The Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting

1978 1h 6m FR

👍

7.0

SOLID

⭐

7.4

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 55★7.4IMDB · 1,240

DramaMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Two narrators, one seen and one unseen, discuss possible connections between a series of paintings. The on-screen narrator walks through three-dimensional reproductions of each painting, featuring real people, sometimes moving, in an effort to explain the series' significance.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Jean Rougeul
Collector
Gabriel Gascon
Narrator
Raymond Pierson
Character of Paintings
Jean Reno
Character of Paintings
Chantal Paley
Character of Paintings
Jean Raynaud
Character of Paintings
Daniel Grimm
Character of Paintings
Isidro Romero
Character of Paintings

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Raúl Ruiz
Writers: Raúl Ruiz, Pierre Klossowski
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

Tight 66-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Raúl Ruiz, shot by Sacha Vierny. 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 Jorge Arriagada. 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 Patrice Royer 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

Jean Rougeul and Gabriel Gascon and Raymond Pierson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0077707 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 55 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Raúl Ruiz directs. Sacha Vierny behind the camera. Jorge Arriagada scores. Patrice Royer cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 66-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
248 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Raúl Ruiz, shot by Sacha Vierny. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Jorge Arriagada. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Patrice Royer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Jean Rougeul and Gabriel Gascon and Raymond Pierson carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0077707 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 55 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.