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Les Grandes familles
1958 Drama
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Credits
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Director: Denys de La Patellière
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Script: Michel Audiard, Denys de La Patellière, based on a novel by Maurice Druon
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Photo: Louis Page
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Music: Maurice Thiriet
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Cast: Jean Gabin (Noël Schoudler),
Annie Ducaux (Adéle Schoudler),
Jean Desailly (François Schoudler),
Françoise Christophe (Jacqueline Schoudler),
Patrick Millow (Jean-Noël Schoulder),
Aimé Clariond (Gérard de La Monnerie),
Jean Murat (Le général Robert de La Monnerie),
Françoise Delbart (Isabelle de La Monnerie),
Louis Seigner (Raoul Leroy),
Jean Wall (Pierre Leroy),
Jean Ozenne (Professeur Lartois),
Bernard Blier (Simon Lachaume),
Pierre Brasseur (Lucien Maublanc),
Julien Bertheau (Le père de Lesquendieu),
Daniel Lecourtois (Canet),
Jean Lanier (Voisart),
Nadine Tallier (Sylvaine),
Pierre Leproux (L'impresario),
Jacques Monod (Le ministre des finances),
Emmanuelle Riva (La secrétaire)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 92 min; B&W
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Aka: The Possessors
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Summary
Noël Schoudler is the head of a wealthy and powerful family in France. He manages
his financial and commercial concerns with an iron grip, leaving little room for his son
François to prove himself. His arch-rival is his wealthy cousin, Lucien,
who is the black sheep of the family, a dissolute wastrel. In an attempt to teach
Lucien a lesson, Schoudler hands over one of his businesses to his son, knowing that this
will result in financial problems. However, he has underestimated Lucien’s
cunning and the scheme backfires, with tragic consequences…
Review
Many years before the ruthless back-biting antics of the Ewings of Dallas shook the western
world, there was a popular French film which tackled similar territory, with almost equal
success. That film was Les Grandes familles, a pretty run-of the-mill drama
concerned with a deadly feud between two cousins of a notoriously successful family dynasty.
Although the plot is a little flat by today’s standards, the film remains an impressive
example of late 1950s cinema, almost entirely because of the quality of acting performances.
The film also benefits from a good script from Michel Audiard, probably the most esteemed
script writer in France at the time.
The most striking
thing about this film is the quality of the acting. Pierre Brasseur, although too
often cast as the mad bad villain, is perfectly cast here. His character is deliciously
bad, blessed with a disarming charm that conceals a thoroughly warped view of the world.
Opposite him is Jean Gabin in the role of the obsessive Noël Schoudler, a surprisingly
tough role for an actor better known for his flamboyant charm and comic side. The
part places great demands on the actor which Gabin more than fulfils. Here we see
Gabin the tyrant, with no place for sentiment, a hard-hearted self-obsessed capitalist.
Of course, all is not what it first seems and, through a series of circumstances, the
true colours of Schoudler are finally revealed and Gabin immediately wins back our sympathy.
Two other well-known faces are caught up in the Gabin-Brasseur feud, namely Jean Desailly
and Bernard Blier, who again appear to be perfectly cast and give some moving performances.
As the final dual
is played out on the French stock exchange (well filmed with stock footage of the real
exchange), the film makes an uncompromisingly damning statement on the power of money
to corrupt and destroy. This is the film’s climax, a gripping indictment of
the sick capitalist society which nurtures and then wrecks les grandes familles.
© James Travers 2000
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