They Were Five
French Poetic Realism
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1h 44m
Directed by Julien Duvivier • 1936 • France
Starring Jean Gabin, Charles Vanel, Raymond Aimos
With more money comes more problems in this spirited comedic drama, a tribute to everyman camaraderie inspired by the optimistic socialism of the French Popular Front movement. Gallic cinema icons Jean Gabin and Charles Vanel are among the group of five unemployed friends whose lives change when they win 100,000 francs in the national lottery. Pooling the money to open a café on the banks of the Seine, the quintet soon find their good-natured bonhomie tested by both business pressures and romantic rivalry.
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