Before the Deluge
1954The title of this French "reality" drama, which translates to Before the Deluge, is a play on Louis XVI's famous prognostication, "Apres moi, le deluge." Set in 1950, the film concentrates on five Parisian adolescents. Certain that the next war will herald the apocalypse, the youngster make plans to run off to a desert island and set up a new society. This, however, will require money, which is why the boys decide to pull off a "necessary" robbery. Idealism collapses in the face of cold reality, as the five youths suffer from the consequences of their actions. Avant le Deluge was one of a group of films cowritten by director Andre Cayatte and Charles Spaak which endeavored to explore the touchy social issues of the day: others in the Cayatte-Spaak canon include the euthanasia-themed Justice est Faite and the capital-punishment tract Nous sommes tous des assassins.
Acted in
Antoine Balpêtré
as Albert Dutoit
Paul Bisciglia
as Jean-Jacques Noblet
Bernard Blier
as Marcel Noblet
Marina Vlady
as Liliane Noblet
Jacques Chabassol
as Jean Arnaud
Clément Thierry
as Philippe Boussard
Jacques Fayet
as Richard Dutoit
Roger Coggio
as Daniel Epstein
Jacques Castelot
as Serge de Montesson
Léonce Corne
as Le commissaire Auvain
Paul Frankeur
as Monsieur Boussard
Isa Miranda
as Françoise Boussard
Carlo Ninchi
as Le président du tribunal
Delia Scala
as Josette
Line Noro
as Madame Arnaud
Albert Rémy
as Le garçon de café
André Valmy
as L'autre inspecteur de police
Julien Verdier
as Le veilleur de nuit
Maria Zanoli
as Madame Dutoit
Marcel Pérès
as l'inspecteur Malingué
Jean-Pierre Grenier
as (Voice dubbing for Carlo Ninchi)
