L' Horloger de Saint-Paul (The Clockmaker of St. Paul) (The Watchmaker of St. Paul) (1974)

100% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(430 ratings)

French film critic Bertrand Tavernier made his directorial debut in The Clockmaker. The title character, played by Tavernier's "alter ego" Philipe Noiret, is benumbed by the nihilistic activities of his son Sylvain Rougerie. Arrested on charges ranging from arson to murder, Rougerie offers the… More French film critic Bertrand Tavernier made his directorial debut in The Clockmaker. The title character, played by Tavernier's "alter ego" Philipe Noiret, is benumbed by the nihilistic activities of his son Sylvain Rougerie. Arrested on charges ranging from arson to murder, Rougerie offers the standard-issue explanation: the establishment is full of pigs who deserve to be "offed". Noiret must ask himself if his son's behavior is the result of stifling under the bourgeois lifestyle that Noiret has always championed. The Clockmaker is based on the Georges Simenon story L'Horlonger de Saint-Paul, which was also the French title of this film. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Bertrand Tavernier
Written By: Jean Aurenche, Pierre Bost, Bertrand Tavernier
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Jan 16, 1974 Wide
On DVD: Jun 14, 2005
Studio: Joseph Green Pictures Inc.

Critic Reviews

Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Post-'68 France as 'a curious country' of befuddled fathers and obscured revolutionaries
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
Strong, serious crime thriller that asks questions
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Philippe Noiret is marvelous in this role...

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[font=Century Gothic]In "The Clockmaker", Michel Descombes(Philippe Noiret) is a widowed clockmaker living in Lyons. One morning he is informed by Inspector Guilboud(Jean Rochefort) that his grown son, Bernard, is suspected along with a woman named Liliane of killing a… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "The Clockmaker", Michel Descombes(Philippe Noiret) is a widowed clockmaker living in Lyons. One morning he is informed by Inspector Guilboud(Jean Rochefort) that his grown son, Bernard, is suspected along with a woman named Liliane of killing a factory owner, Razon, the previous night. They are now the subjects of an intense manhunt. Meanwhile, Descombes has little idea as to why his son would commit this act and can only hope that his son is not killed by the police. At the behest of a journalist, he broadcasts a radio appeal to his son to turn himself in.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"The Clockmaker" is a straightforward and simple story, told mostly from the father's point of view, thus highlighting the difference in generations. The movie is about the effect of crime on family members and other people on the periphery. It also serves as an early critique of media manipulation. All of which is held together by a quietly powerful performance by Philippe Noiret.[/font]