Les parents terribles

Jean Cocteau, France, 1948

100 mins

7 / 10 (126)

Drama

Synopsis

Young Michel is in love with Madeleine, so he decides to tell his parents of his intention to marry her. He thinks his announcement is innocent enough, but it threatens to reveal dark family secrets. Yvonne, Michel’s overbearing mother, concocts an elaborate scheme to drive Madeleine away.

MUBI's take

Adapted from his infamous, once-banned 1938 play, Jean Cocteau’s unsung masterwork fuses farce, social satire, and tragedy to paint a perverse picture of familial dysfunction. Reprising his stage role, muse Jean Marais cuts an indelible figure as a young man wilting under maternal possessiveness.

Availability

Now showing

Library

Rent

Not showing in any country now

More films?

You currently have access to only 622 films in the United States selection.
You're missing out on 1493 more films, you can get immediate access to these via a VPN subscription.

We've partnered with NordVPN to get you 70% off on your subscription. Get yours now!