Laissez-passer (2002)

Director:

Bertrand Tavernier

Writers:

Jean Cosmos (writer)
Jean-Devaivre (book)
(more)

Release Date:

9 January 2002 (France)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Collaborate. Resist. Survive.

Plot:

In occupied France, German-run Continental Films calls the shots in the movie business. Assistant director...

Plot Keywords:

German | Assistant Director | Jean Aurenche | Resistance | Screenwriter

Awards:

7 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Jacques Gamblin	...	Jean-Devaivre
Denis Podalydès	...	Jean Aurenche
Charlotte Kady	...	Suzanne Raymond
Marie Desgranges	...	Simone Devaivre
Ged Marlon	...	Jean-Paul Le Chanois
Philippe Morier-Genoud	...	Maurice Tourneur
Laurent Schilling	...	Charles Spaak
Maria Pitarresi	...	Reine Sorignal
Christian Berkel	...	Dr. Greven
Richard Sammel	...	Richard Pottier
Marie Gillain	...	Olga
Olivier Gourmet	...	Roger Richebé
Philippe Saïd	...	Pierre Nord
Liliane Rovère	...	Mémaine
Götz Burger	...	Bauermeister
Serge Riaboukine	...	Louis Née
Didier Sauvegrain	...	Thirard
Thierry Gibault	...	Paul Maillebeau
Christophe Odent	...	Pierre Bost
Olivier Brun	...	Jacques Dubuis
Pierre Lacan	...	Louis Devaivre
Jean-Yves Roan	...	René Fléchard
Bruno Raffaelli	...	Glinglin
Jean-Claude Calon	...	Marcel
Herrade	...	Woman #1 (Hotel du square)
Viviane Crausaz	...	Woman #2 (Hotel du square)
Noëlle Cazenave	...	Arlette
Jorg Schnass	...	German major (as Jörg Schnass)
Dominique Pacitti	...	Infirmary chief
Dominique Dubreuil	...	Doctor
Pascal Leguennec	...	Fred
Eric Petitjean	...	Roger
Michel Charvaz	...	Georges Million
Jean-Yves Ruf	...	Albert
Jean-Paul Audrain	...	Arrignon
Emmanuelle Bataille	...	Woman ('8 Men')
Georges Viry	...	Guard
Vincent Schmitt	...	Léon
Valérie Dermagne	...	Paula ('8 Men')
Jean-Luc Buquet	...	Continental guard
Hans Werner Meyer	...	Von Schertell
Betty Teboulle	...	Mme Carpentier
Philippe Duclos	...	Marcel Bryau
Radu Duda	...	Andrejew
Niels Dubost	...	Didot
Pierre Berriau	...	Mickey
François Loriquet	...	Douillet
Philippe Frécon	...	Bébert
Jean-Christophe Chavanon	...	Fireman
Philippe Polet	...	Arthur
Richard Guedj	...	Jules
Claude Aufaure	...	Roland Manuel
Valérie Baurens	...	Marinette Burguiere
Jean-Pierre Léonardini	...	Laurencie
Daniel Gerno	...	Camille
Françoise Sage	...	Agathe
Jean-Claude Frissung	...	Foulioux
Tonio Descanvelle	...	René Wheeler
Sébastien Thiery	...	Cayatte
Daniel Dublet	...	Arresting officer
Wolfgang Pissors	...	German arresting officer
Henri Attal	...	Raoul
Françoise Bette	...	Devaivre's mother
Stéphane Butet	...	Young railwayman
Jeremy Child	...	Jeremy
Daniel Delabesse	...	Claude Autant-Lara
Robert Glenister	...	Capt. Townsend
Lara Guirao	...	Street singer
Jonathan Kydd	...	Dakota dispatcher
Daniel Langlet	...	Masson
Max Morel	...	Continental police officer
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Fleming
Toby Sedgwick	...	Thomson
Tania Torrens	...	Marraine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacques Boudet	...	Cafe owner
Christina Crevillén
Stefan Elbaum
Guillaume Viry
Arnaud Cafaxe	...	Set's propman (uncredited)
Sandra Dorset	...	(uncredited)
Eric Moreau	...	Un électricien de cinéma, lors du tournage des 'Caves du Magestic' (uncredited)

Directed by
Bertrand Tavernier

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jean Cosmos		writer
Jean-Devaivre		book
Bertrand Tavernier		writer

Produced by
Frédéric Bourboulon	....	producer
Christine Gozlan	....	associate producer
Roland Pellegrino	....	executive producer
Alain Sarde	....	producer

Original Music by
Antoine Duhamel

Cinematography by
Alain Choquart

Film Editing by
Sophie Brunet

Casting by
Lucy Boulting

Production Design by
Emile Ghigo

Set Decoration by
Jean-François Corneille
Thierry Deniau
Frédéric Karali
Jérome Lafargue		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Valérie Pozzo di Borgo

Makeup Department
Anny Arguedas	....	hair stylist
Sidonie Constantin	....	hair stylist
Anne-Marie Demeur	....	makeup artist
Reynald Desbant	....	hair stylist
Bettina Keller	....	hair stylist
Benoît Lestang	....	special makeup effects artist
Daniel Mourgues	....	key hair stylist
Nathalie Tabareau	....	additional makeup artist
Agnès Tassel	....	key makeup artist
Françoise Tolila	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sylvain Bouladoux	....	unit manager
Nathalie Chery	....	unit manager
Florence Dard	....	post-production supervisor
Dominique Dubreuil	....	unit manager
Alexandre Florent	....	unit manager
François Hamel	....	production manager
Martin Jaubert	....	unit manager
Virginie Marchesseau	....	unit manager
Bruno Rigail	....	unit manager
Yohan Rozo	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Martin Bourboulon	....	additional assistant director
Pascal Guérin	....	assistant director
Mathieu Hiltzer	....	additional assistant director
Valérie Othnin-Girard	....	first assistant director
Frédéric Zajderman	....	additional assistant director

Art Department
Claire Amoureux-Nicole	....	second assistant art director
Marianne Arsa	....	assistant props
Rachid Bentaler	....	carpenter
Jean-Marc Berté	....	carpenter
Michel Charvaz	....	props
Pascal Chatton	....	first assistant art director
Paul Choitel	....	carpenter
Guy Chouard	....	painter
Jean-François Corneille	....	set dresser
Mathieu Danielo	....	props
Thierry Deniau	....	set dresser
Gerard Drolon	....	first assistant art director
Gaëlle Dubois	....	assistant props
Jérôme Dumoux	....	second assistant art director
Badara Faye	....	carpenter
Mireille Gauron	....	upholsterer
Christian Giambasi	....	head painter
Florence Girette	....	painter
Thomas Godelle	....	carpenter
Patrice Golardelle	....	carpenter (as Pierre Colardelle)
Philippe Gonzales	....	painter
Sévérine Guilbaud	....	second assistant art director
Elsa Harbulot	....	painter (as Elsa Harbulot-Richez)
Marie-Stéphane d' Hérouville	....	second assistant art director
Emmanuel Jaffre	....	carpenter
Corinne Pouchoulin	....	painter
Thierry Poulet	....	painter
Laercio Ribas Du Cruz	....	painter
Jean Marc Sanchez	....	second assistant art director (as Jean-Marc Sanchez)
Anne-Michele Tillieux	....	first assistant art director
Bernard Tofoletti	....	carpenter (as Bernard Toffoletti)
Frédéric Vialle	....	props
Claude Vincent	....	construction manager
Christine Vincent-Genod	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Jean-Michel Chauvet	....	boom operator
Michel Desrois	....	sound
Judith Guittier	....	assistant foley artist (as Judith Guitier)
Jean-Pierre Houël	....	boom operator
Gérard Lamps	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jean-Louis Lebras	....	boom operator (as Jean-Louis Le Bras)
Lionel Le Bras	....	boom operator
Anne Le Campion	....	sound re-recording mixer
Didier Lesage	....	sound mixer
Laurent Lévy	....	foley artist
Laurent Lévy	....	sound effects editor
Elisabeth Paquotte	....	sound editor
Elisabeth Paquotte	....	sound
Alain Primot	....	assistant sound editor
Christian Riffard	....	post-production audio
Eric Tisserand	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Rodolphe Chabrier	....	special effects supervisor
Georges Demétrau	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Alain Chene	....	scanning and recording
Rosana D'Andrea	....	scanning and recording
Alain Duval	....	matte painter
Julius Friede	....	color grader
Christophe Keichinger	....	scanning and recording
Arassou Kichenassamy	....	scanning and recording
Bruno Masson	....	matte painter
Toullet Matthieu	....	visual effects assistant specter
Joyce Menger	....	scanning and recording
David Montoya	....	scanning and recording
Frederic Moreau	....	visual effects producer
Sarah Moreau	....	visual effects producer
Benoit Philippon	....	visual effects
Sebastien Rame	....	digital compositor
Philippe Reinaudo	....	scanning and recording
Mourad Rennou	....	scanning and recording
Gérard Soirant	....	scanning and recording
Carole Vasseur	....	scanning and recording

Stunts
Jean-Louis Airola	....	stunt coordinator
Olivier Vitrant	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Éric Alirol	....	electrician
Christophe Asselin	....	second assistant camera
Albert Bonomi	....	key grip
Eric Caro	....	still photographer
Marc Casi	....	co-key grip
Andrea Chiozzotto	....	practical electrician
Nicolas Deneau	....	electrician
Philippe Deneau	....	gaffer
Jean-Baptiste Felix	....	electrician
Gregory Fromentin	....	electrician
Gérard Haidant	....	grip
Pascale Marin	....	assistant camera
Philippe Renaud	....	first assistant camera (as Philippe Renaut)
Stéphane Rouillon	....	grip
Gilbert Seybald	....	electrician
Myriam Vinocour	....	camera operator: second unit

Casting Department
Lucy Boulting	....	casting: UK
Laura Dickens	....	casting assistant
Marie-France Michel	....	extras casting
Fanny Touya	....	extras casting (as Fany Touya)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Véronique Élise	....	costumer
Marie Frémont	....	costumer
Catherine Gouin	....	costumer
Isabelle Lelievre	....	wardrobe (as Isabelle Le Lièvre)
Anjali Lenglet	....	key costumer
Suzette Monlouis	....	wardrobe (as Suzette Monlouis Eugenie)
Samir N'Khili	....	costumer
Laurence Royer	....	wardrobe
Marilyne Walbert	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Catherine Athon	....	post-production coordinator
Marine Benveniste	....	trainee assistant editor
Nicolas Criqui	....	digital conformation
Isabelle Julien	....	color timer
Guillaume Lebel	....	assistant editor
Philippe Reinaudo	....	digital intermediate technical director
Gerard Savary	....	color timer (as Gérard Savary)

Other crew
Frédéric Bersani	....	location manager
Denise Breton	....	press attache
Nathalie Chery	....	assistant unit manager
Nicolas Criqui	....	specter conformation
Isabelle Duvoisin	....	press attache
Anne-Laure Farges	....	assistant: Mr. Tavernier
Michel Flaesch	....	animal trainer
Nathalie Gorgon	....	press attache
Jean-Marc Homand	....	production administrator
Agnès Le Pont	....	administrator
Sandrine Magner	....	assistant production secretary
Toullet Matthieu	....	specter assistant
Audrey Mery	....	production secretary
Sylvain Montagne	....	location manager
Timothée Pamart	....	production secretary
Georges Polonia	....	groupman
Gaëlle-Anne Salin	....	production administrator
Zoe Zurstrassen	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• France 2 Cinéma
• France 3 Cinéma
• KC Medien
• Les Films Alain Sarde
• Little Bear
• Studio Canal
• Vertigo

Distributors

• Bac Films
• 01 Distribuzione
• Artificial Eye
• A-Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United King Films (Israel)
• Cinema Parisien
• Empire Pictures Inc. (USA) (subtitled)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (video)
• Wise Policy (2003) (Japan) (all media)

Other Companies

• 24/25 Virtuel  editing equipment
• Bogard  steadicam
• Cine Echafaudage Services  grip and lighting equipment
• Cinésyl  grip and lighting equipment
• Dovidis  mixing studio
• Marchetti  titles
• Panavision Alga  camera equipment provided by
• Transpalux  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

Safe Conduct (International: English title) (USA)
Salvoconducto (Spain)
Déjenlo pasar (Argentina) (festival title) [es]
Kulkulupa (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Passaporte Para a Vida (Brazil) [pt]
Samarbetets pris (Finland: Swedish title) (TV title) [sv]

Runtime:

170 min | Argentina:172 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Spain | France | Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Brazil:12 | France:U | Netherlands:12 | Spain:T | Singapore:M18

Company:

France 2 Cinéma

Movie Connections:

Features La main du diable (1943)

Resistance and collaboration through the lens

Laissez-Passer aka Safe Conduct is at times almost like Day For Night Goes to War – richly ironic considering Francois Truffaut famously attacked the 'Tradition of Quality' in French cinema that screenwriters Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost represented since both are characters in Bertrand Tavernier's lengthy but entertaining wartime comic drama that defends that very tradition of cinematic craftsmanship and professionalism. Indeed, the film is based on anecdotes that Aurenche (Denis Podalydès), who wrote several of Tavernier's early successes such as The Watchmaker of Saint-Paul and Coup de Torchon/Clean Slate, and director Jean-Devaivre (Jacques Gamblin) told about their wartime experiences at German-owned producers Continental Films during the Occupation.

The best-funded but most despised film company in France during the war, many of its employees would later find their careers handicapped by association (particularly Henri-Georges Clouzot, whose critique of informers Le Corbeau was widely criticised as a slur on French dignity), yet among its numbers could be found resistance workers and even Jews protected by the German management who prided themselves on making the best films. While Continental was few French filmmakers first choice, Tavernier shows how many would slyly insert subversive messages into the films while juggling with increasingly absurd practical limitations – not only did they have to limit the length of shots because they could only get short ends of film to use or deal with constant power cuts but often didn't even have enough wood to build the sets because the studio sold their allocation for coffins for the Eastern Front. The company even rented out office space to the Gestapo to earn a few extra Francs.

Rather than opt for a relentlessly grim view of the Occupation, Tavernier instead focuses on the absurdity of the situation. Much of the strength of the film comes from the way it shows how people adapted their everyday life to an increasingly askew way of life, where bad actors get bit parts in exchange for black market food, extras eat fake stage food because they are so hungry and you can come home one day to find an anti-aircraft gun has suddenly appeared on your apartment roof and keeps on waking the baby. Even the great and the good of French cinema fall in and out of favour in these times just as easily as the obscure: the screenwriter of La Grande Illusion, let out of jail during the day to rewrite a script on the set, writes food into every scene because he's been starved in solitary confinement for two months, while Jean-Devaivre's interrogation by British officers during a surreal and unplanned trip to England suddenly warms up when the subject of Maigret and Harry Baur (himself tortured to death by the Gestapo) comes up in the conversation. Yet it's not unaware that events often took a darker turn, as an early air-raid threatening a children's ward, a collaborator interrupting a dinner party to beat up a tramp in the street below and one striking moment singling out an extra in a forgotten movie on television powerfully bring home.

Fans of classic French cinema will have a field day with the many references – particularly Douce, Le Corbeau, Au Bonheur des Dames and La Main du Diable as well as figures like Maurice Tourneur, Claude-Autant-Lara, Michel Simon and Charles Spaak - but they're not essential to enjoying the film. As always with Tavernier, people come first. Tavernier is a director who genuinely seems to like his characters, even (and sometimes especially) the flawed ones, and his habit of providing reasons for doing what they do made this film in particular an easy target for some who saw it as excusing wartime collaboration. Yet the film shows the issue as at once both more mundane and complex than a simple issue of them and us, with even the communist resistance who urge members to infiltrate Continental later turning on them as policy changes. But in their very different ways the two main characters DO resist, and each in a manner appropriate to their character. The writer Aurenche resists through the language of his scripts, while the assistant director Devaivre resists with practical actions, in a way representing how it was possible to covertly resist with thoughts as well as deeds.

It's slightly problematic at times that the two main characters never really meet, with Aurenche increasingly sidelined as the film concentrates on Jean-Devaivre's attempts to juggle his resistance activities with his work as an assistant director, but it's a problem you notice more after the film than during it. Chances are you'll be enjoying yourself too much watching it.

Artificial Eye's DVD boasts a fine 2.35:1 widescreen transfer, and includes an excellent 45-minute interview with Tavernier on the background to the film and its real-life characters.