Zazie dans le métro (Zazie in the Subway) (1960)

87% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(1,542 ratings)

The lighthearted comedy Zazie Dans Le Metro, an early directorial effort from Louis Malle, stars Catherine Demongeot as a 12-year-old girl named Zazie. Zazie is forced to travel to Paris when her mother wants to rendezvous with her lover. Zazie is left in the care of Uncle Gabriel (Philippe Noiret),… More The lighthearted comedy Zazie Dans Le Metro, an early directorial effort from Louis Malle, stars Catherine Demongeot as a 12-year-old girl named Zazie. Zazie is forced to travel to Paris when her mother wants to rendezvous with her lover. Zazie is left in the care of Uncle Gabriel (Philippe Noiret), an eccentric transvestite. Both with him, and on her own, Zazie meets a variety of unusual city dwellers, and gets into a series of misadventures that reach their greatest level of wackiness during a café food fight. The film is based on a novel by the distinguished French author Raymond Queneau. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Louis Malle
Written By: Louis Malle
Genres: Art House & International, Comedy, Special Interest

In Theaters: Oct 28, 1960 Limited
On DVD: Jun 28, 2011

Critic Reviews

Ty Burr, Entertainment Weekly
So inventive that it's exhausting, this is a rare thing indeed -- a family film for cynics.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Arguably Louis Malle's best work.
, Variety
It has some risible bits but is, in all, somewhat diffuse.
Eric Melin, Scene-Stealers.com
Malle uses tons of editing tricks, both crude and cutting edge for the time, and turns Paris into a wild playground for a wonderfully anarchic romp.
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
a fun movie in its own way, but also one that wears on you by the end, as Malle exhausts us while exhausting his arsenal of cinematic tricks
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
Jazzy and daring...takes Raymond Queneau's novel-the sort generally considered 'unfilmable' and makes a film so cinematic as to appear sui generis. [Blu-ray]
Glenn Heath Jr., Slant Magazine
"A reverie with a dream," Zazie Dans le Metro is a frenzied fusion of Louis Malle's absurdist sensibilities and William Klein's colorful visual mash-ups, and the result is something totally insane.
Christopher Long, Movie Metropolis
Zazie, you're so darned adorable, you even make getting picked up by Aqualung look like fun.
Michael Atkinson, Turner Classic Movies Online
Malle's movie is an anarchist farce, baldly, bravely approximating the worldview of its titular heroine, a spritely, irreverent, vandalizing brat.
, Film4
Brilliant if barking mad.
, Metro Times (Detroit, MI)
The film is a visual feast that's well-acted and charming more often than not, but those looking for a tighter narrative or well-knit plot may prefer Malle's more serious-minded works.
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
An acquired taste, but for those who are big fans of challenging, chaotic new wave French cinema go wild.
, Senses of Cinema
It works, not despite its mélange of slapstick, tragedy, farce and satire, but because of it.
, Time Out
It has survived the years much better than other indulgent frolics, mainly because Malle really does seem motivated by gleeful malice and anarchy -- he's not just toying with a fashionable mood.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
I don't believe that I'm familiar with any New Wave film so full of that energy as Louis Malle's third feature, Zazie in the Metro.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Even if it's a failure, which I think it is, it's still an interesting failure with possibilities there's something worth picking up out of the rubble. Just don't ask me what that is at this time.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

Young Zazie goes to Paris and stays with her exotic dancer uncle (really!); the only thing she wants to see is the Metro, but the workers are on strike, so she explores the city instead. An utterly absurd comedy full of editing tricks, nonsense wordplay, and bizarre incidents (when… More
Young Zazie goes to Paris and stays with her exotic dancer uncle (really!); the only thing she wants to see is the Metro, but the workers are on strike, so she explores the city instead. An utterly absurd comedy full of editing tricks, nonsense wordplay, and bizarre incidents (when they climb the Eiffel Tower they find a sea captain and a polar bear on top). If you could somehow cross-breed Charlie Chaplin and Luis Bunuel, this is the movie the mutant hybrid would direct.
Justin Y

Louis Malle delivers one heck of a film in Zazie dans le metro.Zazie arrives in Paris wanting to see the metro; unfortunately, the workers are on strike. So, instead she runs amuck throughout the rest of Paris. That about sums up the story for this… More
Louis Malle delivers one heck of a film in Zazie dans le metro.Zazie arrives in Paris wanting to see the metro; unfortunately, the workers are on strike. So, instead she runs amuck throughout the rest of Paris. That about sums up the story for this picture. It doesn't sound like much, and it really isn't, but for a film that is just under 90 minutes it delights from beginning to end.Where there is a lack of depth in the story and the characters, the film makes up for in style. The pacing is frantic and so are the camera tricks. Scenes speed up and down, along with the background music, while stop tricks move characters around in the blink of an eye. All this is what makes the film as fun as it is and it eventually leads up to one heck of a bizarre finale. The multiple chase scenes are also worthy of note.Catherine Demongeot is a blast to watch as the foul mouthed Zazie and the rest of the cast find a way to blend right in with the rest of the picture.Zazie dans le metro can be a little annoying with its style and humor, but overall, it is a recommendable French comedic film.
Anthony L

For the child in everyone, Zazie dans le métro will only appeal if you're comfortable laughing at yourself. Zazie is young, confident and very funny but unfortunately also a little annoying. It's a little dated to be fair and it's not my favourite Malle film but it is… More
For the child in everyone, Zazie dans le métro will only appeal if you're comfortable laughing at yourself. Zazie is young, confident and very funny but unfortunately also a little annoying. It's a little dated to be fair and it's not my favourite Malle film but it is charming and I love the scene at the top of the Eiffel Tower!
Arash X

This movie is nuts, I was specially surprised to see a movie like this by someone like Malle, Fun & smart
Chris B

A perfect blend of Art House and International and Comedy, Zazie dans le metro (Zazie in the Subway) is an amazingly captivating and fun film. Louis Malle's first color film and most experimental along with Black Moon, the film is about Zazie who is a 12 year old girl staying… More
A perfect blend of Art House and International and Comedy, Zazie dans le metro (Zazie in the Subway) is an amazingly captivating and fun film. Louis Malle's first color film and most experimental along with Black Moon, the film is about Zazie who is a 12 year old girl staying with her Uncle and Aunt for the weekend in Paris. What seems to be a normal couple days turns into a gag fest and continuous chase throughout all of Paris and involving what seems like the majority of the population. You can tell that in 1960 this was pushing the limits, but nowadays you couldn't get away with filming something so politically incorrect and controversial as Zazie. That being said it works at adapting the seemingly impossible to adapt book and makes a great stand alone piece. What a fun and enjoyable film that really sucks you in and doesn't let go! Highly Recommended!