Laissez-passer (2002)

Director:

Bertrand Tavernier

Writers:

Jean Cosmos (writer)
Jean-Devaivre (book)

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

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)

Tiresome and Too Long

In 1942, in Paris, the assistant director and member of the French resistance Jean-Devaivre (Jacques Gamblin) joins the German studio Continental Films to be infiltrated and get a safe conduct. Along the years, he spies while making French movies produced by the Germans. Meanwhiile, the wolf bourgeois screenwriter Jean Aurenche (Denis Podalydès) spends his shallow life with his three lovers – the artist Suzanne Raymond (Charlotte Kady), the whore Olga (Marie Gillain) and Suzanne's friend and costumes stylist – and trying to not collaborate with the Germans with his work.

"Laissez-Passer" has a magnificent cinematography and reconstitution of occupied France, supported by top-notch performances. Unfortunately the story is tiresome, uninteresting and too long, and the subplot with Jean Aurenche goes nowhere. The narrative of the lead story with Jean-Devaivre is too cold, without any tension and could be shorter and shorter. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Passaporte Para a Vida" ("Passport for the Life")