French Postcards

"American students go to Paris...The less they study the more they learn."

1979 1h 35m EN

😐

5.1

MID

★5.1TMDB · 10

ComedyDramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

French Postcards rings both comic and true. The believable, fresh-faced characters are young naives from American colleges spending their French-English dictionaries, they compulsively seek out hundreds of monuments, romanticize the nomadic artist's life, and look for grown-up love. The French tutor them well, as befits their reputation. Jean Rochefort is the harassed headmaster with a hankering for affairs, and Marie-France Pisier is his very sexy wife. Watch for a newcomer named Debra Winger, and another-Mandy Patinkin.

“American students go to Paris...The less they study the more they learn.”

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Cast

David Marshall Grant
Alex
Miles Chapin
Joel
Valérie Quennessen
Toni
Debra Winger
Melanie
Marie-France Pisier
Madame Tessier
Jean Rochefort
Monsieur Tessier
Blanche Baker
Laura
Lynn Carlin
Mrs. Weber

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Willard Huyck
Writers: Gloria Katz, Willard Huyck
Languages: French, English
Countries: France, Germany, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

47 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: France, Germany, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Willard Huyck, shot by Bruno Nuytten. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Original score by Lee Holdridge. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Carol Littleton shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

David Marshall Grant and Miles Chapin and Valérie Quennessen carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "American students go to Paris...The less they study the more they learn.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Willard Huyck directs. Bruno Nuytten behind the camera. Lee Holdridge scores. Carol Littleton cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Germany, United States of America. Dialogue in French, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

147 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, English.
3International production across 3 countries: France, Germany, United States of America.
4Directed by Willard Huyck, shot by Bruno Nuytten. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Lee Holdridge. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Carol Littleton shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7David Marshall Grant and Miles Chapin and Valérie Quennessen carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "American students go to Paris...The less they study the more they learn.".
9IMDB entry: tt0079176 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.