Julien Couturier and his wife Louise, a young couple from Auvergne who have come to Paris to try their luck for the first time in their lives, become the owners of the "Café du Cadran" ("Clockface Cafe"). On opening day, they meet the people who will become their clientele. It's a busy place, with regular customers served by two waiters, Jules and Victor. While Julien is comfortable in his role as boss, Louise doesn't quite get used to this urban world, where everything moves faster, especially human feelings. She often misses Marcenait, the village in Auvergne where she and her husband ran the "Café du Commerce". Mr. Luigi, a café customer and violinist who performs at the "Café de Paris", has undertaken Louise's cultural education. He teaches her how to dress and do her hair, while recounting his musical successes and travels, skilfully playing on his undeniable seductiveness...
Acting
Blanchette Brunoy's silent longing speaks volumes.
Production
Lovingly cluttered café set feels lived-in.
Director
Henri Decoin
Bernard Blier
Julien Couturier
Blanchette Brunoy
Louise Couturier
Aimé Clariond
Lugi, le violoniste
Nane Germon
Jeanne
Charles Vissières
Victor, garçon de café
Robert Le Fort
Jules, garçon de café
Félix Oudart
Gregorio
Pierre Sergeol
Bianchi, le truand
Robert Seller
Biscarra , un journaliste
Georges Bréhat
Aubert
Jean Sylvère
Jacques Denoël
L'amoureux
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Decoin's film captures the massive rural-to-urban migration reshaping post-war France, when Auvergnats famously dominated Parisian café culture.
Bernard Blier and Blanchette Brunoy were married in real life—their on-screen tension apparently borrowed from actual domestic negotiations.
FR
