Lacombe Lucien (1974)

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Louis Malle (writer)
Patrick Modiano (writer)

Release Date:

29 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A small town in the south-west of France, summer of 1944. Having failed to join the resistance, the 18 year old Lucien Lacombe...

Plot Keywords:

Tailor | Collaborator | Secret Police | Controversial | Character Study

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Pierre Blaise	...	Lucien Lacombe
Aurore Clément	...	France Horn
Holger Löwenadler	...	Albert Horn, the tailor
Therese Giehse	...	Bella Horn
Stéphane Bouy	...	Jean-Bernard
Loumi Iacobesco	...	Betty Beaulieu
René Bouloc	...	Faure
Pierre Decazes	...	Aubert
Jean Rougerie	...	Tonin, the chief of police
Cécile Ricard	...	Marie, the hotel maid
Jacqueline Staup	...	Lucienne Chauvelot
Ave Ninchi	...	Mme Georges
Pierre Saintons	...	Hippolyte, the black collaborator
Gilberte Rivet	...	Lucien's mother
Jacques Rispal	...	M. Laborit, le propriétaire
Jean Bousquet	...	Peyssac, the schoolteacher
Franz Rudnick
Jean-Louis Blum
Claude Marcan
Jean Maurat
Gabriel Cabessut
Mimi Juskiewenski
Albert Tillet
René Thauran
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mimi Juskienwenski
Jean Mourat
René Thouron
Philippe Henriot	...	Himself (voice) (archive sound) (uncredited)

Directed by
Louis Malle

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Louis Malle		writer
Patrick Modiano		writer

Produced by
Louis Malle	....	producer
Claude Nedjar	....	producer

Cinematography by
Tonino Delli Colli

Film Editing by
Suzanne Baron

Production Design by
Ghislain Uhry

Costume Design by
Corinne Jorry

Production Management
Paul Maigret	....	production manager

Sound Department
Jean-Claude Laureux	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Patrice Wyers	....	camera operator
Pierre Zucca	....	still photographer

Music Department
Stéphane Grappelli	....	musician

Other crew
Christian Ferry	....	development

Production Companies

• Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF) (co-production) (as NEF-UPF Paris)
• Universal Pictures France (UPF) (co-production) (as NEF-UPF Paris)
• Vides Cinematografica (co-production) (as Vides-Film, Rome)
• Hallelujah Films (co-production) (as Hallelujah-Film, Munich)

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1974) (UK) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1974) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• MGM-Fox (1974) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Arte Vidéo (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2006) (USA) (DVD) (subtitles)
• Future Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1988) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Lax  titles
• Paris Studios Cinéma  mixing (as Paris-Studios-Cinéma)

Also Known As:

Cognome e nome: Lacombe Lucien (Italy)
Lacombe, Lucien (USA)

Runtime:

138 min

Country:

France | West Germany | Italy

Language:

French | German | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (bw)

Filming Locations:

Figeac, Lot, France

Company:

Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF)

Quotes:

Lucien Lacombe: I don't like people talking down to me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

The Banality of Evil

Hannah Arendt's famous phrase sounds custom-made for this film. Young Lucien wants to join the French Resistance, but he's too immature. No problem, the Gestapo's hiring, and it can get so boring during wartime in a small, provincial town.

This film shocked France with its taboo subject of collaboration. They say that anyone can become a torturer. That is where this film's power lies -- Louis Malle lets us confront our heart of darkness. Devastating and unforgettable.