In this classic adaptation of Emile Zola's novel, a tortured train engineer falls in love with a troubled married woman who has helped her husband commit a murder.
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Title: La Bête Humaine (1938)
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1 nomination.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jean Gabin | ... | Jacques Lantier | |
| Simone Simon | ... | Séverine Roubaud | |
| Fernand Ledoux | ... | Roubaud (as Ledoux sociétaire de la Comédie-Française) | |
| Blanchette Brunoy | ... | Flore | |
 |
Gérard Landry | ... | Le fils Dauvergne (as Gerard Landry) |
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Jenny Hélia | ... | Philomène Sauvagnat (as Jenny Helia) |
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Colette Régis | ... | Victoire Pecqueux (as Colette Regis) |
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Claire Gérard | ... | Une voyageuse (as Claire Gerard) |
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Charlotte Clasis | ... | Tante Phasie, la marraine de Lantier (as Germaine Clasis) |
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Jacques Berlioz | ... | Grandmorin (as Berlioz) |
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Tony Corteggiani | ... | Dabadie, le chef de section (as Cortegianni) |
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André Tavernier | ... | Le juge d'instruction Denizet |
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Marcel Pérès | ... | Un lampiste (as Perez) |
| Jean Renoir | ... | Cabuche | |
| Julien Carette | ... | Pecqueux (as Carette) | |
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
Jacques Lantier is a train engineer who is prone to violent seizures, a condition he attributes to his forefathers' habit of excessive drinking. Roubaud is a train conductor on the same railroad that Lantier works on, married to the much younger Séverine. When Roubaud catches wind of his wife's affair with her godfather, the wealthy M. Grandmorin, he kills him during a train journey in a fit of jealousy. He makes sure that Séverine is also present, making her an accomplice to murder. Lantier, despite having witnessed them quite clearly in the train corridor, hides the fact during the investigation as he is attracted to Séverine. They both begin an affair, all the while Roubaud becomes increasingly withdrawn and starts to gamble. Séverine urges Lantier to kill her husband so that they would be free but she is unaware of Lantier's unfortunate condition. Written by Soumitra
Taglines:
From the novel "La Bete Humaine" a drama of consuming passions, directed by Jean RenoirParents Guide:
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(uncredited)
Lyrics by Maurice Nouhaud (1900)
Music by E. Becucci (from waltz "Tesoro mio")
Sung by Marcel Veyran
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Severine likes Malaga wine. Malaga is a sweet fortified wine from the Spanish city of Málaga and is made from Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel grapes. See more »Soundtracks
Le coeur de Ninon(uncredited)
Lyrics by Maurice Nouhaud (1900)
Music by E. Becucci (from waltz "Tesoro mio")
Sung by Marcel Veyran
See more »
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Details
Country:
FranceLanguage:
FrenchRelease Date:
19 February 1940 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
La Bête Humaine See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1Contribute to This Page
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Jean Renoir's "La Bete Humaine" (1938) stars Jean Gabin and Simone Simon in an adaptation of Emile Zola's novel. Renoir's novel is part of a series following a family. Lantier (Gabin) suffers from an inherited illness, possibly a chemical dysfunction. He's given to violent outbursts. He falls for the beautiful and childlike Sevarin (Simon) who, with her husband, kills her lover. Lantier witnesses this. Sevarin wants him to help kill her husband.
This is a beautifully photographed, bleak story with the symbolism of the railroad (Lanier is a railway engineer) running through it. Gabin is terrific as the tragic Lanier, and Simone Simon is effective as the woman.
Fritz Lang's later film "Human Desire" is also based on the Zola novel, but the Renoir version has more layers, particularly in the characterizations.
Highly recommended.