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Le Plaisir

Original title: Le plaisir
  • 1952
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
Le Plaisir (1952)
ComedyDramaRomance

Three separate stories about the same thing: le plaisir (pleasure).Three separate stories about the same thing: le plaisir (pleasure).Three separate stories about the same thing: le plaisir (pleasure).

  • Director
    • Max Ophüls
  • Writers
    • Guy de Maupassant
    • Jacques Natanson
    • Max Ophüls
  • Stars
    • Jean Gabin
    • Danielle Darrieux
    • Simone Simon
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    5.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Max Ophüls
    • Writers
      • Guy de Maupassant
      • Jacques Natanson
      • Max Ophüls
    • Stars
      • Jean Gabin
      • Danielle Darrieux
      • Simone Simon
    • 26User reviews
    • 45Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos17

    Daniel Gélin and Simone Simon in Le Plaisir (1952)
    Daniel Gélin and Simone Simon in Le Plaisir (1952)
    Daniel Gélin and Simone Simon in Le Plaisir (1952)
    Danielle Darrieux and Jean Gabin in Le Plaisir (1952)
    Daniel Gélin and Simone Simon in Le Plaisir (1952)
    Claude Dauphin in Le Plaisir (1952)
    Claude Dauphin in Le Plaisir (1952)
    Le Plaisir (1952)
    Le Plaisir (1952)
    Le Plaisir (1952)
    Le Plaisir (1952)
    Le Plaisir (1952)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jean Gabin
    Jean Gabin
    • Joseph Rivet (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Danielle Darrieux
    Danielle Darrieux
    • Madame Rosa (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Simone Simon
    Simone Simon
    • Joséphine - le modèle (segment "Le Modèle")
    Claude Dauphin
    Claude Dauphin
    • Le docteur (segment "Le Masque")
    Gaby Morlay
    Gaby Morlay
    • Denise - la femme d"Ambroise (segment "Le Masque")
    Madeleine Renaud
    Madeleine Renaud
    • Julia Tellier (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Ginette Leclerc
    Ginette Leclerc
    • Madame Flora dite Balançoire (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Mila Parély
    • Madame Raphaële (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    • (as Mila Parely)
    Pierre Brasseur
    Pierre Brasseur
    • Julien Ledentu - Le commis-voyageur (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Jean Servais
    Jean Servais
    • L'ami de Jean…
    Daniel Gélin
    Daniel Gélin
    • Jean, le peintre (segment "Le Modèle")
    • (as Daniel Gelin)
    Amédée
    • Frédéric - le serveur (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Paul Azaïs
    Paul Azaïs
    • Le patron du bal (segment "Le Masque")
    Antoine Balpêtré
    Antoine Balpêtré
    • Monsieur Poulain - L'ancien maire (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    • (as Balpétré)
    René Blancard
    René Blancard
    • Le maire (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Gaby Bruyère
    • Frimousse - La danseuse (segment "Le Masque")
    Mathilde Casadesus
    • Madame Louise dite Cocotte (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    Henri Crémieux
    Henri Crémieux
    • Monsieur Pimpesse (segment "La Maison Tellier")
    • Director
      • Max Ophüls
    • Writers
      • Guy de Maupassant
      • Jacques Natanson
      • Max Ophüls
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Stanley Kubrick's favorite movie (as of 1957).
    • Goofs
      As the children parade in during the first communion sequence, half of an actor's mustache falls off. He sticks it back on as the camera pans him out of frame.
    • Quotes

      Jean's friend: [Last lines] He found love, glory and fortune.

      Friend of Jean's friend: Still, it's very sad.

      Jean's friend: But, my friend, there's no joy in happiness.

    • Alternate versions
      An American release switches the last two stories, and ends with "La Maison Tellier" instead of "Le Modèle".
    • Connections
      Edited into Origins of the 21st Century (2000)

    User reviews26

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Profound, clever, incredibly beautiful work by the genius Ophuls
    Is it possible to take one of the best tales in French literature and make a film even better out of it? Yes, it is. The tale is Maupassant's "La maison Tellier", the film-maker is Max Ophuls, the film is "Le Plaisir". In fact, the movie is divided into three episodes, corresponding to three Maupassant's tales. In the two short introducing and final stories we actually find the bitter, acid, misanthropical sarcasm typical of Maupassant's style, though softened by Ophuls' sympathy for human unhappiness.

    What really stuns the viewer is the central episode, the sumptuous narration of "La maison Tellier". The story is the same in the book and in the film. A bunch of prostitutes from "La maison Tellier", the brothel of a French province town, takes a day off to go to a First Communion celebration in the countryside. But what a difference of mood. The fact is that Maupassant detested and despised people, while Ophuls manifestly loves them and is always ready to forgive their faults and pettiness. Therefore the writer's aggressive satire is replaced by the director's gentle sense of humor. The brothel is closed, and we shortly realize that the balance of the town, the whole social order is upset. Some sailors start a brawl, and that looks rather expectable. But even peaceful middle-class respectable citizens, long-time friends, begin to quarrel bitterly. "La maison Tellier" is the key of social stability!

    Then the church-scene, a perfect blend of sweet fun and profound human feeling. Overwhelmed by the intense emotion of the First Communion Mass, the prostitutes burst in tears, and they carry all the villagers with them. I guess to have noticed a delightful nuance by Ophuls. The "beautiful Jewish girl" whom, according to the director (a Jewish himself), no brothel can afford to miss (!), at first tries to restrain herself. She's not Christian, she's not supposed to be moved! But, of course, she soon starts to weep... Great emotion, great art! And the women merged in the high grass, picking flowers... it's late, they risk to miss their train... but no! It's so a gorgeous day, let's go and pick some flowers! How poetic, how beautiful... what a fantastic scene! Needless to say, as soon as the women are back, peace, order, friendship are restored in the town.

    The above comments can give a partial idea of the director's extraordinary treatment of the story. But it's important to remark that just the visual beauties and the camera work by the genius Ophuls are largely enough to place "Le plaisir" among the best works in the history of cinema. Let me just mention the first scene, when we peep inside the brothel together with the outside eye of the camera, which jumps from a window to another like a little bird. That is the most brilliant cinematic idea I can remember. A perfect film forces a perfect job by the cast. And in fact the acting is magnificent.

    "Le plaisir" is a profound study of human beings, of their joys and sorrows, an instance of superlative good taste in treating a risky theme, a triumph of clever cinematic technique. A peak of the art of cinema.
    helpful•26
    6
    • pzanardo
    • Dec 23, 2003

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 19, 1954 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Zadovoljstva
    • Filming locations
      • Clécy, Calvados, France
    • Production companies
      • Compagnie Commerciale Française Cinématographique (CCFC)
      • Stera Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,097
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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