Forbidden Games

"War ... and how it affects the lives of our children"

1952 1h 27m FR

🙌

7.8

BANGER

🔥

100%

CERTIFIED FRESH

⭐

IMDB

★7.8TMDB · 366🍅100%Rotten Tomatoes★8IMDB · 13,419

DramaWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Orphaned after a Nazi air raid, Paulette, a young Parisian girl, runs into Michel, an older peasant boy, and the two quickly become close. Together, they try to make sense of the chaotic and crumbling world around them, attempting to cope with death as they create a burial ground for Paulette's deceased pet dog. Eventually, however, Paulette's stay with Michel's family is threatened by the harsh realities of wartime.

“War ... and how it affects the lives of our children”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Brigitte Fossey
Paulette
Georges Poujouly
Michel Dolle
Philippe de Chérisey
Francis Gouard
Laurence Badie
Berthe Dolle
Suzanne Courtal
Madame Dolle
Lucien Hubert
Monsieur Dolle
Madeleine Barbulée
Red Cross Nun
Jacques Marin
Georges Dolle

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: René Clément
Writers: François Boyer, René Clément, François Boyer
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

RUNTIME

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

74 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by René Clément, shot by Robert Juillard. 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 Narciso Yepes. 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 Roger Dwyre 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

Brigitte Fossey and Georges Poujouly and Philippe de Chérisey carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "War ... and how it affects the lives of our children".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0043686 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

René Clément directs. Robert Juillard behind the camera. Narciso Yepes scores. Roger Dwyre cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

187 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
274 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by René Clément, shot by Robert Juillard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Narciso Yepes. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Roger Dwyre shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Brigitte Fossey and Georges Poujouly and Philippe de Chérisey carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "War ... and how it affects the lives of our children".
8IMDB entry: tt0043686 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 11 themes, including "france", "countryside", "funeral", "world war ii".
10Released under 25 different titles around the world.