Small Change
(1976)
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Small Change
(1976)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Nicole Félix | ... |
Grégory's mother
(as Nicole Felix)
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Chantal Mercier | ... |
Chantal Petit, the Schoolteacher
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Jean-François Stévenin | ... |
Jean-François Richet, the Schoolteacher
(as Jean-François Stevenin)
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Virginie Thévenet | ... |
Lydie Richet
(as Virginie Thevenet)
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Tania Torrens | ... |
Nadine Riffle, hairdresser
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René Barnerias | ... |
Monsieur Desmouceaux, Patrick's father
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Katy Carayon | ... |
Sylvie's Mother
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Jean-Marie Carayon | ... |
Police inspector, Sylvie's father
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Annie Chevaldonne | ... |
Nurse
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Francis Devlaeminck | ... |
Monsieur Riffle, hairdresser, Laurent's father
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Michel Dissart | ... |
Monsieur Lomay, constable
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Michele Heyraud | ... |
Madame Deluca
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Paul Heyraud | ... |
Monsieur Deluca
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Jeanne Lobre | ... |
Julien's grandmother
(as Jane Lobre)
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Vincent Touly | ... |
Concierge
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In the town of Thiers, summer of 1976, teachers and parents give their children skills, love, and attention. A teacher has his first child, a single mother hopes to meet Mr. Right, another mom reaches out to Patrick, a motherless lad who is just discovering the opposite sex. Patrick befriends Julien, a new student who lives in poverty with his mother and has a terrible secret. Bruno shows his friends how to chat up girls. Sylvie stages a witty protest against her parents. Brothers give a friend a haircut. A toddler falls from a window and is unhurt. Everybody goes to the cinema. At camp, Martine catches Patrick's eye. A teacher explains: "Life is hard, but it's wonderful." Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
I've watched many of Truffaut's films and have found most of them to be really quite wonderful. This film has solidified his status in my book as the best of the French New Wave. I've waited to actually say that in print until I'd seen a good number of the offerings from the movement. Godard is too gimmicky, Chabrol too one track(though still well loved), Rohmer too static(but charming),Demy doesn't have the filmography and neither does Resnais or Varda(Demy's wife). Truffaut's films have a sensitivity, an intimacy and a simple quality that speak volumes to me.
Small Change(Pocket Money)has all of those qualities and more. I laughed and I cried but I never once felt that this great director had manipulated me. Sometimes films with children have a tendency to make me feel used. My heart strings pulled in every direction and twisted into every shape. Truffaut had no intention of mauling the senses instead he lets the childrens lives unfold naturally with the joys and sadnesses of all children. It was my very own memory of childhood for there is some child in this film who represents all of us.