Graduate First (1978)
"Passe ton bac d'abord..." (original title)

Director:

Maurice Pialat

Writer:

Maurice Pialat

Stars:

Sabine Haudepin, Philippe Marlaud, Annick Alane

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sabine Haudepin	...	Élisabeth
Philippe Marlaud	...	Philippe
Annick Alane	...	La mère (as Annik Alane)
Michel Caron	...	Le père
Christian Bouillette	...	Le patron
Jean-François Adam	...	Le prof de philo
Bernard Tronczak	...	Bernard
Patrick Lepcynski	...	Patrick
Agnès Makowiak	...	Agnès
Charline Bourré	...	Charline
Patrick Playez	...	Rocky
Muriel Lacroix	...	Muriel
Frédérique Cerbonnet	...	Frédérique
Fabienne Neuville	...	La soeur d'Elisabeth
Aline Fayard	...	La femme du patron

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

teen | provincial setting | teacher student relationship | teenage marriage | mining town | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

France Canada

Language:

French

Release Date:

29 August 1979 (France)

Also Known As:

Graduate First

Filming Locations:

Avenue de la Liberté, Bray-Dunes, Nord, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

France 3 (FR 3), Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA), Les Films du Livradois

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Camera crew reflected in the side of Frédérique's car.

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Soundtracks

"Ou sont les femmes?"
By Patrick Juvet

User Reviews

Kids in Northern France

Not a strong film by Pialat. I have seen a couple of great ones from him, but this one is just too disjointed, with too many characters demanding our attention to work well. Working class life, with its uncertainties and narrower horizons, was a specialty with Pialat. His treatment of Loulou's family a year later would be masterful, but these teenagers waiting to write the ''bac'' don't have enough individuality to interest me. They go on a trip to the seashore that looks promising but not much happens.

Philippe Marlaud and Sabine Haudepin play the principals and they are good (pity that Marlaud died at 22). There is a story line involving a married girl and the boy she really loves that is more interesting. The feeling of regret over lost opportunities is strong.