A Grin Without A Cat (1977)

French essay film focusing on global political turmoil in the 1960s and '70s, particularly the rise of the New Left in France and the development of socialist movements in Latin America.

Director:

Chris Marker (as Chris. Marker)

Writer:

Chris Marker

Stars:

Laurence Cuvillier, Davos Hanich, François Maspero

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Laurence Cuvillier	...	Narrator (voice)
Davos Hanich	...	Narrator (voice)
François Maspero	...	Narrator (voice)
Yves Montand	...	Narrator (voice)
François Périer	...	Narrator (voice)
Sandra Scarnati	...	Narrator (voice)
Jorge Semprún	...	Narrator (voice)
Simone Signoret	...	Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Beatriz Allende	...	Self (archive footage)

Storyline

French essay film focusing on global political turmoil in the 1960s and '70s, particularly the rise of the New Left in France and the development of socialist movements in Latin America.

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Plot Keywords:

color in title | claim in title | may 1968 | che guevara | lenin | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The untranslatable French title is a play on words suggesting that revolution was in the air but not on the ground. The English title, "A Grin without a Cat", has a similar meaning. Director Chris Marker has given it the subtitle "Scenes from the Third World War 1967-1977".

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Alternate Versions

Originally released in 1977, the film was revised by director Chris Marker in 1993. Among other things, Marker added a coda addressing the end of the Cold War. This later version was given English subtitles and released in the United States in 2002 as "A Grin without a Cat."

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Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Le contrôle de l'univers (1999)

User Reviews

What's the point?

I know that I am supposed to like this film. Unfortunately, as it is almost strictly for the political converts, I didn't.

It is basically a collection of unused film footage from the late 60s and early 70s, showing significant moments in the leftist revolution, and how they dropped the ball, i.e. a "grin" without a cat. Yawn! Watching home movies of a leftist movement that compromised itself out of existence is not very satisfying.

Film students may find appreciation of this work, but after watching Marker's most famous creation, "La Jetée", I expected more.

Despite the fact that it was reworked, it just didn't measure up to my expectations.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French Spanish English German Japanese Vietnamese

Release Date:

23 November 1977 (France)

Also Known As:

Grin Without a Cat

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,449, 5 May 2002

Gross USA:

$43,616

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,616

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dovidis, Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA), Iskra

Technical Specs

Runtime:

240 min 177 min (1993)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color (Eastmancolor)