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Extenuating Circumstances

1939 · 87 min

A gentle, talky French comedy where a pompous judge loosens up among cheerful small-time crooks; warm, witty, and lightly satirical.

Directed by
Jean Boyer
Genres
Comedy
Starring
Arletty, Michel Simon, Andrex
Overview
Harsh Parisian judge Gaetan (known as Monsieur Maximum), chafing in the idleness of retirement, leaves for a seaside holiday. But Gabriel the chauffeur has his mind on his girl, not the car; Gaetan and wife Nathalie are stranded in the country, where they find shelter in a low class bistro patronized by cheerful jail birds. Once the ice is broken, they have a wonderful time, but as the judge tries to trick his new friends into reforming, inevitable exposure approaches...

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In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
Directed by
Jean Boyer
Genres
Comedy
Starring
Arletty, Michel Simon, Andrex
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • warmstrength 2 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 2 of 3
  • lightstrength 2 of 3
  • whimsicalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
easy-watch, 2 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • class
  • justice
  • redemption
  • friendship
  • identity
Places
  • countryside
  • small town
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
None
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action2
Horror0
Humour7
Realism6
Romance2
Tension3
Darkness2
Complexity4
Emotional weight4

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Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
comedy
Directed by
Jean Boyer
Starring
Arletty, Michel Simon, Andrex, Suzanne Dantès, Mila Parély, Dorville, François Simon, Robert Arnoux
Music
Georges Van Parys
Cinematography
René Ribault, Victor Arménise
Runtime
87 min
Country
France
Languages
French

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