Notre histoire (1984)

A desperate alcoholic reaches a turning-point in his life when he meets a strange woman in a railway carriage: they make love, but then she leaves. Chasing after the girl, he clings to her as if she were his final chance.

Director:

Bertrand Blier

Writer:

Bertrand Blier

Stars:

Alain Delon, Nathalie Baye, Gérard Darmon

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alain Delon	...	Robert Avranche
Nathalie Baye	...	Donatienne Pouget / Marie-Thérèse Chatelard / Geneviève Avranche
Gérard Darmon	...	Duval
Geneviève Fontanel	...	Madeleine Pecqueur
Jean-Pierre Darroussin	...	The second passenger
Sabine Haudepin	...	Carmen
Jean-François Stévenin	...	Chatelard
Ginette Garcin	...	The florist
Michel Galabru	...	Emile Pecqueur
Philippe Laudenbach	...	Sam
Paul Guers	...	Clark
Jean-Louis Foulquier	...	Bob
Jacques Pisias	...	Fred (as Firmin)
Vincent Lindon	...	Brechet
Norbert Letheule	...	Paraiso

Storyline

Robert Avranche, a garage owner who's often in an alcoholic stupor, is on a train thinking that nothing good ever happens to him. A young woman enters the compartment and tells him a story - about the two of them - then offers him sex. She leaves at the next station; he follows her and clings. She's Donatienne, languid, bored, sad, sleeping with many men but in love with a one who's indifferent. Robert insists on living with her. She calls his friends to remove him. He's obdurate. Neighbors stare. Is this farce or fairy tale? Robert and Donatienne tell each other stories, writing themselves in and out. Will he sober up; will she smile? Whose story is it, and how might it end?

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Plot Keywords:

peeping | voyeur | married man | sex with a stranger | sex on a train | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

23 May 1984 (France)

Also Known As:

Our Story

Filming Locations:

Cluses, Haute-Savoie, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Adel Productions,Films A2,Sara Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une histoire seule (1989)

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Soundtracks

Toccata e due Canzoni
Music by Bohuslav Martinu

User Reviews

Notre Histoire : How Alain Delon engaged Bertrand Blier to direct a successful film for him.

Everybody knows that having good actors is considered to be a boon for a film which is acclaimed both commercially as well as critically. However,a good idea is also required to make a successful film by making good use of talented actors.This effect was achieved by maverick French director Bertrand Blier when he was hired by Alain Sarde and Alain Delon to shoot 'Notre Histoire'.Although this film doesn't have a very strong plot,it manages to retain viewers' attention through a series of hilarious episodes which question alcohol, beer, family, loneliness, love,sadness and sex.Apart from the presence of leading players Alain Delon and Nathalie Baye,viewers familiar with French cinema would be comfortable in recognizing other talented French actors namely Gérard Darmon,Michel Galabru,Jean Reno,Jean François Stévenin, Jean Claude Dreyfuss and Jean Pierre Darroussin.As an original idea about some ordinary characters with extraordinary strength, Notre Histoire continues to influence screenwriters especially in the manner it enables numerous stories to be added in a single film.