The Savage State

1978 1h 52m FR

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 6

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

L'Etat Sauvage is based on the novel by Georges Conchon which won the highly esteemed Prix de Goncourt. The story chronicles the mindless racism of both the departing French colonial overlords and the emergent black Africans in a newly emerging African state. Laurence (Marie-Christine Barrault) suffers the outrage of her white acquaintances, including her former lover Gravenoir (Claude Brasseur) and her ex-husband Avit (Jacques Dutronc), for her affair with Patrice Doumbe (Doura Mane), an official in the new government. He in turn is ridiculed by his fellow cabinet ministers for stepping out with a white woman. The vilification escalates to such a point that Patrice is brutally murdered, and Laurence barely escapes the country alive, with the help of her ex-husband Avit.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Marie-Christine Barrault
Laurence Laurençon
Claude Brasseur
Gravenoire
Jacques Dutronc
Avit
Doura Mané
Patrice Doumbe
Michel Piccoli
Orlaville
Baaron
Modimbo
Umban Gomez de Kset
Kotoko
Jean-Baptiste Tiémélé
Gohanda

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Francis Girod
Writers: Georges Conchon, Francis Girod
Languages: French
Countries: France

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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Francis Girod, shot by Pierre Lhomme. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Marie-Christine Barrault and Claude Brasseur and Jacques Dutronc carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0078550 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 6 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Francis Girod directs. Pierre Lhomme behind the camera. Pierre Jansen scores. Geneviève Winding cuts. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

148 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Francis Girod, shot by Pierre Lhomme. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Pierre Jansen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Geneviève Winding shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Marie-Christine Barrault and Claude Brasseur and Jacques Dutronc carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0078550 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 6 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.