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IMDbPro

René la canne

  • 19771977
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
148
YOUR RATING
Gérard Depardieu, Sylvia Kristel, and Michel Piccoli in René la canne (1977)
  • Drama
  • Comedy
  • Crime
Rene and Marchand are best friends. What makes their friendship special is that Rene is a professional thief, and Marchand is a policeman, albeit somewhat corrupt.Rene and Marchand are best friends. What makes their friendship special is that Rene is a professional thief, and Marchand is a policeman, albeit somewhat corrupt.Rene and Marchand are best friends. What makes their friendship special is that Rene is a professional thief, and Marchand is a policeman, albeit somewhat corrupt.
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
148
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Francis Girod
  • Writers
    • Jacques Rouffio
    • Francis Girod
    • Roger Borniche(book)
  • Stars
    • Gérard Depardieu
    • Sylvia Kristel
    • Michel Piccoli
Top credits
  • Director
    • Francis Girod
  • Writers
    • Jacques Rouffio
    • Francis Girod
    • Roger Borniche(book)
  • Stars
    • Gérard Depardieu
    • Sylvia Kristel
    • Michel Piccoli
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

    Gérard Depardieu and Michel Piccoli in René la canne (1977)
    Gérard Depardieu, Sylvia Kristel, and Michel Piccoli in René la canne (1977)
    René la canne (1977)
    Gérard Depardieu, Sylvia Kristel, and Michel Piccoli in René la canne (1977)
    Sylvia Kristel in René la canne (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gérard Depardieu
    Gérard Depardieu
    • René Bornier
    Sylvia Kristel
    Sylvia Kristel
    • Krista
    Michel Piccoli
    Michel Piccoli
    • Inspecteur Marchand
    Stefano Patrizi
    Stefano Patrizi
    • Gino
    Riccardo Garrone
    Riccardo Garrone
    • Karl
    Jacques Jouanneau
    • Fourgue
    Jean Rigaux
    • Vieuchêne
    Orchidea De Santis
    Orchidea De Santis
    • Kim
    Venantino Venantini
    Venantino Venantini
    • Carlo
    Valérie Mairesse
    Valérie Mairesse
    • Martine
    Jean Carmet
    Jean Carmet
    • L'indicateur
    Suzanne Berthois
    Evelyne Bouix
    Daniel Breton
    Philippe Brizard
    • Le chef de la police marseillaise
    Emmanuelle Brunschwig
    Catherine Castel
    Marie-Pierre Castel
    Marie-Pierre Castel
    • Director
      • Francis Girod
    • Writers
      • Jacques Rouffio
      • Francis Girod
      • Roger Borniche(book)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      One if the few films where Sylvia Kristel never took her clothes off. In fact, she said in a 1981 interview that that is probably why the film bombed. "For some reason the roles in which I keep my clothes on never become successful movies. No one has heard of 'Rene La Canne,' in which I didn't have a single nude scene. I am more successful nude because my mission in life is to inspire positive fantasies. I could never play a killer or appear in a horror film. My mission is to spread beauty and that is not an easy task."
    • Connections
      Referenced in The American Friend (1977)

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    Not a Black Comedy, More a Black Hole...
    This tasteless and plotless farrago follows the fortunes of three rogues during and after the Nazi Occupation of France. 'Rene the Stick' (Gerard Depardieu) is a vulgar petty crook. 'Fernand the Sneak' (Michel Piccoli) is a corrupt police officer. Krista (Sylvia Kristel) is a whorehouse madam who beds them both turn by turn.

    Allegedly, this trio are based on real-life characters. One can't help wondering if director Francis Girod and co-writer Jacques Rouffio saw their cheerful amorality as a metaphor for the moral disintegration of society during wartime. If that is their aim, the film is a wretched failure. Its attempts at black comedy are too crude and obvious to convince. (Are we meant to whoop with delight when Piccoli eats his boss's pet frog?) It is frankly sick-making to see the Nazi persecution of Jews and homosexuals used as a set-up for cheap and unfunny jokes.

    To make this movie still worse, both of the 'great' French actors (Depardieu and Piccoli) ham up their roles atrociously. Dolled up in her white tuxedo, la Kristel looks very fetching indeed - but she has precious little to do apart from that. Oh well! At least she does not embarrass herself by overacting.

    David Melville
    helpful•9
    3
    • dwingrove
    • Mar 27, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 16, 1977 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Italy
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Rene the Cane
    • Production companies
      • Président Films
      • Rizzoli Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

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    Gérard Depardieu, Sylvia Kristel, and Michel Piccoli in René la canne (1977)
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