Porte des Lilas (English: Gate of Lilacs) is a 1957 French-Italian crime drama film directed by René Clair, based on René Fallet's novel La Grande ceinture. The film is known as both Gates of Lilacs and The Gates of Paris, but was released under the latter title in the United States.
Contents
Plot
Pierre Barbier is a convicted criminal accused of murder and wanted by the police. Hungry and sick, he finds refuge with a kind-hearted boy known as "The Artist." His unexpected arrival disrupts the lives of three inhabitants of the working-class neighborhood of Porte des Lilas in eastern Paris. First, there's the Artist, who struggles with the presence of the outlaw in his home but tries to help him get proper documentation. Then there's Juju, a lazy, alcoholic man who admires Barbier. Lastly, there's Maria, who suspects a secret and sneaks into the Artist's house to find Barbier. He deceives her in a vile manner, which infuriates Juju, who is in love with her. In the end, Juju commits a crime by killing the man who ruined his dreams.
Cast
Pierre Brasseur as Juju
Georges Brassens as Artiste
Henri Vidal as Pierre Barbier
Dany Carrel as Maria
Raymond Bussières as Alphonse
Gabrielle Fontan as Madame Sabatier
Amédée as Paulo - a regular at the café
Annette Poivre as Nénette
Alain Bouvette as Paulo's friend
Alice Tissot as the concierge
Paul Préboist
Awards
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and a BAFTA Award in 1958 and won the Bodil Award for Best European Film.