Children of Paradise (1945)

8.3Not Rated190 minDirector: Marcel Carné

1945 French film directed by Marcel Carné

Children of Paradise (French: Les Enfants du Paradis, [lez‿ɑ̃fɑ̃ dy paʁadi]) is a two-part French romantic drama film by Marcel Carné, produced under war conditions in 1943, 1944, and early 1945 in both Vichy France and Occupied France. Set in the theatrical world of 1830s Paris, it tells the story of a courtesan and four men—a mime, an actor, a criminal and an aristocrat—who love her in entirely different ways.

It has received universal critical acclaim. "I would give up all my films to have directed Les Enfants du Paradis", said nouvelle vague director François Truffaut. In Truman Capote's The Duke in His Domain (1957), actor Marlon Brando called it "maybe the best movie ever made". Its original American trailer positioned it as the French answer to Gone With the Wind (1939), an opinion shared by critic David Shipman. A 1995 poll of 600 French critics and industry professionals voted it the best French film ever made.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Children of Paradise about?
Children of Paradise (1945) — Strolling indolently around the 1830s vibrant Parisian avenue called the Boulevard du Crime, the graceful and elusive courtesan, Garance, finds herself wrongfully accused of pickpocketing. But, amid a sea of jugglers, sideshow performers, streetwalkers, and crooks, the silently e
Is Children of Paradise based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Children of Paradise scary?
Content rating: Not Rated. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.