The Cat in the Bag (French: Le chat dans le sac) is a 1964 drama film by Gilles Groulx, which played a seminal role in the development of Quebec cinema. The film's themes, improvisational style, hand-held camera work and evocative music signalled the emergence of a new generation of Quebec films and filmmakers.[2][3]
| The Cat in the Bag | |
|---|---|
| French | Le chat dans le sac |
| Directed by | Gilles Groulx |
| Written by | Gilles Groulx |
| Produced by | Jacques Bobet |
| Starring | Claude Godbout Barbara Ulrich Pierre Maheu Jean V. Dufresne Paul-Marie Lapointe Jean-Paul Bernier Manon Blain André Leblanc Véronique Vilbert |
| Cinematography | Jean-Claude Labrecque |
| Edited by | Gilles Groulx |
| Music by | John Coltrane |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Pathé Contemporary Films Impact Films (US, subtitled) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 74 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | French |
| Budget | $45,982[1] |
The film has mixed Direct Cinema documentary techniques and distancing devices similar to those employed by Jean-Luc Godard. The film tells the story of a young man's struggles to be accepted in Quebec society and Quebec's place in Canada. The protagonist, a journalist played by Claude Godbout, struggles with the question of whether to change society or accept it the way it is. He has a partner who is an American girl, an actress who runs a theater, but does not share the troubles and struggles with him. Claude leaves Montreal for the Quebec countryside to reflect on his life, and with the distance between them, their love fades.[3][4]
Cast
edit- Barbara Ulrich as Barbara
- Claude Godbout as Claude
- Manon Blain as Manon J'sais-pas-qui
- Véronique Vilbert as Véronique
- Jean-Paul Bernier as Jean-Paul
- André Leblanc as Toulouse
- Paul-Marie Lapointe as Messieurs – ont joué trois personages
- Jean-V. Dufresne as Messieurs – ont joué trois personages (as Jean V. Dufresne)
- Pierre Maheu as Messieurs – ont joué trois personages
Production
editIn 1963, Gilles Groulx presented Grant McLean, the director of production at the National Film Board, with a film outline that did not even fill an entire page. The film was shot on a budget of $45,982 (equivalent to $440,474 in 2023).[1]
Critical response
editCritic Robert Daudelin stated: "At last we were confronted by a film which really belonged to us, one in which we were happy to recognize ourselves and see ourselves close up. [It] was (and remains) the image of our most recent awakenings".[4]
It received the Grand Prix at the 1964 Montreal International Film Festival.[5] Le Chat dans le sac was identified as a "culturally significant film" by the AV Preservation Trust through the 2002 Masterworks programme.[2][4] It was screened at the 18th Berlin Film Festival in 1968 as part of Young Canadian Film, a lineup of films by emerging Canadian filmmakers.[6]
It was later screened at the 1984 Festival of Festivals as part of Front & Centre, a special retrospective program of artistically and culturally significant films from throughout the history of Canadian cinema.[7]
See also
edit- Blue World, a 2019 album featuring John Coltrane's recordings for this soundtrack
References
edit- ^ a b Evans 1991, p. 94.
- ^ a b "Le Chat Dans Le Sac (1964)". Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ a b Loiselle, Andre (June–September 2004). "Le Chat dans le sac". Take One. Canadian Independent Film & Television Publishing Association.[dead link]
- ^ a b c "Chat dans le sac, Le". Canadian Film Encyclopedia. with excerpts from Take One’s Essential Guide to Canadian Film. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ "The Cat in the Bag". Collection. National Film Board of Canada. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ^ Gerald Pratley, "In and Out of Cinema". Cinema Canada, September 1968.
- ^ Carole Corbeil, "The stars are coming out for Toronto's film festival". The Globe and Mail, 6 September 1984.
Works cited
editExternal links
edit- The Cat in the Bag at IMDb
- Watch the French-language (with English subtitles) version The Cat in the Bag and the original French-language version at NFB.ca