- Monsieur Klein
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Monsieur Klein Directed by Joseph Losey Produced by Alain Delon Written by Franco Solinas
Fernando MorandiStarring Alain Delon
Jeanne Moreau
Francine Bergé
Juliet Berto
Jean Bouise
Suzanne FlonMusic by Egisto Macchi
Pierre PorteCinematography Gerry Fisher Release date(s) 27 October 1976 (France) Running time 123 min Country France Language French Budget $3,500,000 Monsieur Klein (Mr. Klein) is a 1976 French film directed by Joseph Losey, with Alain Delon starring in the title role.
Contents
Synopsis
It is 1942, the war is in full swing and France is occupied by the Nazis. To Robert Klein, however, these events are of little concern. As an art dealer, he makes a nice profit off the situation of the Jews, who are selling their possessions in a hurry to leave the country. He holds no political affinities and chooses to remain indifferent. All this changes when one day, a Jewish newspaper is accidentally delivered to his address, and Klein discovers there is another Robert Klein residing in Paris, a Jew sought by the police. When the other Klein cannot be found, authorities grow suspicious and the art dealer is forced to offer proof of his French heritage. Before long he is entangled in a quest to track down his elusive namesake and find out what happened.
Cast
- Alain Delon - Mr. Klein
- Jeanne Moreau - Florence
- Francine Bergé - Nicole (as Francine Berge)
- Juliet Berto - Jeanine
- Jean Bouise - Le vendeur
- Suzanne Flon - La concierge
- Massimo Girotti - Charles
- Michael Lonsdale - Pierre (as Michel Lonsdale)
- Michel Aumont - Le fonctionnaire de la préfecture
- Roland Bertin - L'administrateur du journal
- Jean Champion - Le gardien de la morgue
- Etienne Chicot - Un policier
- Magali Clément - Lola (as Magali Clement)
- Gérard Jugnot - Le photographe
- Hermine Karagheuz - La jeune ouvrière
Symbolism and allusions
Although Losey integrates historical elements (such as the infamous Vel' d'Hiv Roundup) into the film, it is more than a reconstruction of the life and status of the Jews under the Vichy regime.
The relationship of the film with the works of the writer Franz Kafka has often been noted, for example: The Metamorphosis, telling of the brutal and sudden transformation of a man into a cockroach; The Castle, which describes a search for one's own identity by way of getting to know "the other"; The Trial, which sees an accused man become an outlaw of society.[1]
Awards
The film was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival[2] but lost to Taxi Driver. However, Monsieur Klein did win the César Award for Best Film while Losey won the César Award for Best Director. Alexandre Trauner won the César Award for Best Production Design, and in addition the film was nominated for Césars in four other categories.[3]
References
- ^ This section was originally a translation of the corresponding section in the French Wikipedia [1].
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Monsieur Klein". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/2111/year/1976.html. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Awards for Monsieur Klein". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074916/awards. Retrieved 2006-06-16.
External links
- Monsieur Klein at the Internet Movie Database
- Mr. Klein, an article by Christopher Weedman, at Senses of Cinema.
Preceded by
Le vieux fusilCésar Award for Best Film
1977Succeeded by
ProvidenceFilms directed by Joseph Losey 1940s The Boy with Green Hair (1948)1950s The Lawless (1950) · M (1951) · The Prowler (1951) · The Big Night (1951) · Imbarco a mezzanotte (1952) · The Sleeping Tiger (1954) · A Man on the Beach (1955) · The Intimate Stranger (1956) · Time Without Pity (1957) · The Gypsy and the Gentleman (1958) · Blind Date (1959)1960s The Criminal (1960) · Eva (1962) · The Damned (1963) · The Servant (1963) · King & Country (1964) · Modesty Blaise (1966) · Accident (1967) · Boom! (1968) · Secret Ceremony (1968)1970s Figures in a Landscape (1970) · The Go-Between (1970) · The Assassination of Trotsky (1972) · A Doll's House (1973) · Galileo (1975) · The Romantic Englishwoman (1975) · Monsieur Klein (1976) · Roads to the South (1978) · Don Giovanni (1979)1980s The Trout (1982) · Steaming (1985)César Award for Best Film 1976 Le vieux fusil · 1977 Monsieur Klein · 1978 Providence · 1979 L’Argent des autres · 1980 Tess · 1981 The Last Metro · 1982 Quest for Fire · 1983 La Balance · 1984 Le Bal and À nos amours · 1985 My New Partner · 1986 Trois hommes et un couffin · 1987 Thérèse · 1988 Au revoir les enfants · 1989 Camille Claudel · 1990 Too Beautiful for You · 1991 Cyrano de Bergerac · 1992 Tous les matins du monde · 1993 Savage Nights · 1994 Smoking/No Smoking · 1995 Wild Reeds · 1996 La Haine · 1997 Ridicule · 1998 On connaît la chanson · 1999 The Dreamlife of Angels · 2000 Venus Beauty Institute · 2001 The Taste of Others · 2002 Amélie · 2003 The Pianist · 2004 The Barbarian Invasions · 2005 Games of Love and Chance · 2006 The Beat That My Heart Skipped · 2007 Lady Chatterley · 2008 The Secret of the Grain · 2009 Séraphine · 2010 A Prophet · 2011 Of Gods and Men
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Categories:- French films
- French-language films
- 1976 films
- Films directed by Joseph Losey
- World War II films
- César Award winners
- Holocaust films
- Best Film César Award winners
- Films whose director won the Best Director César Award
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