Going Places (1974)

Two whimsical, aimless thugs harass and assault women, steal, murder, and alternately charm, fight, or sprint their way out of trouble. They take whatever the bourgeois characters value: ... See full summary »

Director:

Bertrand Blier

Writers:

Bertrand Blier (novel), Bertrand Blier (screenplay)

Stars:

Gérard Depardieu, Miou-Miou, Patrick Dewaere

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gérard Depardieu	...	Jean-Claude
Miou-Miou	...	Marie-Ange
Patrick Dewaere	...	Pierrot
Christian Alers	...	Henri the Father of Jacqueline
Brigitte Fossey	...	Woman on the train
Michel Peyrelon	...	Bruno the Surgeon
Gérard Boucaron	...	Carnot the Car Mechanic
Jacques Chailleux	...	Jacques Pirolle
Eva Damien	...	the Car Mechanic
Dominique Davray	...	Ursula / Suzanne
Isabelle Huppert	...	Jacqueline
Marco Perrin	...	Supermarket inspector
Jacques Rispal	...	Watchman at the Mammouth Store
Claude Vergnes	...	Merlan the Hair-stylist
Jeanne Moreau	...	Jeanne Pirolle

Storyline

Two whimsical, aimless thugs harass and assault women, steal, murder, and alternately charm, fight, or sprint their way out of trouble. They take whatever the bourgeois characters value: whether it's cars, peace of mind, or daughters. Marie-Ange, a jaded, passive hairdresser, joins them as lover, cook, and mother confessor. She's on her own search for seemingly unattainable sexual pleasure.

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Plot Keywords:

living for the moment | release from prison | sexual harassment | threesome | machismo | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original French title is slang for "balls" (the testicular variety).

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Goofs

[All goofs for this title are spoilers.]

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Alternate Versions

Despite being already rated "18" the german version is heavily cut, removing the following scenes:

• The rape of "Ursula" and the fight/chase sequence with the locals afterwards.
• The fight with the vigilantes after meeting Marie-Ange.
• Between geting a new car from the mechanic and looking for a doctor there's a sequence missing when Marie-Ange has sex with the mechanic.
• Hitting and driving over the store detective.
• The theft of two bikes from a farmhouse.
• Jean-Claude having sex with Pierrot just before leaving the beach house (This is later refered to by Pierrot when he says: "You surprised me, you bastard!")
• A longer sexscene between Jeanne, Jean-Claude and Pierrot after she starts to get down on Pierrot.
• Inbetween cuts of Marie-Ange being "educated" by Jaques, while Jean-Claude and Pierrot wait and fish outside the farmhouse.
• Jaquline beeing "educated" by Jean-Claude, Pierrot and Marie-Ange.

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Connections

Referenced in L'age d'or du X (2006)

User Reviews

A weird romp across France

"Going Places" is the English title of a 1974 French film with two of the famous actors of the era, Gérard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere, as freewheeling hoodlums of highly questionable morality. The episodic movie follows their adventures as they try to, among other things, live without working and give pleasure to frigid to women. The latter endeavor includes seducing a soldier's bride on a train, literally chasing a woman through the streets, picking up a woman randomly as she leaves prison, and what becomes their ultimate challenge, giving pleasure to Marie-Ange, who is all too willing to have sex but has never had an orgasm.

No one would ever accuse this movie of being politically correct. It is sexist, the heroes are brutish criminals, but the point isn't really that they're doing anything noble or should be forgiven for their sins. It is more of a meditation on self destruction, although I think the fun of this movie is just the tragic black comedy of their hopeless adventures, not analyzing it for some deeper meaning.

I enjoyed the soundtrack a lot, well the main theme that kept being repeated, and the credit music was a perfect coda. This is a great French film from the 70s, check it out.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

13 May 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Going Places

Filming Locations:

Rue de Biberach, Valence, Drôme, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

C.A.P.A.C., Uranus Productions France, S.N. Prodis

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min (restored: 1999)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1