La Chinoise (1967)

A small group of French students are studying Mao, trying to find out their position in the world and how to change the world to a Maoistic community using terrorism.

Director:

Jean-Luc Godard

Writer:

Jean-Luc Godard

Stars:

Anne Wiazemsky, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Juliet Berto

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Anne Wiazemsky	...	Veronique
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Guillaume
Juliet Berto	...	Yvonne
Michel Semeniako	...	Henri
Lex De Bruijn	...	Kirilov
Omar Diop	...	Omar
Francis Jeanson	...	Francis
Blandine Jeanson	...	Blandine
Eliane Giovagnoli	...	Son ami

Storyline

A small group of French students are studying Mao, trying to find out their position in the world and how to change the world to a Maoistic community using terrorism.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to mao zedong | reference to karl marx | marxism | terrorism | nouvelle vague | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Giorgio Strehler (1921 -1997) was an Italian opera and theatre director, noted for his interpretations the works of Bertolt Brecht.

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Quotes

Guillaume: A Communist must always ask himself why and think carefuly to see if everything conforms to reality. A Communist is never infallible, should never be arrogant, and never think things are OK only at home.

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Connections

Referenced in Cinema Sex Politics: Bertolucci Makes 'The Dreamers' (2003)

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Soundtracks

Mao Mao
Music by Gérard Hugé and Claude Channes
Lyrics by Gérard Guégan
Performed by Claudes Channes

User Reviews

French student revolutionaries study Marxism and wonder how to put it into action.

I've heard some claim this as Godard's seminal work. I wouldn't say quite that, but its a great, and I think misunderstood, piece of work. Everyone discusses this film as if it were a critique of the May '68 Movement, forgetting that it was released the year before, and probably filmed two years before. Everyone thus views it as a satire of the past, when it fact it is a frightened critique of the contemporary. Godard does indeed think the "Maoists" the film follows are dilettantes, as the May '68 Movement proved to be, primarily, composed of. But he also wants desperately for a more militant presence to assert itself, and lead the contemporary situation into a more legitimately revolutionary direction. The seminal scene of the film is in the last act, when the student radical meets with her professor "radical" on a train. Both sides issue futile maxims. Godard overlays the words "this situation must change!" over their conversation. The pseudo-revolution of the 1960s, Godard prays, can become a real one. In retrospect, this is somber

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

4 March 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

La Chinoise

Filming Locations:

15 Rue de Miromesnil, Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,355, 14 October 2007

Gross USA:

$36,488

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$36,488

Company Credits

Production Co:

Anouchka Films, Les Productions de la Guéville, Athos Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1