Les valseuses (1974)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Bertrand Blier

Writers:

Bertrand Blier (novel)
Bertrand Blier (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

13 May 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Two whimsical, aimless thugs harass and assault women, steal, murder, and alternately charm, fight, or sprint their way out of trouble...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Sex | Stolen Car | Blonde | Naked Woman

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	Jean-Claude
Patrick Dewaere	...	Pierrot
Miou-Miou	...	Marie-Ange
Jeanne Moreau	...	Jeanne Pirolle
Brigitte Fossey	...	Woman in the train
Christian Alers	...	Jacqueline's father Henri
Michel Peyrelon	...	The Doctor
Gérard Boucaron	...	Carnot
Jacques Chailleux	...	Jacques Pirolle
Eva Damien	...	Doctor's wife
Dominique Davray	...	Ursula
Isabelle Huppert	...	Jacqueline
Marco Perrin	...	Supermarket inspector
Jacques Rispal	...	Maton
Claude Vergues	...	Merian
Bruno Boëglin
Sylvie Joly
Gérard Jugnot	...	Holyday-Maker with Family
Marie Kéruzoré
Thierry Lhermitte	...	Doorman
Rita Maiden
Christiane Muller	...	Jacqueline's mother
Michel Pilorgé	...	Man on the motorscooter
Jean Sylvère
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claude Piéplu	...	Récitant de la bande-annonce (uncredited)
Gilles Ségal	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Bertrand Blier

Writing credits
Bertrand Blier		(novel)
Bertrand Blier		(writer) &
Philippe Dumarçay		(writer)

Produced by
Paul Claudon	....	producer

Original Music by
Stéphane Grappelli		(as Stephane Grapelli)

Cinematography by
Bruno Nuytten		(as Bruno Nuyten)

Film Editing by
Kenout Peltier		(as Kénout Peltier)

Production Design by
Jean-Jacques Caziot
Françoise Hardy

Costume Design by
Michèle Cerf

Makeup Department
Simone Knapp	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gérard Crosnier	....	production manager
Ginette Mejinsky	....	assistant unit manager
Philippe Mulon	....	assistant unit manager
Francis Peltier	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jean-Denis Berembaum	....	second assistant director (as Jean-Denis Berenbaum)
Gérard Zingg	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Raymond Lemoigne	....	property master

Sound Department
Paul Bertault	....	sound mixer
Dominique Dalmasso	....	sound
Jacques Lévy	....	sound re-recordist (as Jacques Levy)
Gilles Ortion	....	boom operator
Robert Pouret	....	foley artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-Noël Ferragut	....	assistant camera
Jean-Claude Gasché	....	gaffer
Jean Gimelo	....	key grip
Joël Quentin	....	assistant camera
Stéphane Zureck	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ginette Manzon	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Aurore Camp	....	assistant editor
Jean-Max Morise	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Philippe Catherine	....	musician: guitar
Marc Hemmeler	....	musician: piano
Daniel Humair	....	musician: drums
Guy Pederson	....	musician: bass (as Guy Pedersen)
Maurice Vander	....	musician: piano, organ and harpsichord

Other crew
André Bézu	....	press attache
Daniel Desforges	....	production administrator
Hélène Desse	....	production secretary
Gérard James	....	location manager
Danielle Rousseau	....	production secretary
Stap	....	title designer
Hélène Viard	....	script girl
Christian Ferry	....	development (uncredited)

Production Companies

• C.A.P.A.C.
• S.N. Prodis
• Universal Pictures France (UPF)

Distributors

• AMLF (France)
• Cinema 5 Distributing (USA) (subtitled)
• Connoisseur (UK)
• Homescreen (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Mercurio Films S.A. (Spain)
• NTV-PROFIT
• S.N. Prodis (France)

Other Companies

• Auditorium S.I.M.O.  auditorium
• Municipalité de Valence  thanks for amiable collaboration
• Éditions Fantasia Musidisc Europe  music editorial
• Éditions Robert Laffont  novel publisher

Also Known As:

Getting It Up
Going Places (USA)
Making It
Corações Loucos (Brazil) [pt]
Die Ausgebufften (West Germany) [de]
Flörtkulorna (Sweden) [sv]
I santissimi (Italy) [it]
Les Valseuses - Wir sind die Größten (West Germany) [de]
Los rompepelotas (Spain) [es]
O horos ton dieftharmenon (Greece) [el]
Riipukset (Finland) [fi]
Tojastanc (Hungary) [hu]
Uma Mulher para Dois (Portugal) [pt]

Runtime:

France:150 min (restored: 1999) | Germany:111 min | USA:117 min | West Germany:116 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-18 (original rating) | France:U (re-rating) | France:-12 (TV rating) | UK:R (1974) | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Norway:(Banned) (1974-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Valence, Drôme, France

Company:

C.A.P.A.C.

Trivia:

The original French title is slang for "balls" (the testicular variety).

Goofs:

Continuity: Marie-Ange is shot in the shins when the boys leave her at the barbers shop, but there is no trace of any injury when they rejoin her (although there is no exact indication of the time past, it does not appear long enough for an injury of that kind to heal completely).

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Les bidasses s'en vont en guerre (1974)

Black Comedy at it's Finest

Two small time hoods spend their days roaming the streets, robbing stores, and molesting women. In some ways this is truly an amazing film. It's amazing in what it is actually able to get away with. The two main characters are immoral, ignorant, insensitive, and brutal. The women are demeaned and degraded. The overall content is vulgar and perverse. Yet somehow this thing comes off as a lyrical, offbeat delight. It's pure entertainment.

It's a definite original. Every scene is a ingenious comic set up. The scenario structure and use of locations is perfect. The pacing is fluid and eye for detail near brilliant. The two hours just move along like a breeze. It never gets boring. You actually almost wish it could be longer.

The comic threads here are really good. They actually just get funnier and funnier as they go along. The constant and futile attempts at getting a frigid women excited is a particular standout.

This is the type of black comedy that should be used as an example for all others. It's consistently unique. It manages to balance the ugly elements with the lighthearted without going overboard on either. It even throws in a surreal angle without a hitch.

Veteran French actress Moreau has one of her finest latter day roles playing a lonely lady in desperate need of male attention. The scene is very well played out and even has a shocking conclusion. Depardieus 'friendly' conversation with a shopping mall security guard is another standout.

The ultimate joke may actually be in the films title. These guys are truly going nowhere.