La bête humaine

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In this classic adaptation of Emile Zola's novel, a tortured train engineer falls in love with a troubled married woman who has helped her husband commit a murder.In this classic adaptation of Emile Zola's novel, a tortured train engineer falls in love with a troubled married woman who has helped her husband commit a murder.In this classic adaptation of Emile Zola's novel, a tortured train engineer falls in love with a troubled married woman who has helped her husband commit a murder.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

8.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total

Photos53

+ 47

Top cast27

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Jean Gabin

Jacques Lantier

Julien Carette

Pecqueux
(as Carette)

Simone Simon

Séverine Roubaud

Fernand Ledoux

Roubaud
(as Ledoux de la Comédie Française)

Blanchette Brunoy

Flore

Gérard Landry

Dauvergne
(as Gerard Landry)

Jenny Hélia

Philomène Sauvagnat
(as Jenny Helia)

Colette Régis

Victoire Pecqueux
(as Colette Regis)

Claire Gérard

Une voyageuse
(as Claire Gerard)

Charlotte Clasis

Tante Phasie
(as Germaine Clasis)

Jacques Berlioz

Grandmorin
(as Berlioz)

Tony Corteggiani

Dabadie
(as Cortegianni)

André Tavernier

Le juge d'instruction Denizet

Marcel Pérès

Un lampiste
(as Perez)

Jean Renoir

Cabuche

Jacques Roussel

Commissaire Cauche
(as Roussel)

Jacques Beauvais

Jacques Becker

Un lampiste
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Jean Gabin learned how to operate a locomotive before shooting.

Goofs
At about the 0:28:00 mark the boom mic shadows moves on the far left wall.

Quotes
Jacques Lantier: Pecqueux, I have to tell you something. Don't say a word and don't move. I killed her. That's right, I killed her. It's all over. I'll never see her again. It'll be the death of me, I know it. I couldn't bear to hold her anymore. I loved her, you know? I loved her little hands most of all. But there's one thing I don't get: why haven't they arrested me?

Alternate versions
There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, "LA BÊTE HUMAINE (L'angelo del male, 1938) + VERSO LA VITA (1936)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.

Connections
Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une histoire seule (1989)

Soundtracks
Le Coeur de Ninon
Music by Ernesto Becucci
Lyrics by Georges Millandy
Performed by Marcel Véran

User reviews53

Featured review

7/10

The human beast

Jean Renoir's "La Bete Humaine" (1938) stars Jean Gabin and Simone Simon in an adaptation of Emile Zola's novel. Renoir's novel is part of a series following a family. Lantier (Gabin) suffers from an inherited illness, possibly a chemical dysfunction. He's given to violent outbursts. He falls for the beautiful and childlike Sevarin (Simon) who, with her husband, kills her lover. Lantier witnesses this. Sevarin wants him to help kill her husband.

This is a beautifully photographed, bleak story with the symbolism of the railroad (Lanier is a railway engineer) running through it. Gabin is terrific as the tragic Lanier, and Simone Simon is effective as the woman.

Fritz Lang's later film "Human Desire" is also based on the Zola novel, but the Renoir version has more layers, particularly in the characterizations.

Highly recommended.