The Under-Gifted

1980 1h 32m FR

👍

6.5

SOLID

⭐

6.5

IMDB

★6.5TMDB · 498★6.5IMDB · 4,629

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The story centers around a graduating class of "less-gifted" students in a private Versailles high school. Only a miracle has brought the students this far along, and after a practical joke misfires and the whole school is dynamited, the students are in deep trouble. They have to present themselves in court for their punishment and it could not be worse: If they don't pass their high-school graduation exams, they go to prison!

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Daniel Auteuil
Baptiste Lavalle, dit « Bébel »
Michel Galabru
M. Grasset, commissaire de police
Maria Pacôme
Lucie Jumaucourt, directrice du cours Louis XIV, professeur de philosophie
Philippe Taccini
Julien Senquin
Hubert Deschamps
Léon Jumaucourt, professeur des matières scientifiques
Raymond Bussières
Gaston Pourquier
Étienne Draber
Le père de Julien, docteur en médecine
Tonie Marshall
Catherine Jumaucourt, professeur d'Histoire-Géographie

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Claude Zidi
Writers: Michel Fabre, Claude Zidi, Didier Kaminka
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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Under-Gifted Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Claude Zidi, shot by Paul Bonis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Daniel Auteuil and Michel Galabru and Maria Pacôme carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0081541 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Claude Zidi directs. Paul Bonis behind the camera. Bob Brault scores. Nicole Saunier cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

146 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Part of the "The Under-Gifted Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Claude Zidi, shot by Paul Bonis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Bob Brault. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Nicole Saunier shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Daniel Auteuil and Michel Galabru and Maria Pacôme carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0081541 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 9 themes, including "cheating", "private school", "exam", "versailles".