Summary
Richard, Philippe and Jean are three friends who are in the same class
at school. The son of a former collaborator, Richard has grown up
to hate Jews. He is in love with Liliane, the daughter of his
teacher, Professor Noblet. Philippe attempts to extort money from
his mother because he knows she is having an affair with Montessan, a
smuggler who does business with Phlippe’s father. Meanwhile, Jean
is being brought up by an overly possessive mother. The three
friends want to take refuge on a remote island in the Pacific because
they fear the war in Korea will turn into a worldwide conflict.
To fund their escape they need money, which they hope to get by
stealing and selling Montessan’s collection of valuable stamps.
But the robbery goes horribly wrong...
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium)
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium)
Review
User Comments
Useful links
- Best French films of 2011
- Best French films of the 2000s
- Best of the French New Wave
- Best of French film comedy
- The best 100 French films
- The most successful French films
- Great French filmmakers
Related links
- Other French films of the 1950s
- The best French films of the 1950s
- Other French dramas
- The best French dramas
- Biography and films of André Cayatte
To buy this film
Check DVD and Blu-ray availability:
Credits
- Director: André Cayatte
- Script: André Cayatte, Charles Spaak
- Photo: Jean Bourgoin
- Music: Georges Van Parys
- Cast: Antoine Balpêtré (Albert Dutoit), Paul Bisciglia (Jean-Jacques Noblet), Bernard Blier (Marcel Noblet), Jacques Castelot (Serge de Montesson), Jacques Chabassol (Jean Arnaud), Clément Thierry (Philippe Boussard), Roger Coggio (Daniel Epstein), Léonce Corne (Le commissaire Auvain), Jacques Fayet (Richard Dutoit), Paul Frankeur (Boussard), Isa Miranda (Mme Boussard), Carlo Ninchi (Le président du tribunal), Line Noro (Mme Arnaud), Delia Scala (Josette), Gérard Blain (Un lycéen)
- Country: France / Italy
- Language: French
- Runtime: 138 min; B&W
- Aka: Before the Deluge
Similar films
If you like this film you may also like the following:- Les Amants (1958)
- L’Année dernière à Marienbad (1961)
- Après l’amour (1948)
- Céline et Julie vont en bateau (1974)
- Du rififi chez les hommes (1955)
- L’Éternel retour (1943)
- Les Honneurs de la guerre (1960)
- L’Idiot (1946)
- Jeux interdits (1952)
- Last Tango in Paris (1972)
- Lola Montès (1955)
- Mayerling (1936)
- Orphée (1949)
- Un homme et une femme (1966)
Important French filmmakers






- François Truffaut
- Jean Cocteau
- Abel Gance
- Jacques Demy
- Jacques Rivette
- Jean Renoir
- Jean Grémillon
- Jean-Luc Godard
- Marcel Carné
- Claude Chabrol
- Claude Lelouch
- Réné Clair
- Marcel Pagnol
- Eric Rohmer
- François Ozon
- Bertrand Tavernier
- Bertrand Blier
- Claire Denis
- Jacques Tati
- Jacques Audiard
- Maurice Pialat
- Robert Guédiguian
To buy Avant le déluge:

Drama


