Forbidden Games
Encyclopedia
Forbidden Games is a 1952 French-language film directed by René Clément and based on François Boyer
's novel, Jeux interdits.
While not initially successful in France, the film was a hit elsewhere. It won the Golden Lion
at the Venice Film Festival
, and is still one of the most popular French films in the US. The Criterion Collection released the film on DVD in 2005. The film had 4,910,835 theater admissions in France.
) parents and of her pet dog in a Nazi
air attack on a column of refugees fleeing Paris, France during World War II
. In the chaos, the traumatized child meets ten-year-old Michel Dollé (Georges Poujouly
) whose peasant family take her in. She quickly becomes attached to Michel and the two attempt to cope with the death and destruction that surrounds them by secretly building a small cemetery where they bury her dog and then start to bury other animals, stealing crosses from the local graveyard including Michel's brother.
Michel's father first suspects that Michel's brother's cross was stolen from the graveyard by his neighbour. Eventually, the father finds out that Michel has stolen the cross.
Meanwhile, the French police come to the Dollé household in order to take Paulette. Michel cannot bear the thought of her leaving. Michel tells his father that he would tell him where the stolen crosses are, but in return he should not give Paulette to the police looking for her. His father doesn't keep his promise and Paulette ends up in a Red Cross camp, while Michel destroys the crosses.
. It includes an arrangement of the tune Romance
.
François Boyer
François Boyer was a French screenwriter. He achieved considerable success with his first attempt at screenwriting, Forbidden Games . Initially, he found no studio interested in his work, so he redesigned the screenplay as a novel and published it in 1947 under the title The Secret Game...
's novel, Jeux interdits.
While not initially successful in France, the film was a hit elsewhere. It won the Golden Lion
Golden Lion
Il Leone d’Oro is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most distinguished prizes...
at the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
, and is still one of the most popular French films in the US. The Criterion Collection released the film on DVD in 2005. The film had 4,910,835 theater admissions in France.
Plot summary
The film recounts the death of five-year-old Paulette's (Brigitte FosseyBrigitte Fossey
Brigitte Fossey, born in Tourcoing, Nord, is a French actress.-Early years:The daughter of a schoolteacher, Fossey was five years old when she was cast by director René Clément to star in his film, Forbidden Games. Fossey played the role of an innocent child orphaned by World War II...
) parents and of her pet dog in a Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
air attack on a column of refugees fleeing Paris, France during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the chaos, the traumatized child meets ten-year-old Michel Dollé (Georges Poujouly
Georges Poujouly
Georges Poujouly was a French actor who gained international acclaim as a child for his performance in the award-winning film Forbidden Games...
) whose peasant family take her in. She quickly becomes attached to Michel and the two attempt to cope with the death and destruction that surrounds them by secretly building a small cemetery where they bury her dog and then start to bury other animals, stealing crosses from the local graveyard including Michel's brother.
Michel's father first suspects that Michel's brother's cross was stolen from the graveyard by his neighbour. Eventually, the father finds out that Michel has stolen the cross.
Meanwhile, the French police come to the Dollé household in order to take Paulette. Michel cannot bear the thought of her leaving. Michel tells his father that he would tell him where the stolen crosses are, but in return he should not give Paulette to the police looking for her. His father doesn't keep his promise and Paulette ends up in a Red Cross camp, while Michel destroys the crosses.
Cast
- Georges PoujoulyGeorges PoujoulyGeorges Poujouly was a French actor who gained international acclaim as a child for his performance in the award-winning film Forbidden Games...
as Michel Dollé - Brigitte FosseyBrigitte FosseyBrigitte Fossey, born in Tourcoing, Nord, is a French actress.-Early years:The daughter of a schoolteacher, Fossey was five years old when she was cast by director René Clément to star in his film, Forbidden Games. Fossey played the role of an innocent child orphaned by World War II...
as Paulette - Amédée as Francis Gouard
- Laurence Badie as Berthe Dollé
- Suzanne Courtal as Madame Dollé
- Lucien Hubert as Dollé
- Jacques MarinJacques MarinJacques Marin was a French actor on film and TV. Marin's good command of the English language and his resemblance to the stereotypical Frenchman looks made him a familiar face in some major American and British productions and Disney movies Jacques Marin (September 9, 1919, Paris – January...
as Georges Dollé - Pierre Merovée as Raymond Dollé
- Louis Saintève as The priest
Awards
- Academy Award for Best Foreign Language FilmAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language FilmThe Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
, 1952 - Venice Film FestivalVenice Film FestivalThe Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
Golden Lion award for Best Picture, 1952 - New York Film Critics Circle AwardsNew York Film Critics Circle AwardsNew York Film Critics' Circle Awards are given annually to honor excellence in cinema worldwide by an organization of film reviewers from New York City-based publications. It is considered one of the most important precursors to the Academy Awards....
for Best Foreign Language Film, 1952 - BAFTA Award for Best FilmBAFTA Award for Best FilmThis page lists the winners and nominees for the BAFTA Award for Best Film, BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language and Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film for each year, in addition to the retired earlier versions of those awards...
, 1953
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Narciso YepesNarciso Yepes
Narciso Yepes was a Spanish guitarist.-Biography:Yepes was born into a family of humble origin in Lorca, Region of Murcia. His father gave him his first guitar when he was four years old. He took his first lessons from Jesus Guevara, in Lorca...
. It includes an arrangement of the tune Romance
Romance (song)
"Romance Anónimo" is a piece for guitar, also known as "Estudio en Mi de Rubira" , "Spanish Romance", "Romance de España", "Romance of the Guitar", "Romanza" and "Romance d'Amour" among other names.Its origins and authorship are currently in question...
.