The Town Is Quiet (2000)
"La ville est tranquille" (original title)

A dark tale of working-class life in Marseilles, a city in crisis. Interesting characters include a hard-bitten but compassionate fish market worker with a drug addicted daughter and a ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Guédiguian

Writers:

Jean-Louis Milesi (scenario and dialogue), Robert Guédiguian (scenario and dialogue)

Stars:

Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan

4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ariane Ascaride	...	Michèle
Jean-Pierre Darroussin	...	Paul
Gérard Meylan	...	Gérard
Jacques Boudet	...	Paul's Father
Christine Brücher	...	Viviane Froment
Jacques Pieiller	...	Yves Froment
Pascale Roberts	...	Paul's Mother
Julie-Marie Parmentier	...	Fiona
Pierre Banderet	...	Claude
Alexandre Ogou	...	Abderramane
Véronique Balme	...	Ameline
Frédérique Bonnal	...	Mrs. Préférence Nationale
Jacques Germain	...	Mister National Preference
Alain Lenglet	...	Piano mover
Amar Toulé	...	Momo, Abderramane's brother

Storyline

A dark tale of working-class life in Marseilles, a city in crisis. Interesting characters include a hard-bitten but compassionate fish market worker with a drug addicted daughter and a moody bartender with a shocking secret life.

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Plot Keywords:

marseille | fish market | pastis | provence | husband wife relationship | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French English Italian German

Release Date:

17 January 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

The Town Is Quiet

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$12,142 (USA) (26 October 2001)

Gross:

$51,987 (USA) (22 February 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Agat Films & Cie, Canal+, Diaphana Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References Nashville (1975)

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Soundtracks

"Ya Rayah"
Composed by Dahmane El Harrachi

User Reviews

Bleak, Powerful & Well Made

I have JUST seen this film - literally an hour ago and was curious to come to IMDb and see what others thought because I really knew very little about this film before I went to see it. Basically it had an 8:30 pm showtime and that worked out better than other movies and their showtimes so there I was. I felt the film really had trouble finding it's footing in the first twenty minutes. The director was obviously building blocks and setting things up but I was pretty uninvolved, but then, once all these characters' lives start to intersect and the stories start to build, the film just grips you and won't let go. Not in any thriller kind of way, but in a very believable, yet depressing, but human, real life way. The director trusts his story and actors so much (the acting is top notch) that he just lets the camera stay still and show you what happens. Now, if this film was just bleak and nothing else, well, then I probably would have hated it, but there are real moments of true, selfless love and even at the end, signs of hope and beauty that makes the movie special. I could see how many people might dislike the film and even walk out in the beginning, but Overall, the film packs a punch, a wild emotional punch, but like many great dramas, it leaves you thinking a great deal about life and society and mankind (good and bad).