''Bed and Board'' (french: Domicile conjugal) is a 1970 French

comedy-drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

film directed by

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...

, and starring Jean-Pierre Léaud and Claude Jade. It is the fourth in Truffaut's series of five films about Antoine Doinel, and directly follows '' Stolen Kisses'', depicting the married life of Antoine (Léaud) and Christine (Jade). '' Love on the Run'' finished the story in 1979.

Plot

Antoine and Christine have got married and are living in a pleasant apartment that her parents have found for them. In it she gives violin lessons, while he works in the courtyard dyeing carnations for flower shops. When his experiments with colouring agents go horribly wrong, he has to find other work. An American company hires him to demonstrate model boats to potential customers in a mock-up harbour. Christine has a baby boy, which she calls Ghislain but he registers as Alphonse. At work he meets a Japanese girl, who invites him for a meal in her apartment. An affair starts, which Christine becomes aware of when she finds little hidden love letters. Antoine is banished from the bedroom and eventually moves out to a hotel, while Christine makes a life for herself and the baby. Antoine, bored and restless in a pointless existence, keeps telephoning her and at the end she is probably ready to take him back.

Cast

* Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel * Claude Jade as Christine Doinel * Daniel Ceccaldi as Lucien Darbon * Claire Duhamel as Madame Darbon * Hiroko Berghauer as Kyoko *

Daniel Boulanger Daniel Boulanger (24 January 1922 – 27 October 2014) was a French novelist, playwright, poet and screenwriter. He has also played secondary roles in films and was a member of the Académie Goncourt from 1983 until his death. He was born in Compi� ...

as Tenor * Silvana Blasi as Tenor's wife * Pierre Fabri as the office Romeo * Barbara Laage as Monique, secretary * Billy Kearns as M. Max *

Claude Véga Claude Véga (2 June 1930 – 11 April 2022) was a French impressionist, humourist, and actor.

as the Strangler * Jacques Jouanneau as Césarin * Danièle Girard as Ginette, a waitress * Jacques Robiolles as Sponger * Yvon Lec as the Traffic Warden * Marie Irakane as Mrs Martin, a concierge * Ernest Menzer as the little man * Jacques Rispal as Old Solitary * Philippe Léotard as a Drunkard * Pierre Maguelon as Cérasin's friend * Guy Pierrault as an SOS employee * Marcel Mercier as a person in the courtyard * Joseph Merieau as a person in the courtyard * Christian de Tiliere as a Senator * Nobuko Mati as Kyoko's friend * Iska Khan as Kyoko's father * Marie Dedieu as Marie, a prostitute * Jacques Cottin as Monsieur Hulot (uncredited)

Critical reception

John Simon wrote that ''Bed and Board'' "gives no offense, and no enlightenment".

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * *
''Bed and Board''
an essay by Noah Baumbach at the

Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinep ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bed And Board 1970 films 1970s romantic comedy-drama films French romantic comedy-drama films Films directed by François Truffaut Antoine Doinel Films with screenplays by François Truffaut 1970s French-language films 1970s French films