C'est la vie (1990)

The July 1958 vacation, on a beach on the Atlantic coast. Little Sophie, 8 years old, and her big sister Frédérique suffer from the bad understanding between their parents, presenting the drama of divorce which will not fail to occur.

Director:

Diane Kurys

Writers:

Diane Kurys, Alain Le Henry

Stars:

Nathalie Baye, Julie Bataille, Richard Berry

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nathalie Baye	...	Lena Korski
Richard Berry	...	Michel Korski
Zabou Breitman	...	Bella Mandel (as Zabou)
Jean-Pierre Bacri	...	Léon Mandel
Vincent Lindon	...	Jean-Claude
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi	...	Odette
Didier Bénureau	...	Ruffier
Julie Bataille	...	Frédérique Korski
Candice Lefranc	...	Sophie
Alexis Derlon	...	Daniel
Emmanuelle Boidron	...	Suzanne
Maxime Boidron	...	René
Benjamin Sacks	...	Titi
Jean-Claude de Goros	...	L'aminateur
Gérard Chambre	...	Le maître-nageur

Storyline

Summer 1958. Frédérique and Sophie go on vacation as they do every year to La Baule, where they find their uncle, Léon, nice and loud mouth, their aunt Bella, pregnant, and their little cousins. Like every year? Not quite. This year, Léna, their mother, is still staying in Lyon for mysterious reasons. If Sophie's six-year-old's don't pay attention any more, Frédérique's thirteen-year-old noticed a discomfort between Mom and Dad. In fact, nothing is going well. Léna can no longer support life with Michel, her husband, and is in love with a young artist, Jean-Claude. He comes to join Léna as soon as she arrives and finds her every evening on the beach, in her tent. The smoldering crisis does not prevent children from doing stupid things (setting fire to the Mickey Club, poisoning goldfish with suppositories), nor from experiencing their first emotional emotions. One day, Michel arrives. Things are going very badly, and Frédérique is forced to intervene to separate him from his mother. ...

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Plot Keywords:

female nudity | topless female nudity | triple f rated | two daughters | sister sister relationship | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Did You Know?

Soundtracks

La Baule-Les Pins
(La Bouche pleine de sable)
Written by Étienne Roda-Gil
Performed by Julie Bataille

User Reviews

A great movie - don't miss to see it

I have seen this movie on the German TV yesterday with the title: "A summer at the sea" and I was deeply impressed.

Despite that it was produced in 1990, the theme is more up-to-date than ever. Excellent actors of all ages performed very well indeed, a great story, some romantic spots and lovely music will make you thinking about the relationship of children to their parents, their pain and childish emotions which often get hurt.

This story could happen today, next month or the following year, next door of you or at any other location or country. So you will get nothing NEW out of that movie but the sad reality of daily life in the eyes of children whose parents can't behave.

I only can highly recommend this movie - buy the DVD and you will enjoy it definitively more than just one time.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

November 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

C'est la vie

Filming Locations:

Gare d'Austerlitz, Place Valhubert, Quai d'Austerlitz, Paris 13, Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$18,749, 4 November 1990

Gross USA:

$805,472

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,326,168

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alexandre Films, Société Générale de Gestion Cinématographique (SGGC), Films A2

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 97 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1