The Lower Depths (1936)
Les bas-fonds (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 1h 35min
- Crime, Drama
- 10 Sep 1937 (USA)
- Movie
A charismatic thief makes friends with a bankrupt baron who comes to live in the thief's slum. Meanwhile the thief seeks the love of a young woman, who is held emotionally captive by her slumlord family.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- 2 wins.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Jean Gabin | ... |
Pepel Wasska
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| Suzy Prim | ... |
Vassilissa Kostyleva
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| Louis Jouvet | ... |
Le baron
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| Jany Holt | ... |
Nastia
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| Vladimir Sokoloff | ... |
Kostylev
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| Robert Le Vigan | ... |
L'acteur alcoolique
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Camille Bert | ... |
Le comte
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| René Génin | ... |
Louka - le philosophe
(as René Genin)
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Paul Temps | ... |
Satine - le télégraphiste
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Robert Ozanne | ... |
Jabot de Travers
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Henri Saint-Isle | ... |
Klestch - le cordonnier
(as Saint-Iles)
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Alex Allin | ... |
Tatar
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André Gabriello | ... |
Toptoun - l'inspecteur des garnis
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Léon Larive | ... |
Felix - le valet du baron
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Nathalie Alexeeff | ... |
Anna - un pauvresse qui se meurt
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| Maurice Baquet | ... |
Alochka - le fou accordéoniste
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| Junie Astor | ... |
Natacha
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Jacques Becker | ... |
Un promeneur (uncredited)
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Fernand Bercher | ... |
Un officier (uncredited)
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Annie Ceres | ... |
(uncredited)
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Paul Grimault | ... |
Petit rôle (uncredited)
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Irène Joachim | ... |
La chanteuse (uncredited)
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Lucien Mancini | ... |
Le patron de la guinguette (uncredited)
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René Stern | ... |
L'envoyé du comte (uncredited)
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Sylvain | ... |
Le greffier de la prison (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Jean Renoir | ||
Written by
| Maxim Gorky | ... | (play "Na dnie") |
| Yevgeni Zamyatin | ... | () (as E. Zamiatine) & |
| Jacques Companéez | ... | () (as J. Companeez) and |
| Jean Renoir | ... | () & |
| Charles Spaak | ... | () |
| Jean Renoir | ... | (dialogue) & |
| Charles Spaak | ... | (dialogue) |
Produced by
| Alexandre Kamenka | ... | producer |
Music by
| Jean Wiener | ||
Cinematography by
| Fédote Bourgasoff | ... | (as F. Bourgas) |
| Jean Bachelet | ... | (uncredited) |
Editing by
| Marguerite Renoir | ... | (as Marguerite) |
Set Decoration by
| Hugues Laurent | ||
| Eugène Lourié | ||
Makeup Department
| Igor Keldich | ... | key makeup artist (as Keldisch) |
Production Management
| Koura | ... | unit manager |
| Vladimir Zederbaum | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Jacques Becker | ... | first assistant director |
| Joseph Soiffer | ... | second assistant director |
Sound Department
| Robert Ivonnet | ... | sound engineer |
Special Effects by
| Paul Minine | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
| Nicolas Wilcké | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Roger Forster | ... | still photographer |
| Jacques Mercanton | ... | camera operator |
Music Department
| Roger Desormière | ... | music technical advisor |
Additional Crew
| Julian Leigh | ... | original subtitler: USA |
| Julia Wolf | ... | original subtitler: UK |
| Puck | ... | poster designer: Germany (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Gaumont-Franco-Film-Aubert (GFFA) (1936) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Arthur Mayer & Joseph Burstyn (1937) (United States) (theatrical) (English subtitles)
- Sound City Films (1937) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (re-titled)
- Agence Centrale Cinématographique (ACC) (1936) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Anglo Film (1957) (Sweden) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Ciné Vog Films (1950) (Belgium) (theatrical) (reissue)
- Europa Film (Italy) (theatrical)
- Les Distributeurs Français (France) (theatrical)
- S.B.D.C. (1944) (Belgium) (theatrical) (reissue)
- Stockholm Film (1948) (Sweden) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Svensk Filmindustri (1937) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Jeunesse kikaku (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
- KinoVista (2007) (Russia) (tv)
- Kinokuniya shoten (2023) (Japan) (Blu-ray) (with "Toni")
- NHK BS1 (1985) (Japan) (tv)
- NHK Kyôiku (1985) (Japan) (tv)
- NHK-BS2 (1999) (Japan) (tv)
- René Chateau Video (France) (VHS)
- Tamasa Distribution (France)
- The Criterion Collection (2004) (United States) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Editions Echo (music publishing company)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
The winner of the Louis Delluc Prize as the most outstanding French photo-play of 1936, as selected by the Young Independent Critics of France (an organization and not a description.) The film treats the imprisoning hold of poverty; the disheartening odds of people rising from such social despair, and the ease in which those in the upper spheres of Society may descend.
Written by Les Adams |
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| Taglines | From the world-famous play by MAXIM GORKI See more » |
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| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | In the end of the film, alcoholic actor quotes from Shakespeare's Hamlet: 'To die, to sleep - No more; and by a sleep, to say we end The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks That Flesh is heir to?' See more » |
| Goofs | As Kostylev lies dead on the anvil, the shadow of the camera can be seen approaching on the ground. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Han-shojo (1938). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Les Bas-Fonds See more » |
| Crazy Credits | The last scene zooms out and fades away to the end title: 'FIN'. See more » |
| Quotes |
Vassilissa Kostyleva:
One day, everything will be ours. We'll go away together. To live the good life where no one knows us. Wasska Pepel: Stop it. Vassilissa Kostyleva: You don't love me anymore. Why not? See more » |