The Two of Us

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The Two of Us

1967

1h 26m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

When the Nazis invade France, the family of Jewish child Claude (Alain Cohen) ships him out to a rural setting where he is less likely to be discovered by German soldiers. There, an aging couple, Pepe (Michel Simon) and Mèmè (Luce Fabiole), take in Claude and quickly grow close to him. Pepe, however, an unrepentant anti-Semite, has no idea the boy is a Jew, and the discovery of Claude's religious background could destroy their intimate friendship -- or help Pepe overcome his prejudices.

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

There’s so little going on in The Two of Us that one has to begin thinking of it as an idyll-fable, which has never been my idea of a good time.

Jul 6, 2022

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Alan Scherstuhl

Village Voice

Anyone who ever managed to open up, as a child, to an older relative or friend whose noxious views still confounded them will recognize the sly, small bargains that Claude makes with himself.

Dec 19, 2017

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Gilbert Adair

Time Out

The film's good humour and discretion, plus Simon's virtuoso performance, make it never less than watchable.

Feb 11, 2006

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

[Claude Berri's] debut stands as one his most accomplished achievements, and is a masterwork of haunting WWII and coming-of-age cinema.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 10, 2019

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Lee Jutton

Film Inquiry

Refreshingly free of bloodshed and bombast, Berri's film proves that you don't need to depict the visceral horrors of World War II onscreen to drive home the lasting impact it had on everyday people.

May 30, 2018

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Doris Toumarkine

Film Journal International

Delivers simple pleasures amidst wartime realities.

Dec 21, 2017

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Scott R

NYT 1000 list. It was a beautiful ironic tale about overcoming prejudice with a young boy being sent to rural France during WW2 and being taken care of by his grandparents. I enjoyed the movie and its message. SLC DVD.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/05/25

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Shioka O

This film is mostly cozy and funny for the setting. War deployment Jew kids story could be poor, painful and miserable, but this is not. Considering the release year 1968, this look so old/authentic.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/04/22

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jerry z

Sweet interaction between step-grandfather and 9-year-old Jewish boy, but poses the uncomfortable question of how kind is a man who also is an anti-semite.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Having been forced into minor parts for several years by a debilitating illness, veteran film actor Michel Simon made a triumphant return to leading roles in the charming, poignant The Two of Us (Le Vieil Homme et L'Enfant). It's the story of an anti-Semite farmer who takes care of a Paris child during in the country during the war - not realizing the child is Jewish. Rated 100% on RT. It was made in 1967 in black and white.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film is wonderful! I loved every frame and it brought me back in time to when I was growing up. Definitely not like any other film you’ve ever seen. It has a lot of heart but is not preachy at all. the cast is amazing and so is the entire ensemble cast I highly recommend five stars!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/08/18

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Audience Member

Charming, "human" film. Michael Simon is fantastic, as is Alain Cohen who gives one of the best and most natural child performances I've ever seen. Grandpa is such an interesting and endearing character despite his obvious flaws and ignorance. But he feels like a real person with Simon's performance and the movie showing his flaws and shortcomings along with his charm. Grandpa and Claude are great together, and the movie plays with your expectations. I'm still a little surprised there wasn't a scene of Grandpa finding out Claude was Jewish. Claude Berri portrays a different aspect of occupied France that I hadn't seen before, and I am pretty blown away by it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Claude Berri

Director

Michel Simon

Pepe

Alain Cohen

Claude

Luce Fabiole

Mèmè

Claude Berri

Writer

Gérard Brach

Writer

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Synopsis

When the Nazis invade France, the family of Jewish child Claude (Alain Cohen) ships him out to a rural setting where he is less likely to be discovered by German soldiers. There, an aging couple, Pepe (Michel Simon) and Mèmè (Luce Fabiole), take in Claude and quickly grow close to him. Pepe, however, an unrepentant anti-Semite, has no idea the boy is a Jew, and the discovery of Claude's religious background could destroy their intimate friendship -- or help Pepe overcome his prejudices.

Director: Claude Berri
Producer: Paul Cadéac
Screenwriter: Claude Berri, Gérard Brach
Distributor: Cinema V
Production Co: P.A.C.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 1967, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 2017
Release Date (Streaming): May 29, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $50.7K
Runtime: 1h 26m

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