Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Gérard Jugnot | ... | Clément Mathieu | |
François Berléand | ... | Headmaster Rachin | |
Kad Merad | ... | Chabert | |
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Jean-Paul Bonnaire | ... | La Père Maxence |
Marie Bunel | ... | Violette Morhange | |
Jean-Baptiste Maunier | ... | Pierre Morhange | |
Maxence Perrin | ... | Pépinot | |
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Grégory Gatignol | ... | Mondain |
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Thomas Blumenthal | ... | Corbin |
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Cyril Bernicot | ... | Le Querrec |
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Simon Fargeot | ... | Boniface |
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Théodule Carré-Cassaigne | ... | Leclerc |
Philippe du Janerand | ... | Monsieur Langlois | |
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Carole Weiss | ... | La Comtesse |
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Erick Desmarestz | ... | Le Docteur Dervaux |
Fond de l'Etang is a boarding school for troubled boys located in the French countryside. In the mid-twentieth century, it is run by the principal M. Rachin, an egotistical disciplinarian whose official unofficial mantra for the school is "action - reaction", meaning that there will be severe consequences for any boy out of line. This approach does not seem to be working as the boys as a collective are an unruly bunch. In turn, the teachers don't teach, but are always watching out for the next subversive act from the boys. January 15, 1949 marks the arrival to the school of the new supervisor, M. Clément Mathieu, a middle-aged man who is grasping at finding his place in life after a series of failed endeavors. Although he does find the boys an unruly lot, Mathieu does not believe in the "action - reaction" policy, and as such, butts heads with Rachin while secretly undermining the policy. Slowly, Mathieu's approach of trying to match the discipline to the crime does have a positive ... Written by Huggo
A delicious movie. Something wonderful is going to happen and I am not talking just about the characters of the movie but the spectators. It's so moving and at the same time it is not a sentimental one. The freedom, the excitement, the amazing charm of discovering the life through the music... I don't know French and I can say that the soundtrack is so international that you don't need to understand the words to feel its power, to receive the message...
Very often people agree or disagree with their opinions about a film... I watched the movie with a representative number of persons and all of them found the movie very recommendable and beautiful.
All of us were children and the magic of that unforgettable period of our lives is reflected in this great film.
8 out of 10...