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IMDbPro

Au grand balcon

  • 19491949
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
72
YOUR RATING
Au grand balcon (1949)
  • Adventure
  • Drama
The 'Grand Balcon' is a family guesthouse where the inhabitants have the same passion for adventure. All these future pilots made the glory of Aerospostale (a pioneering aviation company whi... Read allThe 'Grand Balcon' is a family guesthouse where the inhabitants have the same passion for adventure. All these future pilots made the glory of Aerospostale (a pioneering aviation company which operated from 1918 to 1933)The 'Grand Balcon' is a family guesthouse where the inhabitants have the same passion for adventure. All these future pilots made the glory of Aerospostale (a pioneering aviation company which operated from 1918 to 1933)
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
72
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Henri Decoin
  • Writers
    • Joseph Kessel(original scenario)
    • Marcel Rivet(adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Pierre Fresnay
    • Georges Marchal
    • Félix Oudart
Top credits
  • Director
    • Henri Decoin
  • Writers
    • Joseph Kessel(original scenario)
    • Marcel Rivet(adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Pierre Fresnay
    • Georges Marchal
    • Félix Oudart
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos

    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Pierre Fresnay
    Pierre Fresnay
    • Carbot
    Georges Marchal
    Georges Marchal
    • Jean Fabien
    Félix Oudart
    Félix Oudart
    • Garandoux
    Janine Crispin
    Janine Crispin
    • Maryse
    • (as Jeannine Crispin de la Comédie Française)
    Germaine Michel
    • Mlle Adeline
    Abel Jacquin
    • Darbouin
    André Bervil
    • Triolet
    Clément Thierry
    • Didier Fusain
    Paul Azaïs
    Paul Azaïs
    • Morel
    Jacques Tarride
    • Macherel
    Nina Myral
    • Mme Viard
    André Darnay
    • Armezac
    Pierre Cressoy
    Pierre Cressoy
    • Charlier
    Jean Gaven
    Jean Gaven
    • Belfort
    • (as Gaven)
    Verlet
    • Gérin, un aviateur
    Jean Vinci
    Jean Vinci
    • Faivret
    • (as Vinci)
    Émile Genevois
    • Contact
    • (as Genevois)
    Manuel Gary
    • Goupil
    • Director
      • Henri Decoin
    • Writers
      • Joseph Kessel(original scenario) (dialogue)
      • Marcel Rivet(adaptation)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Soundtracks
      Du Gris
      Music by Louis Bénech

      Lyrics by Ernest Dumont

      Sung by Fréhel

    User reviews2

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    French airmail.
    Like John Ford's "airmail" and Howard Hawks 's "Only angels have wings" ,"au grand balcon" deals with the heroic pilots who struggled,suffered and often died to carry the mail .Their boss (a deadpan and seemingly insensitive Pierre Fresnay) wants them to consider the mail as a God.

    George Marchal -who was often compared with Jean Marais- portrays one of these fearless daring pilots with gusto.A versatile actor,he could play sword and sandals as well as his friend Luis Bunuel 's much more ambitious opus ("cela s'appelle l'aurore" "la mort en ce jardin").

    Henry Decoin 's directing is effective and avoids pathos whereas the numerous deaths could have turned the movie into a tear jerker.Two examples: -Marchal is lost in the snow,he wants to climb higher and higher because he knows that up there he will not be buried beneath .Thus ,his body will be found and his old mom will get the insurance money.This sequence abruptly ends in a way that will surprise -and maybe disappoint- the audience.

    -Marchal's young protégé Didier is about to die ,far from his homeland ,but the pilot will have to leave the deathbed before the end .

    "Au grand balcon" is the name of the boarding-house where the pilots live.Halfway between document and novel ,the movie achieves the feat of doing without a single love interest,which was rare at the time.

    That said,it's not really a true Decoin movie;This director's forte was the film noir and he will be remembered for such works as "non coupable" or "la vérité sur Bébé Donge"."Au grand balcon" should appeal to people who like the two movies I mention at the beginning of my comment.
    helpful•2
    1
    • dbdumonteil
    • Jan 19, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 4, 1951 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Languages
      • French
      • Spanish
      • English
    • Also known as
      • At the Grand Balcony
    • Production companies
      • Compagnie Industrielle et Commerciale Cinématographique (CICC)
      • S.I.B.I.S.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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