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.

---

Plot Keywords:

girl | little girl | uncle niece relationship | discovery | four word title | 

---

Taglines:

Liberté... Insanité... Hilarité!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

---

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.

---

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.

---

Quotes

Uncle Gabriel: Okay, so I dance in drag in a nightclub. That means nothing. Strictly for laughs. With my build, you see...

---

Connections

Featured in Fejezetek a film történetéböl: A francia új hullám (1990)

User Reviews

Louis Malle goes nuts

In the early sixties, New Wave French Cinema were very serious about themselves, with Godard and Truffaut. But Louis Malle, who was from the same generation, don't take anything seriously in this unforgettable movie. I really love the viewer analogy with the Roadrunner! Everythings goes nuts in this movie: Sounds, situations, logic, actors. It reminds us of the Mack Sennett movies. It's also got a lot of charm for the very funny and smiling face of little Demongeot playing Zazie. And how about young Philippe Noiret? He will become one of the greatest French actor of all time. Like the Jacques Tati's movies of the same era, this comedy can't grow older. Seeing today is seeing it with the same joy as in 1960. A must!