Summary
Bulliedbyhismatriarchalmother,abusedbyhissiblings,ignoredbyhisfather,PoildeCarotte'schildhoodisasmiserableasitcouldbe. Anillegitimatechild,heisthemainreasonfortheenmitywhichexistsbetweenhisparents,whocontinuetolivetogetherjusttokeepupappearances.Intheend,PoildeCarotte'ssufferingbecomesmorethanhecanbear...
Review
DrawingheavilyonthepoignantnovelbyJulesRenardonwhichitisbased,Poildecarotteisamodestyetappealingfilmwhichhasstoodthetestoftimemainlybecauseofthequalityofitsactingperformancesanditsinherenthumanity.ItismorememorablethanJulienDuvivier'searliersilentversionof1925,alsonamedPoildeCarotte.
ThepartofPoildeCarottewasplayedby11yearoldRobertLynen,whowasallegedtohavebeendiscoveredwhilstwalkingdowntheChamps-ElyséesinParis.Lynenistotallycaptivatingandthefilmmadehimaninstantstar,launchingwhatlookedlikebecomingaverypromisingfilmcareer–untilhewasshotdeadwhilstfightingagainsttheGermansin1944. HarryBaur,alegendarystageandfilmactor(whoalsodiedduringWorldWarII,allegedlyatthehandsoftheGestapo),alsoturnsinatypicallyfineperformance. Thereconciliationbetweenfatherandsonattheendofthefilmprovidesitsmostenduringimage,enoughtomelttheheartofallbutthemoststoicalofspectators.
