Zazie dans le Métro (1960)

With her mother away for the weekend, a brash and precocious ten-year-old country-girl sets out to explore Paris during a Métro strike, under her uncle's not-so-watchful eye. Can a little girl cause so much chaos in the heart of the city?

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Raymond Queneau (novel), Louis Malle

Stars:

Catherine Demongeot, Philippe Noiret, Hubert Deschamps

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Catherine Demongeot	...	Zazie
Philippe Noiret	...	Oncle Gabriel
Hubert Deschamps	...	Turandot
Carla Marlier	...	Albertine
Annie Fratellini	...	Mado
Vittorio Caprioli	...	Trouscaillon
Jacques Dufilho	...	Ferdinand Grédoux
Yvonne Clech	...	Madame Mouaque
Odette Piquet	...	La mère de Zazie
Nicolas Bataille	...	Fédor
Antoine Roblot	...	Charles
Marc Doelnitz	...	M. Coquetti
Jacques Gheusi	...	Le gérant
Christine Howard
Louis Lalanne	...	L'amant de Jeanne

Storyline

This merry farce depicts a satirical view of the French society: Ten-year-old Zazie has to stay two days with her relatives in Paris, so that her mother can spend some time with her lover. However Zazie escapes her uncle's custody and sets out to explore Paris on her own.

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Plot Keywords:

girl | little girl | uncle niece relationship | discovery | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

Louis Malle's Comedy With No Holds Barred!

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French Russian

Release Date:

20 November 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Zazie dans le Métro

Filming Locations:

Franstudio, Joinville-le-pont, Val-de-Marne, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original novel written in 1959 by Raymond Queneau was ranked #36 in the list of the "100 Books of the 20th Century", according to a poll conducted in the spring of 1999 by the French retailer Fnac and the Paris newspaper Le Monde.

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Goofs

When the policeman is harassing the sexy blonde lady with the blue dress, the crew is visible on the windows of one of the cars passing by.

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Quotes

Zazie: [in a Paris flea market] ... they got American military surpluses, too?
Trouscaillon: Of course! And great French fries, made right that afternoon.
Zazie: I'll take the American military surpluses.
Trouscaillon: They got mussels, too. That don't screw you all up.
Zazie: They got those American blue jeans?
Trouscaillon: Of course! And their compasses too, and that's not all...
Zazie: Fuck all that, I just want the blue jeans.

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Connections

Edited into Le Paris de Zazie (2005)

User Reviews

Zazie played by Milène Demongeot, age 9½

I've just seen this movie on DVD and enjoyed the humor and wit. According to some Dutch and French web-pages like http://perso.orange.fr/cinefrance/1960/zazie.html Zazie is not played by 12yo Catherine but by a 9½yo Milène, what seems right to me by the looks of her, she's definitely too petite for a 12yo, age 9 or 10 seems much more likely. In the trailer she is described as a 9½yo too. Her lines seem a little too adult now and then, but bear in mind who wrote the scenario! Louis Malle was famous for breaking taboos. This movie was intended for enjoyment, like a comedy, but with a sharp view on the changing French society. Also some comments on hypocritical ways of dealing with taboos like homosexuality and "dirty old men". Funny to see the traffic congestion in Paris, already then, and the looney effects, inspired by Tex Avery.