Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Bohemian Life

Original title: La vie de bohème
  • 19921992
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
La vie de bohème (1992)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance
Three struggling artists try to make passable livings in Paris despite knock backs and tragedies.Three struggling artists try to make passable livings in Paris despite knock backs and tragedies.Three struggling artists try to make passable livings in Paris despite knock backs and tragedies.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Aki Kaurismäki
  • Writers
    • Henri Murger(based on the novel by: "Scènes de la vie de bohème")
    • Aki Kaurismäki
  • Stars
    • Matti Pellonpää
    • Evelyne Didi
    • André Wilms
Top credits
  • Director
    • Aki Kaurismäki
  • Writers
    • Henri Murger(based on the novel by: "Scènes de la vie de bohème")
    • Aki Kaurismäki
  • Stars
    • Matti Pellonpää
    • Evelyne Didi
    • André Wilms
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 14User reviews
    • 20Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 2 nominations

    Photos21

    Evelyne Didi and Christine Murillo in La vie de bohème (1992)
    Matti Pellonpää and André Wilms in La vie de bohème (1992)
    Matti Pellonpää, Kari Väänänen, and André Wilms in La vie de bohème (1992)
    Kari Väänänen and André Wilms in La vie de bohème (1992)
    Evelyne Didi and Matti Pellonpää in La vie de bohème (1992)
    La vie de bohème (1992)
    La vie de bohème (1992)
    La vie de bohème (1992)
    La vie de bohème (1992)
    La vie de bohème (1992)
    Hamlet liikemaailmassa (1987)
    La vie de bohème (1992)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Matti Pellonpää
    Matti Pellonpää
    • Rodolfoas Rodolfo
    Evelyne Didi
    Evelyne Didi
    • Mimias Mimi
    André Wilms
    André Wilms
    • Marcel Marxas Marcel Marx
    Kari Väänänen
    Kari Väänänen
    • Schaunardas Schaunard
    Christine Murillo
    • Musetteas Musette
    Jean-Pierre Léaud
    Jean-Pierre Léaud
    • Blancheronas Blancheron
    Laika
    • Baudelaireas Baudelaire
    Carlos Salgado
    • Garcon de caféas Garcon de café
    Alexis Nitzer
    • Henri Bernardas Henri Bernard
    Sylvie Van den Elsen
    • Mme. Bernardas Mme. Bernard
    Gilles Charmant
    • Hugoas Hugo…
    Dominique Marcas
    Dominique Marcas
    • Brocanteuseas Brocanteuse
    Samuel Fuller
    Samuel Fuller
    • Gassotas Gassot
    Jean-Paul Wenzel
    • Francisas Francis
    Louis Malle
    Louis Malle
    • Gentlemanas Gentleman
    André Penvern
    • Inspecteur de policeas Inspecteur de police
    Maximilien Regiani
    • Médecinas Médecin
    Daniel Dublet
    • Serveuras Serveur
    • Director
      • Aki Kaurismäki
    • Writers
      • Henri Murger(based on the novel by: "Scènes de la vie de bohème")
      • Aki Kaurismäki
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatiana
    7.2
    Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatiana
    Drifting Clouds
    7.6
    Drifting Clouds
    Ariel
    7.5
    Ariel
    Juha
    6.9
    Juha
    Shadows in Paradise
    7.5
    Shadows in Paradise
    The Match Factory Girl
    7.5
    The Match Factory Girl
    The Man Without a Past
    7.6
    The Man Without a Past
    I Hired a Contract Killer
    7.2
    I Hired a Contract Killer
    Lights in the Dusk
    6.8
    Lights in the Dusk
    Le Havre
    7.2
    Le Havre
    Leningrad Cowboys Go America
    7.0
    Leningrad Cowboys Go America
    Calamari Union
    7.0
    Calamari Union

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Neither Matti Pellonpää or Kari Väänänen could speak any French in real life. The script contained instructions how to pronounce the lines. The phonetically written lines were regularly taped on the forehead of the actor opposite of Matti Pellonpää where he could read them.
    • Connections
      Featured in L.A. Without a Map (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      Chantez pour moi Violons
      (Play, Fiddle, Play)

      Music by Emery Deutsch and Arthur Altman

      English lyrics by Jack Lawrence

      French lyrics by Jacques Réale

      Performed by Damia

    User reviews14

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    A Finnish masterpiece - in French!
    Aki Kaurismäki's third literary adaptation, Bohemian Life, may also be his best. Crime and Punishment was brilliantly made (and, remarkably, that was his directorial debut) and Juha is a masterful tragedy, not to mention a magnificent revival of the silent film. As for Hamlet Goes Business, the conclusion was a little overdone, but overall it remains an interesting version of Shakespeare's play. But it's in Bohemian Life, based on Henri Murger's story collection, that Kaurismäki's passion for the subject is felt the most. He always wanted to make this film, and when he finally did the result was wonderful.

    Beautifully shot in black and white, the film explores the intertwined lives of three artists living in Paris: a French playwright, Marcel Marx (André Wilms), an Irish composer, Schaunard (Kari Väänänen), and an Albanian painter, Rodolfo (Matti Pellonpää). Together, they struggle to maintain a certain decency in their lives, whether that involves tricking their landlord or using a customer's (Jean-Pierre Léaud, grandiose as Rodolfo's portrait model) jacket for a couple of hours without the latter noticing anything. They don't demand much, in fact their friendship is more than enough to ensure life goes on fairly well.

    At this point, a new character appears: Mimi (Evelyne Didi), a barmaid. Rodolfo falls in love with her, and from there on, things begin to change, and not for the best: the Albanian is sent back home, and when he returns, six months later, everything's different. Can old bonds be restored? Can the situation go back to the way it was? Kaurismäki takes his time to make us acquainted with his characters (hence the unusually long running time - most of his films run to 70 minutes, 80 tops; this one is 100 minutes long), and that's why the movie hits us hard when it has to: having followed their combined fates since the beginning, we have the feeling that we know them, a fact that contributes to making the sucker-punch epilogue even more devastating.

    The three bohemians are humble but nice people: the simplicity of their lifestyle makes us connect with them on a visceral level, cheering for them when life's good and crying when it suddenly turns bad. Pellonpää, in particular, gives the performance of a lifetime (alongside Shadows in Paradise), his brooding yet incredibly sweet Rodolfo being the heart and soul of this movie (most unforgettable moment, upon being asked by Mimi to be an Albanian gentleman: "Gentleman, no. Albanian, yes").

    Bohemian Life represents a successful transfer of Finnish mentality and attitudes to a timeless Paris: you never stop and think there's something that doesn't belong there. It's all so perfect, in its sad and happy moments, and Kaurismäki can be very proud of the film he considers to be his favorite.
    helpful•32
    2
    • MaxBorg89
    • Sep 29, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 29, 1993 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Finland
      • France
      • Sweden
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La vie de boheme
    • Filming locations
      • Paris, France
    • Production companies
      • Sputnik
      • Pyramide Productions
      • Films A2
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $34,430
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    La vie de bohème (1992)
    Top Gap
    By what name was La vie de bohème (1992) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.