Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Things of Life

Original title: Les choses de la vie
  • 19701970
  • GPGP
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
4.8K
YOUR RATING
The Things of Life (1970)
Watch ’Official Trailer’
Play trailer1:30
2 Videos
18 Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance
A highway engineer is involved in a car crash, after which, near death, he remembers his life leading up to the accident.A highway engineer is involved in a car crash, after which, near death, he remembers his life leading up to the accident.A highway engineer is involved in a car crash, after which, near death, he remembers his life leading up to the accident.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
4.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Claude Sautet
  • Writers
    • Sandro Continenza(dialogue: Italian version)
    • Jean-Loup Dabadie(adaptation and dialogue)
    • Paul Guimard(novel)
  • Stars
    • Michel Piccoli
    • Romy Schneider
    • Gérard Lartigau
Top credits
  • Director
    • Claude Sautet
  • Writers
    • Sandro Continenza(dialogue: Italian version)
    • Jean-Loup Dabadie(adaptation and dialogue)
    • Paul Guimard(novel)
  • Stars
    • Michel Piccoli
    • Romy Schneider
    • Gérard Lartigau
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 20Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:30
    Official Trailer
    The Things of Life
    Trailer 1:30
    The Things of Life

    Photos18

    Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli in The Things of Life (1970)
    Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli in The Things of Life (1970)
    Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli in The Things of Life (1970)
    The Things of Life (1970)
    The Things of Life (1970)
    The Things of Life (1970)
    The Things of Life (1970)
    The Things of Life (1970)
    The Things of Life (1970)
    Michel Piccoli in The Things of Life (1970)
    The Things of Life (1970)
    Romy Schneider in The Things of Life (1970)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michel Piccoli
    Michel Piccoli
    • Pierre Bérardas Pierre Bérard
    Romy Schneider
    Romy Schneider
    • Hélèneas Hélène
    Gérard Lartigau
    • Bertrand Bérardas Bertrand Bérard
    Jean Bouise
    Jean Bouise
    • Françoisas François
    Boby Lapointe
    • Le bétailleuras Le bétailleur
    Hervé Sand
    • Le camionneuras Le camionneur
    Jacques Richard
    • L'infirmieras L'infirmier
    Betty Beckers
    • L'autostoppeuseas L'autostoppeuse
    Dominique Zardi
    Dominique Zardi
    • L'autostoppeuras L'autostoppeur
    Gabrielle Doulcet
    • Guitteas Guitte
    Roger Crouzet
    • Le promoteuras Le promoteur
    Henri Nassiet
    • M. Bérard, le père de Pierreas M. Bérard, le père de Pierre
    Claude Confortès
    • Le docteuras Le docteur
    Jerry Brouer
    • Le prétendantas Le prétendant
    Jean Gras
    • Georges, le chef de chantieras Georges, le chef de chantier
    Marie-Pierre Casey
    • La postièreas La postière
    Marcelle Arnold
    Marcelle Arnold
    • La mère d'Hélèneas La mère d'Hélène
    Jean-Pierre Zola
    Jean-Pierre Zola
    • Le père d'Hélèneas Le père d'Hélène
    • Director
      • Claude Sautet
    • Writers
      • Sandro Continenza(dialogue: Italian version)
      • Jean-Loup Dabadie(adaptation and dialogue)
      • Paul Guimard(novel) (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Cesar & Rosalie
    7.3
    Cesar & Rosalie
    Vincent, François, Paul and the Others
    7.3
    Vincent, François, Paul and the Others
    Max and the Junkmen
    7.3
    Max and the Junkmen
    A Simple Story
    6.9
    A Simple Story
    Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud
    7.2
    Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud
    Un Coeur en Hiver
    7.6
    Un Coeur en Hiver
    Mado
    6.6
    Mado
    That Most Important Thing: Love
    7.1
    That Most Important Thing: Love
    A Bad Son
    7.3
    A Bad Son
    The Old Gun
    7.6
    The Old Gun
    The Sensuous Assassin
    5.6
    The Sensuous Assassin
    Un amour de pluie
    6.1
    Un amour de pluie

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cigarette count: 46
    • Goofs
      In the car crash scene, the stunt double for Michel Piccoli is seen wearing brown gloves in close-ups. However Piccoli is bare-handed while driving.
    • Quotes

      Hélène: Tu m'aimes parce que je suis là. Mais s'il faut traverser la rue pour me rejoindre tu es perdu.

    • Connections
      Featured in Claude Sautet ou La magie invisible (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      La Chanson d'Hélène
      Music by Philippe Sarde

      Lyrics by Jean-Loup Dabadie

      Performed by Romy Schneider

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    About lives
    It is an experience. Rush, subtle, delicate and strange. A form of catharsis and source of restless questions.

    It is a beautiful film but not as aesthetic show or as object of loisir. In fact, it is a definition of life, social relations, ambiguity of love and search of happiness beyond classical definitions or Freudian symbols.

    In each life important it is pieces of puzzle. The respect for game rules, the science to be the favorite image of the other, the words as sentimental trap, the desire as essence of duty.

    For everybody the role of axis in family, society, hate or respect, expectations and illusions is more relevant than interior life. So, the masks are only way to be answer to expectations of other.

    It is a splendid film for the acting of Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli.

    For the Sautet mark.

    For dialogs and lights, for powerful suggestion art, for its message and definition of second life, for atmosphere and delicate art of existence sense discovery. About last hours and projection of lost world. About final silence and about shadows of the others. About structure of hope.
    helpful•17
    6
    • Vincentiu
    • May 2, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 13, 1970 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • Switzerland
      • France
      • Italy
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • These Things Happen
    • Filming locations
      • Rue de Sèvres, Paris 7, Paris, France
    • Production companies
      • Fida Cinematografica
      • Lira Films
      • Sonocam
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,063
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,063
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 29 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    The Things of Life (1970)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The Things of Life (1970) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.