Boudu Saved from Drowning

Boudu Saved from Drowning

Directed by Jean Renoir

Produced by Les Établissements Jacques Haïk, Les Productions Michel Simon

193284 min6.9 / 10

A spirited, anarchic satire of bourgeois propriety built around a charismatic tramp's disruptive presence in a respectable household, blending social critique with effervescent comedy.

Michel Simon gives one of the most memorable performances in screen history as Boudu, a Parisian tramp who takes a suicidal plunge into the Seine and is rescued by a well-to-do bookseller, Edouard Lestingois. The Lestingois family decides to take in the irrepressible bum, and he shows his gratitude by shaking the household to its foundations. With Boudu Saved from Drowning, legendary director Jean Renoir takes advantage of a host of Parisian locations and the anarchic charms of his lead actor to create an effervescent satire of the bourgeoisie.

Questions people ask

  • Is Boudu Saved from Drowning scary? Barely. Less frightening than 84% of films.

  • Is Boudu Saved from Drowning violent? Barely. Less violent than 76% of films.

  • Is Boudu Saved from Drowning sad? Not especially. Less sad than 73% of films.

  • Is Boudu Saved from Drowning easy watching? Somewhat. More comforting than 67% of films.

  • Does Boudu Saved from Drowning end with hope? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

69/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Distinctly its own thing.

Rarity84

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise58

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love65

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Boudu Saved from Drowning

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Boudu Saved from Drowning

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Boudu Saved from Drowning, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Boudu Saved from Drowning, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Boudu Saved from Drowning, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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