L'argent de poche (1976)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

François Truffaut

Writers:

François Truffaut (original scenario) and
Suzanne Schiffman (original scenario)

Release Date:

17 March 1976 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

In the town of Thiers, summer of 1976, teachers and parents give their children skills, love, and attention...

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | Children | Baby | 1970s | Child Abuse

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Nicole Félix	...	Grégory's mother (as Nicole Felix)
Chantal Mercier	...	Chantal Petit, the Schoolteacher
Jean-François Stévenin	...	Jean-François Richet, the Schoolteacher (as Jean-François Stevenin)
Virginie Thévenet	...	Lydie Richet (as Virginie Thevenet)
Tania Torrens	...	Nadine Riffle, hairdresser
René Barnerias	...	Monsieur Desmouceaux, Patrick's father
Katy Carayon	...	Sylvie's Mother
Jean-Marie Carayon	...	Police inspector, Sylvie's father
Annie Chevaldonne	...	Nurse
Francis Devlaeminck	...	Monsieur Riffle, hairdresser, Laurent's father
Michel Dissart	...	Monsieur Lomay, constable
Michele Heyraud	...	Madame Deluca
Paul Heyraud	...	Monsieur Deluca
Jeanne Lobre	...	Julien's grandmother (as Jane Lobre)
Vincent Touly	...	Concierge
Claudio De Luca	...	Mathieu Deluca
Franck De Luca	...	Franck Deluca
Laurent Devlæminck	...	Laurent Riffle
Bruno Staab	...	Bruno Rouillard
Sylvie Grezel	...	Sylvie
Richard Golfier	...	Richard Golfier
Corinne Boucart	...	Corinne
Eva Truffaut	...	Patricia
Sebastien Marc	...	Oscar
Philippe Goldmann	...	Julien Leclou
Pascale Bruchon	...	Martine
Georges Desmouceaux	...	Patrick Desmouceaux (as Geory Desmouceaux)
Grégory	...	Little Grégory (as Le petit Gregory)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marcel Berbert	...	Headmaster (uncredited)
Yvon Boutina	...	Oscar, adult (uncredited)
Monique Dury	...	Florist (uncredited)
Jean-Francis Gondre	...	Oscar's father (uncredited)
Hélène Jeanbrau	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Christian Lentretien	...	Monsieur Golfier, Richard's father (uncredited)
Thi-Loan Nguyen	...	People from Thiers (uncredited)
Christine Pellé	...	Madame Leclou, Julien's mother (uncredited)
Roland Thénot	...	People from Thiers (uncredited)
François Truffaut	...	Martine's Father (uncredited)
Laura Truffaut	...	Madeleine Doinel, Oscar's mother (uncredited)

Directed by
François Truffaut

Writing credits
François Truffaut		(original scenario) and
Suzanne Schiffman		(original scenario)

Produced by
François Truffaut	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Pierre-William Glenn

Film Editing by
Yann Dedet

Production Design by
Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko

Costume Design by
Monique Dury

Makeup Department
Thi-Loan Nguyen	....	makeup artist (as Thi-Loan N'Guyen)

Production Management
Marcel Berbert	....	production manager
Roland Thénot	....	assistant production manager (as Roland Thenot)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alain Maline	....	second assistant director
Suzanne Schiffman	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Michel Grimaud	....	property master

Sound Department
Michel Brethez	....	sound assistant
Michel Laurent	....	sound
Jacques Maumont	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Florent Bazin	....	assistant camera
Jean-Francis Gondre	....	assistant camera
Hélène Jeanbrau	....	still photographer
Jean-Claude Vicquery	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Martine Barraqué	....	assistant editor
Jean Gargonne	....	assistant editor
Stéphanie Granel	....	assistant editor (as Stephanie Granel)
Muriel Zeleny	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Raoul Breton	....	music publisher
Patrice Mestral	....	conductor: orchestra
François Porcile	....	musical consultant

Other crew
Jean-Noël Delamare	....	title designer (as Jean-Noel Delamarre)
Daniel Messère	....	general manager (as Daniel Messere)
Christine Pellé	....	script supervisor
Laura Truffaut	....	assistant script supervisor

Production Companies

• Les Films du Carrosse
• Les Productions Artistes Associés

Distributors

• United Artists (France) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (France) (DVD)
• F.J. Lucas (Brazil) (VHS)
• Gala Film Distributors (UK)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• New World Pictures (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• United Artists (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• EMI-Pathé  music recording: Trenet's song (as Pathé Marconi EMI)
• Hortensia  music publishing: Jaubert's music

Also Known As:

Pocket Money (International: English title) (literal title)
Small Change (USA)
Fickpengar (Sweden) [sv]
Gli anni in tasca (Italy) [it]
Idade da Inocência (Brazil) [pt]
La piel dura (Spain) [es]
Na Idade da Inocência (Brazil) [pt]
Taschengeld (West Germany) [de]
Taskurahat (Finland) [fi]
To hartziliki (Greece) [el]
Zsebpénz (Hungary) [hu]

Runtime:

France:104 min | USA:104 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:PG | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG | West Germany:6 (bw)

Filming Locations:

Allier, France

Company:

Les Films du Carrosse

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [François Truffaut]Sitting in a cabriolet, wearing his standard blue shirt in the first minute of the film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in François Truffaut: Portraits volés (1993)

Soundtrack:

Les enfants s'ennuient le dimanche

yes! yes!yes!

I've watched many of Truffaut's films and have found most of them to be really quite wonderful. This film has solidified his status in my book as the best of the French New Wave. I've waited to actually say that in print until I'd seen a good number of the offerings from the movement. Godard is too gimmicky, Chabrol too one track(though still well loved), Rohmer too static(but charming),Demy doesn't have the filmography and neither does Resnais or Varda(Demy's wife). Truffaut's films have a sensitivity, an intimacy and a simple quality that speak volumes to me.

Small Change(Pocket Money)has all of those qualities and more. I laughed and I cried but I never once felt that this great director had manipulated me. Sometimes films with children have a tendency to make me feel used. My heart strings pulled in every direction and twisted into every shape. Truffaut had no intention of mauling the senses instead he lets the childrens lives unfold naturally with the joys and sadnesses of all children. It was my very own memory of childhood for there is some child in this film who represents all of us.