Three Lives and Only One Death

1996 2h 3m FR

😐

6.5

MID

★6.5TMDB · 47

ComedyCrimeFantasyMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Four intertwining stories of bizarre occurrences in Paris featuring a man who was stolen away by fairies, a professor who becomes a tramp, the lovers who inherit a chateau – and the last tale that connects all that has gone before.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Marcello Mastroianni
Mateo Strano / Georges Vickers / Butler / Luc Allamand
Anna Galiena
Maria Gabri - Colosso "Tania la Corse"
Marisa Paredes
Maria
Chiara Mastroianni
Cecile
Arielle Dombasle
Helene
Jean-Yves Gautier
Mario
Melvil Poupaud
Martin
Féodor Atkine
André

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Raúl Ruiz
Writers: Pascal Bonitzer, Raúl Ruiz
Languages: French, Italian, Russian
Countries: France, Portugal

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

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, Italian, Russian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Portugal.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Raúl Ruiz, shot by Laurent Machuel. 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 Jorge Arriagada. 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 Rudolfo Wedeles 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

Marcello Mastroianni and Anna Galiena and Marisa Paredes carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Raúl Ruiz directs. Laurent Machuel behind the camera. Jorge Arriagada scores. Rudolfo Wedeles cuts. Produced in France, Portugal. Dialogue in French, Italian, Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
230 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, Italian, Russian.
4International production across 2 countries: France, Portugal.
5Directed by Raúl Ruiz, shot by Laurent Machuel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Jorge Arriagada. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Rudolfo Wedeles shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Marcello Mastroianni and Anna Galiena and Marisa Paredes carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0117968 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 47 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.