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.