Classic Sautet Films Return to Big Screen in DCP Format

LA Cinephiles will have the rare opportunity to see five classic films from French director Claude Sautet, and for the first time in the new DCP format on the big screen, starting Friday at the Laemmle Royal.

A master of French cinema in the 1970s, Sautet’s collaborations with actress Romy Schneider, leading-men Michel Piccoli and Yves Montand, screenwriter Jean-Loup Dabadie, and cinematographer Jean Boffety, yielded romantic, yet haunting, films that epitomized the privilege and struggles of the French bourgeoisie following the political upheaval of the 1960s.

The series features three of his legendary collaborations with Schneider – Les Choses De La Vie (1970), the “policier” Max et Les Ferrailleurs (1971), and César and Rosalie (1972).
The rarely seen Vincent, François, Paul and The Others (1974) and Sautet’s final film, Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud (1995), are also included in this series, showcasing the director’s growth and unflinching attention to the uncomfortable emotional realities of everyday life.
Rialto Pictures is theatrically releasing the Sautet films, none of which are currently available on Blu-ray or DVD. The screenings are July 24-30 at the Laemmle Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd. West L.A., 310-478-3836.

The screening schedule is as follows:

LES CHOSES DE LA VIE (1970)
Runtime: 85 minutes
Cast: Michel Piccoli, Romy Schneider, Léa Massari
Winner, Prix Louis Delluc
Nominated, Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or

Pierre’s (Michel Piccoli) life flashes before his eyes following a car accident, focusing on his decision to leave his wife (Léa Massari) for a younger woman, Hélène (Romy Schneider).
MAX ET LES FERRAILLEURS (1971)
Runtime: 112 minutes
Cast: Michel Piccoli, Romy Schneider, François Périer, Bernard Fresson

Max (Michel Piccoli) has only one thing on his mind: putting away criminals. When yet another bunch of professional criminals get away, Max unexpectedly runs into an old army buddy, Abel (Bernard Fresson), who has turned to a life of petty crime with a small band of hoodlums, the “ferrailleurs,” or junkmen, of the title. He hatches a plan to trick the group of amateurs into committing a major crime, using Abel’s girlfriend Lily (Romy Schneider) as unwitting bait.

CÉSAR AND ROSALIE (1972)
Runtime: 111 minutes
Cast: Romy Schneider, Yves Montand, Sami Frey

After her divorce, Rosalie (Romy Schneider) splits her time between her family and the wealthy César (Yves Montand). When David (Sami Frey), an old flame of Rosalie’s, appears, the two men battle each other for her affections. 

VINCENT, FRANÇOIS, PAUL AND THE OTHERS (1974)
Runtime: 114 minutes
Cast: Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, Serge Reggiani, Gérard Depardieu

Three friends, Vincent (Yves Montand), François (Michel Piccoli), and Paul (Serge Reggiani), confront problems in work, love, and money. Sautet presents an all-too-true snapshot of mid-life crises in middle-class France.
NELLY AND MONSIEUR ARNAUD (1995)
Runtime: 107 minutes
Cast: Emmanuelle Béart, Michel Serrault, Jean-Hugues Anglade
Winner, Prix Louis Delluc
Winner, César Award for Best Actor (Michel Serrault) and Best Director (Claude Sautet)

Nelly (Emmanuelle Béart) is behind on her rent and saddled with an unemployed and uninterested husband. When she meets Monsieur Arnaud (Michel Serrault), an older and wealthier man, Nelly sees a chance to escape from poverty and loneliness. Arnaud enlists her help with transcribing his memoirs and, as their unconventional relationship blossoms, barely-contained emotions threaten to break free.