The Silence of the Sea

1949 1h 27m FR

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 142

DramaWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In a small town in WWII France, a German officer is billeted in the house of an elderly man and his niece who resist the occupation by refusing to interact with him, even as he speaks to them candidly about his life and hopes for the future of France and Germany.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Howard Vernon
Werner von Ebrennac
Nicole Stéphane
La Nièce
Jean-Marie Robain
L'Oncle
Amy Aaröe
La Fiancée
Georges Patrix
L'Ordonnance
Denis Sadier
L'Ami
Rudelle
L'Allemand
Max Fromm
L'Allemand

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Writers: Jean-Pierre Melville
Languages: English, French, German
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

RUNTIME

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

77 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, German.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, shot by Henri Decaë. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Howard Vernon and Nicole Stéphane and Jean-Marie Robain carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jean-Pierre Melville directs. Henri Decaë behind the camera. Edgar Bischoff scores. Henri Decaë cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France. Dialogue in English, French, German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
277 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, German.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, shot by Henri Decaë. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Edgar Bischoff. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Henri Decaë shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Howard Vernon and Nicole Stéphane and Jean-Marie Robain carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0039822 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.