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Poster for A Grin Without a Cat

A Grin Without a Cat

1977 · 180 min

A dense, reflective archival essay that feels like sifting through the fading dreams of a generation, demanding patience and rewarding contemplation.

Directed by
Chris Marker
Genres
Documentary
Starring
Laurence Guvillier, Davos Hanich, François Maspero
Overview
Chris Marker’s A Grin Without a Cat is an epic political essay tracing the rise and decline of the global left from the 1960s to the 1970s. Through archival footage and commentary, the film examines revolutionary movements in France, Latin America, and beyond, reflecting on the ideals, failures, and fading hopes of a generation.

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Stream in the UK
  • DocAlliance Films
More options Data from JustWatch
Directed by
Chris Marker
Genres
Documentary
Starring
Laurence Guvillier, Davos Hanich, François Maspero
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • melancholicstrength 3 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 1 of 3
  • tensestrength 1 of 3
Pacing
slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • politics
  • power
  • betrayal
  • memory
  • rebellion
Places
  • big city
  • countryside
Era
period
Audience
adult
Form
  • documentary
  • nonlinear
  • true story
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex none
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action2
Horror1
Humour2
Realism9
Romance1
Tension4
Darkness6
Complexity9
Emotional weight8

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Where to watch in the UK

Stream
  • DocAlliance Films

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
documentary
Directed by
Chris Marker
Written by
Chris Marker
Starring
Laurence Guvillier, Davos Hanich, François Maspero, Yves Montand, François Périer, Sandra Scarnati, Jorge Semprún, Simone Signoret
Cinematography
Willy Kurant, Pierre-William Glenn
Runtime
180 min
Country
France
Languages
French, English, Spanish

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