The Things of Life

1970 1h 29m FR

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 276

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The mind of Pierre Bérard, a successful middle-aged architect, is torn between his unstable present with Hélène, his younger lover, and his happy memories of the past with Catherine, his ex-wife; but his true destiny awaits him at a crossroads on his way to Rennes…

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Michel Piccoli
Pierre Bérard
Romy Schneider
Hélène
Lea Massari
Catherine Bérard
Gérard Lartigau
Bertrand Bérard
Jean Bouise
François
Boby Lapointe
The Livestock Truck Driver
Hervé Sand
The Truck Driver
Jacques Richard
The Male Nurse

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Claude Sautet
Writers: Jean-Loup Dabadie, Paul Guimard, Claude Sautet
Languages: French
Countries: Switzerland, 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

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

56 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Switzerland, France, Italy.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Claude Sautet, shot by Jean Boffety. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 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#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jacqueline Thiédot 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

Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider and Lea Massari carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0064165 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Claude Sautet directs. Jean Boffety behind the camera. Philippe Sarde scores. Jacqueline Thiédot cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Switzerland, France, Italy. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
256 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3International production across 3 countries: Switzerland, France, Italy.
4Directed by Claude Sautet, shot by Jean Boffety. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Philippe Sarde. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Jacqueline Thiédot shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider and Lea Massari carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0064165 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.