Madame Rosa (1978) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

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Madame Rosa lives in a sixth-floor walkup in the Pigalle; she's a retired prostitute, Jewish and an Auschwitz survivor, a foster mom to children of other prostitutes. Momo is the oldest and her favorite, an Algerian lad whom she raises as a Muslim. He asks about his parents; she answers evasively. As she ages and takes fewer children, Momo must do more for her; as money is tight, he tries to earn pennies on the street with a puppet. He's a beautiful man-child, and Madame Rosa makes him promise never to sell himself or become a pimp. A film editor, Nadine, befriends him, and his father appears as well. Madame Rosa reaches her last days in fear of hospitals, and Momo must act.

Cast & Crew

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Moshe Mizrahi

Simone Signoret

Samy Ben Youb

Michal Bat-adam

Gabriel Jabbour

Bernard Lajarrige

Film Details

Also Known As

La Vie Devant Soi, Life Before Him, Vie Devant Soi, La

MPAA Rating

Genre

Drama

Release Date

1978

Production Company

Lira Films

Distribution Company

Hen's Tooth Video; New Line Cinema; Warner Bros. Pictures International

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 45m

Sound

Mono

Color

Color (Eastmancolor)

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.66 : 1

Synopsis

Madame Rosa lives in a sixth-floor walkup in the Pigalle; she's a retired prostitute, Jewish and an Auschwitz survivor, a foster mom to children of other prostitutes. Momo is the oldest and her favorite, an Algerian lad whom she raises as a Muslim. He asks about his parents; she answers evasively. As she ages and takes fewer children, Momo must do more for her; as money is tight, he tries to earn pennies on the street with a puppet. He's a beautiful man-child, and Madame Rosa makes him promise never to sell himself or become a pimp. A film editor, Nadine, befriends him, and his father appears as well. Madame Rosa reaches her last days in fear of hospitals, and Momo must act.

Director

Moshe Mizrahi

Cast

Simone Signoret

Samy Ben Youb

Michal Bat-adam

Gabriel Jabbour

Bernard Lajarrige

Claude Dauphin

Mohamed Zinet

Genevieve Fontanel

Costa-gavras

Stella Anicette

Elio Bencoil

Vincent Hua

Bernard Eliazord

Mathe Samba

Ibrahim Seck

Theo Legitimus

El Kebir

Alain Recoing

Nadia Samir

Jacqueline Rouillard

Wladimir Streiff

Lyonel Maareik

Elizabeth Margoni

Young Prostitute

Renata Birgoleit

Ghazy Younes

Ghassan Younes

Jacky Belhassan

Fabien Belhassan

Ivry Gitlis

Crew

Tony Aboyantz

1st Assistant Director

Emile Ajar

Book As Source Material ("La Vie Devant Soi")

Nestor Almendros

Director Of Photography

Alex Archambault

Bernard Auroux

Camera Assistant

Ralph Baum

Executive Producer

Florent Bazin

Camera Assistant

Maud Begon

Theodore Bikel

Jean Bolvary

Georges Chretien

Sophie Coussein

Raymond Danon

Alain Depardieu

Associate Producer

Alain Depardieu

Production Manager Assistant

Bernard Evein

Julien Falk

Additional Music ("Timboyo")

Anita Fernandez

Emmanuel Fonlladosa

2nd Assistant Director

Jacques Fonteray

Jean-claude Gasche

Louis Gimel

Sound Assistant; Sound Recording

Roland Girard

Georges Glon

Art Direction Assistant

Andre Hoss

Production Manager

Michel Laleouse

Michele Lalune

Associate Producer

Michele Lalune

Production Manager Assistant

Teddy Lasry

Corinne Lazare

Assistant Editor

Ariane Litaize

Frederic Lodeon

Dabket Loubna

Moshe Mizrahi

Sylvie Moat

Jean Neny

Sound Rerecording

Roland Pichery

Assy Rahbany

Additional Music ("Dabket Loubman")

Mansour Rahbany

Additional Music ("Dabket Loubman")

Claude Reytinas

Hubert Rostaing

Jean-pierre Ruh

Sound; Sound Recording

Marthe Samba

Additional Music ("Timboyo")

Philippe Sarde

Helen G Scott

English Subtitles

Film Details

Also Known As

La Vie Devant Soi, Life Before Him, Vie Devant Soi, La

MPAA Rating

Genre

Drama

Release Date

1978

Production Company

Lira Films

Distribution Company

Hen's Tooth Video; New Line Cinema; Warner Bros. Pictures International

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 45m

Sound

Mono

Color

Color (Eastmancolor)

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.66 : 1

Award Wins

Best Foreign Language Film

1977

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States Winter January 1, 1978

Released in United States on Video June 2, 1993

Released in United States Winter January 1, 1978

Released in United States on Video June 2, 1993

The Country of France

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