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IMDbPro

The Childhood of a Leader

  • 20152015
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
6.1K
YOUR RATING
The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
This fable about the rise of fascism in the 20th Century tells the story of a young American boy living in France in 1918 whose father is working for the US government on the creation of the Treaty of Versailles. What he witnesses helps to mould his beliefs - and we witness the birth of a terrifying ego.
Play trailer2:00
1 Video
46 Photos
  • Drama
A chronicle of the childhood of a post-World War I leader.A chronicle of the childhood of a post-World War I leader.A chronicle of the childhood of a post-World War I leader.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
6.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Brady Corbet
  • Writers
    • Mona Fastvold(screenplay)
    • Jean-Paul Sartre(short novel)
    • Brady Corbet(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Bérénice Bejo
    • Liam Cunningham
    • Stacy Martin
Top credits
  • Director
    • Brady Corbet
  • Writers
    • Mona Fastvold(screenplay)
    • Jean-Paul Sartre(short novel)
    • Brady Corbet(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Bérénice Bejo
    • Liam Cunningham
    • Stacy Martin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 44User reviews
    • 85Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 13 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:00
    Official Trailer

    Photos46

    Bérénice Bejo, Liam Cunningham, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Sweet in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Bérénice Bejo, Liam Cunningham, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Sweet in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Bérénice Bejo, Liam Cunningham, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Sweet in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Bérénice Bejo in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Stacy Martin and Tom Sweet in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Robert Pattinson in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Tom Sweet in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Tom Sweet in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    Tom Sweet in The Childhood of a Leader (2015)
    The Childhood of a Leader (2015)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bérénice Bejo
    Bérénice Bejo
    • The Motheras The Mother
    Liam Cunningham
    Liam Cunningham
    • The Fatheras The Father
    Stacy Martin
    Stacy Martin
    • The Teacheras The Teacher
    Yolande Moreau
    Yolande Moreau
    • Monaas Mona
    Jacques Boudet
    Jacques Boudet
    • The Priestas The Priest
    Robert Pattinson
    Robert Pattinson
    • Charlesas Charles…
    Tom Sweet
    Tom Sweet
    • Prescott, the Boyas Prescott, the Boy
    Sophie Lane Curtis
    Sophie Lane Curtis
    • Lauraas Laura
    • (as Sophie Curtis)
    Rebecca Dayan
    Rebecca Dayan
    • Edithas Edith
    Michael Epp
    Michael Epp
    • Economistas Economist
    Kata Petõ
    • Housemaidas Housemaid
    Mark C. Phelan
    • Mr. Advisoras Mr. Advisor
    • (as Mark Phelan)
    Jeremy Wheeler
    Jeremy Wheeler
    • Mr. Deputyas Mr. Deputy
    Andrew Osterreicher
    • Mr. Secretaryas Mr. Secretary
    Scott Alexander Young
    Scott Alexander Young
    • Counseloras Counselor
    • (as Scott A Young)
    Luca Bercovici
    Luca Bercovici
    • Older Foreign Gentlemanas Older Foreign Gentleman
    Caroline Boulton
    Caroline Boulton
    • Mr. Advisor's Secretaryas Mr. Advisor's Secretary
    Roderick Hill
    Roderick Hill
    • Older American Gentlemanas Older American Gentleman
    • Director
      • Brady Corbet
    • Writers
      • Mona Fastvold(screenplay)
      • Jean-Paul Sartre(short novel) (uncredited)
      • Brady Corbet(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film marks the second collaboration between screenwriters Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, having collaborated in the screenplay for The Sleepwalker. The difference between this two collaborations is that Fastvold directed The Sleepwalker and Corbet directed this one.
    • Goofs
      It's Christmas Mass time in the church scene, but the priest wears black vestments, which are proper in the Catholic Church only for funerals.
    • Quotes

      Charles: The tragedy is not only that Pontius Pilate betrayed his self but that hundreds in the crowd before him did betray their selves. And that's what I wrote was the tragedy of war. Not that one man has the courage to be evil but that so many have not the courage to be good.

    • Soundtracks
      Oui, Oui, Marie
      (uncredited)

      Written by Fred Fisher, Al Bryan, Joseph McCarthy

      Performed by Arthur Fields

    User reviews44

    Review
    Top review
    3/10
    Hmmm...
    I had to read the other 16 reviews here before posting my own to see how my view of the film - which I just finished watching - compare to the others and ... Here are my thoughts

    The child actor with a long blond hair that is reminiscent of Renoir's Coco portraits is brilliant. great acting for a 8,9 year old - or whatever his age is.

    All other actors are really good too and they do convey the feeling it is 1918. I don't know where is this big old house - but somehow it does not fit into France. I would more think about the Balkans. But it is just a thought.

    Were they really people with black hoods and capes and all at funerals at that time? It is a rather strange and completely unnecessary scene in the film, though kinda effective.

    I really liked the mood of the film and I can appreciate the art vision of it. However, the film is too long and most of the time boring. I love French and I was forcing myself to make that as a plus point, but...

    The best thing about this film is music!

    But somehow its dramatic score and almost banging at the window tone is totally opposite to the calm and slow narative. That music would be better for horror films.

    All in all, I would not really recommend this film to anyone as I think it is too boring. And plus the ending totally makes no sense to me.
    helpful•32
    24
    • fil-nik09
    • Sep 17, 2016

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 22, 2016 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
      • United Kingdom
      • France
      • Hungary
      • Belgium
    • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Дитинство лідера
    • Filming locations
      • Hungary
    • Production companies
      • Scion Pictures
      • Bow and Arrow Entertainment
      • Bron Capital Partners
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $245,546
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 55 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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