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 | four word title | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

French visa # 23146.

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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

Uncle Gabriel: I got a confession stuck in my craw. I can't hold it in no more! I'll say nothing of my youth. Of my upbringing, I had none. Of my education, there's little to tell. On this score, there's no more to say. Now I come to my military service on which I won't dwell. A bachelor early on, life made me what I am. Rise, descend, descend, rise, come, go - so does Man until he finally vanishes. A taxi bringeth him. An elevator taketh him away. Neither the Tower nor the Pantheon take any note. All Paris ...

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Connections

Edited into Le Paris de Zazie (2005)

User Reviews

The best... if you are fluent in french

Raymond Queneau is my favorite writer. He was one of the rare giants of french litterature who could make you really laugh out loud while you were reading one of his classics.

ZAZIE DANS LE MÉTRO was his funniest novel, but if you are not fluent in french, you will miss a lot of the jokes; Queneau loved to play with the language.

Fortunately, Louis Malle has done a good job in adapting the humor of Queneau, translating the novel into a more visual, slapstick, cartoon-like movie. An intelligent comedy that is it's own unique category.

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