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Forbidden Games

Play trailer Poster for Forbidden Games 1952 1h 27m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Orphaned after a Nazi air raid, Paulette, a young Parisian girl, runs into Michel, an older peasant boy, and the two quickly become close. Together, they try to make sense of the chaotic and crumbling world around them, attempting to cope with death as they create a burial ground for Paulette's deceased pet dog. Eventually, however, Paulette's stay with Michel's family is threatened by the harsh realities of wartime.

Critics Reviews

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Walter Goodman New York Times Jan 9, 2018
The messages come easily; the movie is never hectoring or doleful. The director's touch is light, his eye for the ways of farm folk and of children is sharp, and his heart is soft. Go to Full Review
Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times Aug 28, 2015
With its mixture of tones, its multiple plot focuses and its singular use of the virtuosity of Spanish guitarist Narciso Yepes on the soundtrack, it is very much its own film. Go to Full Review
David Ehrlich Time Out Apr 23, 2015
4/5
The movie is clearly not interested in sugarcoating or sentimentalizing WWII, even though Clment has every opportunity to do so. Go to Full Review
John McDonald johnmcdonald.net.au May 11, 2025
It’s not horror she feels, but a kind of fascination, as if there’s a great puzzle to be solved if only the correct rituals are observed. It’s not a descent into the abyss, but a game of hopscotch into darkness. Go to Full Review
Vernon Young The Hudson Review Jan 18, 2024
Summary is inadequate to convey anything but the general conception, surely the most extraordinary blend of tragedy and ferocious comedy ever achieved in the history of film-making. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Sep 8, 2023
3.5/4
Perhaps not until Ponette in 1996 had another movie looked so closely at how death might be absorbed through the eyes of a small child. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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ulyssesmovieblog b @RT05396176 Jun 10, 2025 Forbidden Games is a poetic and sad masterpiece that depicts the senselessness of war through the eyes of a child. The film conveys the loss of innocence and the destructiveness of humanity in an unforgettable language. https://ulyssesmovieblog.com/forbidden-games-1952-a-sad-tale-of-war-and-innocence/ See more
Stephen C @bob25009 May 30, 2025 Drama in just 1 hour and 27 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more
Blobbo X @Blobbo May 30, 2023 This one tug Blobbo heart-blob. See more
william d @acsdoug Jul 16, 2022 Two kids with an obsession with funerals may be charming to some, particularly since it's a response to wartime, but I found it tiresome. After about an hour or so of collecting crosses I found myself wishing they would change the subject. See more
Cameron M @Cameron11 Jul 24, 2021 Beautifully shot and very well-acted film. The start of this film is very well-directed by Clement and wonderfully acted by Fossey from beginning to end. The film is primarily about the escapades of Michel and Paulette in the latter's new family. The film also has a lot of light-heartedness in the midst of loss and despair during World War 2 France. it explores a child's perception of religion and death and how the dead are remembered during a period of war. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who loves French cinema. My only issue with the film was the ending that, while heartbreaking, has left me conflicted regarding whether a more impactful ending could have been shot. See more
Leaburn O @RT35452347 Jun 6, 2021 About as charming a film as you could wish to see. Two sweet kids in wartime France have a whimsical time in the countryside, leading to warring and confused neighbours. See more
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Forbidden Games

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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René Clément

Director

Brigitte Fossey

Paulette

Georges Poujouly

Michel Dolle

Lucien Hubert

Dolle, the Father

Suzanne Contal

Madame Dolle

Jacques Marin

Georges Dolle

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Forbidden Games

Forbidden Games (1952) Forbidden Games (1952) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Orphaned after a Nazi air raid, Paulette, a young Parisian girl, runs into Michel, an older peasant boy, and the two quickly become close. Together, they try to make sense of the chaotic and crumbling world around them, attempting to cope with death as they create a burial ground for Paulette's deceased pet dog. Eventually, however, Paulette's stay with Michel's family is threatened by the harsh realities of wartime.
Director
René Clément
Producer
Robert Dorfmann
Screenwriter
Jean Aurenche, Pierre Bost, Francois Boyer, René Clément
Distributor
Times Film Corporation
Production Co
Silver Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
May 9, 1952, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
May 9, 2025
Release Date (DVD)
Dec 6, 2005
Box Office (Gross USA)
$13.4K
Runtime
1h 27m
Sound Mix
Mono
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