A Christmas Tale

Original title: Un conte de Noël

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

7.6K

YOUR RATING

Can a Christmastime scheme hatched by three of the youngest members of the troubled Vuillard family together for a peaceful holiday?

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Comedy Drama

The troubled Vuillard family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their matriarch requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christ... Read allThe troubled Vuillard family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their matriarch requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christmas.The troubled Vuillard family is no stranger to illness, grief, and banishment, but when their matriarch requires a bone-marrow transplant, the estranged clan reunites just in time for Christmas.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

7.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 5 wins & 35 nominations

Trivia
The Fields Medal, noted as having been won by Elizabeth's husband, is a medal given to a mathematician under 40 who has made a major contribution to the study of Mathematics. Fields Medals are awarded every four years to up to four mathematicians.

Goofs
The opening narration notes that Joseph was born in 1965, and that he died at age 6. However, we later see that his headstone gives 1968 as his year of death.

Quotes
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: When did it happen?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: What do you mean?
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: I want details. She mentioned a decision you all made. Tell me where and when. Was it here?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Easter vacation, 1991. At the community centre. You were next door.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: I remember. Is Ivan aware of this?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: It's history.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Was Ivan with you? Or did you and Henri decide our fate behind his back?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Ivan was there.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: What did you say?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Henri and I were talking about you. Guy talk. Ivan was quiet, smiling. Then he said, "If I don't get her, I'll never get over it."
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: What did you reply?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: I can't remember. "She's right for you."
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Exactly! The exact words!
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: "Take her, she's yours."
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: I'm not to be given, like a camel or a goat.
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: I didn't give you. I was 27. An idiot. I was hollow. Still am.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Did you love me?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Yes.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Do you love me?
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Yes.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: Scumbag! You're part of the game! By choosing for me, you played.
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: I was right. Ivan loved you infinitely.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: It's your love that was infinite. You played my hand and you cheated. Now I'll never know my life. It's not mine. I wasn't free to prefer Ivan.
Simon - Junon's nephew - the painter cousin: Henri was there, too.
Sylvia - Ivan's wife: It's not the same. You really love me. Henri wanted sex, and got it. For 10 years, you've had no life. You're pathetic in your studio. You don't talk. You're sad. You spend Sundays doing the dishes, stealing glances, avoiding my kids. You're a failure, clinging to the Vuillards. You never got over me.

Connections
Featured in WatchMojo: Another Top 10 Best Christmas Movies of All Time (2017)

Soundtracks
Prince Zorro
Music by Olivier Deparis
(musiques additionnells)

User reviews33

Review

Featured review

9/10

Family affairs?

After his impressing "Kings and queen" in 2004, Arnaud Desplechin proves that he's the best director come out from France in the last two decades with this exhilarating, moving, awfully brilliant "A Christmas tale". Following the path of its previous feature, the movie mixtures very hard scenes of desperation and hatred feelings with moments of absurd joy in an structure full of elliptical jumps from the past to the present and back again to the memories of another time. There's nothing new in his cinema and this is perhaps the only problem, that everything is well known yet; this is the first time that happens and today i think i have enjoyed very much the film but maybe it's time to spin around again and cut across another new ground. Desplechin knows the way.