The Big Pardon

1982 2h 10m FR

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 87

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The Bettoun clan: Raymond (the patriarch), Maurice (the son), Jacky (the nephew), Roland (the nephew), Albert (Raymond's cousin), Pépé (Raymond's friend), Samy (the bodyguard) are a family clan of Jewish Blackfoot kingpins of French organized crime. Their activities include running casinos, organizing underground boxing matches, illegal gambling, pimping, racketeering and bloody settlements of scores against other Arab and French clans. But in the shadows, Pascal Villars has sworn the loss of the Bettoun. He will succeed in setting the Arab clan against the Jewish clan, for the great benefit of the police commissioner Duché, who has been trying in vain for ten years to bring down the Bettouns.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Roger Hanin
Raymond Beitoun
Jean-Louis Trintignant
Le commissaire Duché
Bernard Giraudeau
Pascal Villars
Richard Berry
Maurice Beitoun
Clio Goldsmith
Viviane Atlan
Anny Duperey
Carole
Gérard Darmon
Roland Bettoun
Jean-Pierre Bacri
Jacky Azoulay

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Alexandre Arcady
Writers: Daniel Saint-Hamont, Alexandre Arcady, Alain Le Henry
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 / 8

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Big Pardon Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Alexandre Arcady, shot by Bernard Zitzermann. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Roger Hanin and Jean-Louis Trintignant and Bernard Giraudeau carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0082471 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 87 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alexandre Arcady directs. Bernard Zitzermann behind the camera. Serge Franklin scores. Joële Van Effenterre cuts. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

144 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Part of the "The Big Pardon Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Alexandre Arcady, shot by Bernard Zitzermann. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Serge Franklin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Joële Van Effenterre shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Roger Hanin and Jean-Louis Trintignant and Bernard Giraudeau carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0082471 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 87 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.