ... | sound mixer |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Alain Demartines | ... | assistant camera |
Additional Crew
| Woody Allen | ... | presenter |
| Suzy Benhiat | ... | documentarist: UK |
| Eliane Cochi | ... | documentarist: France (as Eliane Filippi) |
| Christoph Derschau | ... | documentarist: Germany |
Production Companies
- Télévision Rencontre
- Société Suisse de Radiodiffusion et Télévision (SSR)
- Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR)
Distributors
- Cinema 5 Distributing (1972) (United States) (theatrical) (dubbed)
- Milestone Film & Video (2001) (United States) (DVD) (re-release) (subtitled)
- NEF Diffusion (1971) (France) (theatrical)
- Oscilloscope (2011) (United States) (DVD)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1973) (Finland) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
From 1940 to 1944, France's Vichy government collaborated with Nazi Germany. Marcel Ophüls mixes archival footage with 1969 interviews of a German officer and of collaborators and resistance fighters from Clermont-Ferrand. They comment on the nature, details and reasons for the collaboration, from anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and fear of Bolsheviks, to simple caution. Part one, "The Collapse," includes an extended interview with Pierre Mendès-France, jailed for anti-Vichy action and later France's Prime Minister. At the heart of part two, "The Choice," is an interview with Christian de la Mazière, one of 7,000 French youth to fight on the eastern front wearing German uniforms.
Written by |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | The Most Important Fact Film Ever Made See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Originally intended for French television. However, French broadcasters refused to show it arguing the documentary depicted occupied France as exclusively populated by traitors. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Annie Hall (1977). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Ça Fait d'Excellents Français See more » |
| Quotes |
Dr. Claude Levy:
France is the only government in all Europe whose government collaborated. Others signed an armistice or surrendered, but France was the only country to have collaborated and voted laws which were even more racist than the Nuremberg laws, as the French racist criteria were even more demanding than the German racist criteria. It's not something to be proud of. See more » |