The Cat

"A love/hate so devastating it destroys everything...the marriage, the wife, the husband, the house...even the cat"

1971 1h 27m FR

👍

7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 122

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Julien Bouin, a former typographist, and his wife Clemence, who used to perform in a circus, hardly talk to each other in their small house, soon to be demolished. His cat Greffier being the only one he still gives affection to, he becomes the object of Clemence's anger.

“A love/hate so devastating it destroys everything...the marriage, the wife, the husband, the house...even the cat”

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Cast

Jean Gabin
Julien Bouin
Simone Signoret
Clémence Bouin
Annie Cordy
Nelly, boss of the Floride hotel
Jacques Rispal
Doctor
Harry-Max
Retiree, ex-colleague of Julien
Carlo Nell
Real estate agent
André Rouyer
Union representative
Nicole Desailly
Nurse

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Pierre Granier-Deferre
Writers: Pierre Granier-Deferre, Pascal Jardin
Languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish
Countries: France, Italy

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

RUNTIME

Did you know

87 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

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55 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Italy.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre, shot by Walter Wottitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Pierre Granier-Deferre directs. Walter Wottitz behind the camera. Philippe Sarde scores. Nino Baragli cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Italy. Dialogue in French, German, Italian, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
255 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 4 languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish.
4International production across 2 countries: France, Italy.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre, shot by Walter Wottitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Philippe Sarde. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Nino Baragli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Jean Gabin and Simone Signoret and Annie Cordy carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "A love/hate so devastating it destroys everything...the marriage, the wife, the husband, the house...even the cat".
11IMDB entry: tt0066906 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.