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IMDbPro

The Roads of Exile

Original title: Les chemins de l'exil ou Les dernières années de Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  • TV Movie
  • 19781978
  • 2h 49m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
13
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
216,597
64,877
BiographyDrama
Add a plot in your language
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
13
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
216,597
64,877
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Claude Goretta
    • Writers
      • Claude Goretta
      • Georges Haldas
    • Stars
      • François Simon
      • Dominique Labourier
      • Corinne Coderey
    • Director
      • Claude Goretta
    • Writers
      • Claude Goretta
      • Georges Haldas
    • Stars
      • François Simon
      • Dominique Labourier
      • Corinne Coderey
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos

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    Top cast

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    François Simon
    • Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    Dominique Labourier
    Dominique Labourier
    • Thérèse Le Vasseur
    Corinne Coderey
    • Mme de Warens
    Monique Mélinand
    • La maréchal de Luxembourg
    Jean-Henri Chambois
    • Le maréchal de Luxembourg
    Martine Chevallier
    Martine Chevallier
    • Sophie d'Houdetot
    • (as Martine Chevalier)
    Didier Haudepin
    • Jean-Jacques Rousseau jeune
    William Fox
    William Fox
    • Lord Keith
    Pierre Londiche
    Pierre Londiche
    • Alexandre du Peyrou
    Roland Monod
    • Le pasteur de Montmollin
    Jean Obé
    • Jean-Michel Rey
    Gabriel Gobin
    Gabriel Gobin
    • Jean-François de Luc
    Maurice Jacquemont
    Maurice Jacquemont
    • Daniel Roquin
    Laurence Mercier
    Laurence Mercier
    • Mme de Boufflers
    Fred Ulysse
    • M. de la Roche
    Roland Bertin
    • Bernardin de Saint-Pierre
    Gabriel Cattand
    • Le prince de Conti
    David Markham
    David Markham
    • Richard Davenport
    • Director
      • Claude Goretta
    • Writers
      • Claude Goretta
      • Georges Haldas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    User reviews1

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    An unflattering biopic
    The work of the Swiss director Claude Goretta seems to have fallen into relative obscurity in recent years. The small number of user comments on this database in relation to the importance of this considerable artist would seem to confirm this. And yet there was a time in the '70's and 80's when his films were avidly sought after by art house audiences and at least one, "La Dentelliere", was rightly claimed to be a masterpiece. Like Eric Rohmer, Goretta has a deep understanding of the female temperament; at least three of his films ("La Provencale and "Chemins de l'exil" in addition to "La Dentelliere") are notable for depicting womens' responses to cold and selfish treatment by men. "Les Chemins de l'exil", which deals with the last years of the 18th century writer and philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, is at its most interesting when highlighting his mistress, the barely literate Therese, who faithfully joins him only when she is required and then only on the understanding that they never marry. Dominique Labourier gives a marvellous performance as someone who has become sullen with pent up anger. After all, she had five children by Rousseau, each snatched from her at birth and sent to foundling homes on the pretext of the couple's poverty but more truthfully through Rousseau's fear that they could interfere with his work. In Francois Simon's carefully studied performance of the writer there is little to engage our sympathies. He is painted as a thoroughly selfish and irritable paranoid. If the film has a weakness it is that it is often too quick to go into reverential mode, particularly when Rousseau expresses a "profound" thought when standing alone in a picturesque landscape. This is curiously at variance with the generally unflattering picture the director expresses for his subject. Still even if these scenes are uncomfortably idealised, one can respect that the Arts sometimes have an infuriating way of throwing up mean characters who achieve great things.
    helpful•0
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    • jandesimpson
    • Jun 3, 2002

    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 13, 1978 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • Switzerland
      • France
      • Belgium
      • United Kingdom
      • West Germany
      • Canada
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Flucht ins Exil
    • Production companies
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
      • Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF)
      • SRC Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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