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Movie
Poster for The Toy

The Toy

1976 · 95 min

A gentle, bittersweet comedy that balances satire of wealth with a tender bond between a man and a lonely boy, building to an emotional climax.

Overview
When Francois, a journalist, tours a big store for an article, he is chosen by the son of the newspaper's owner, Rambal-Cochet, as his new toy. Needing money and unwilling to quit his job, Francois agrees to this ridiculous assignment. Gradually befriending the spoiled boy, he induces him to play at making a newspaper, unveiling publicly the tyrannical way of life of the father. The powerful emotional climax we experience with the child astonishes both men.

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  • Apple TV Store
  • Amazon Video
  • YouTube
More options Data from JustWatch
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • warmstrength 2 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 2 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • class
  • power
  • family
  • parenthood
  • friendship
Places
  • big city
  • workplace
  • home
Era
contemporary
Audience
teen
Form
None
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence none
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action2
Horror0
Humour6
Realism7
Romance1
Tension3
Darkness4
Complexity4
Emotional weight6

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Where to watch in the UK

Rent or buy
  • Apple TV Store
  • Amazon Video
  • YouTube

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
comedy, drama
Directed by
Francis Veber
Written by
Francis Veber
Starring
Pierre Richard, Michel Bouquet, Fabrice Greco, Jacques François, Daniel Ceccaldi, Charles Gérard, Michel Aumont, Gérard Jugnot
Music
Vladimir Cosma
Cinematography
Étienne Becker
Runtime
95 min
Country
France
Languages
French

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