"AN UNFORGETTABLE PORTRAIT OF FRANCE EMERGING FROM THE OCCUPATION...I'LL NEVER SAY IT ENOUGH: FOR ME, BECKER IS THE FINEST FRENCH FILMMAKER OF THE 40s AND 50s!"
— Bertrand Tavernier
France, 1947
Director: Jacques Becker
Cast: Roger Pigaut, Claire Mafféi, Noël Roquevert
Screenwriter: Jacques Becker, Maurice Griffe, Françoise Giroud
Cinematography: Pierre Montazel
Music: Jean-Jacques Grünenwald
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Black & White
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Language: French with English subtitles
Running Time: 84 minutes
Synopsis:
Working class couple Antoine (Roger Pigaut) and Antoinette (Claire Mafféi) dream of a better life. In the midst of constantly fending off the unwanted attention of men, especially the grocer Monsieur Roland (Noël Roquevert), Antoinette purchases a winning lottery ticket. But when Antoine loses their ticket out of poverty, their dreams seem like they’ll remain just that.
Awards and Nominations:
Best Psychological and Romantic Film (Cannes Film Festival, 1947)
“The film walks an evocative line between realism and fantasy, capturing the energetic effervescence of the City of Light and showing how it complements the unbreakable bond between our impassioned heroes.”
— Keith Uhlich, Time Out New York
