Children of Montmartre (1933)
A tender and socially conscious French drama about love, class, and the unbreakable bond between a devoted caretaker and a neglected child.
Children of Montmartre - Movie Information
- Original Title: La maternelle
- Release Year: 1933
- Directed by: Jean Benoît-Lévy, Marie Epstein
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 1h 23m
- Original Language: French
- Spoken Languages: French
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 15, 1933 (United States)
- Alternative Titles: Children of Montmartre (US)
- Production Countries: France
Children of Montmartre - Plot
When her father files bankruptcy and then dies, Rose's fiancé jilts her; she takes a job as a maid in a Montmartre kindergarten with 150 poor children. Rose gives each child loving attention, and soon she's their favorite. An especially needy child is Marie, a prostitute's daughter. Rose and she bond, and Marie is jealous of all attentions paid Rose, especially those of Dr. Libois, the school's physician. When Rose inadvertently guides the children through the educational experiment of a visiting scholar, and then discloses she has a college degree and is working beneath her station, the principal wants to fire her. Is there any way she can stay? And what will happen to Marie?
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Children of Montmartre - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Jean Benoît-Lévy
- Marie Epstein
Main Cast
- Madeleine Renaud
- Alice Tissot
- Paulette Élambert
- Sylvette Fillacier
- Mady Berry
- Henri Debain
- Alex Bernard
- Edmond van Daële
- Gaston Séverin
Writers
- Marie Epstein
- Jean Benoît-Lévy
Producers
- Carl Laemmle
Children of Montmartre - FAQs
What is Children of Montmartre about?
Children of Montmartre follows Rose, a college-educated woman who, after personal misfortune, takes a job as a maid in a Montmartre nursery school. She pours her heart into caring for 150 impoverished children, forming a particularly deep bond with Marie, a neglected little girl whose jealousy and need for love drive the film's emotional core.
Is Children of Montmartre based on a true story?
The film is adapted from the 1932 novel La maternelle by Léon Frapié, which drew on the author's own observations of working-class Parisian life and the municipal nursery school system. While fictional, it reflects the very real social conditions of early 20th-century Montmartre with striking authenticity.
Who directed Children of Montmartre?
The film was co-directed by Jean Benoît-Lévy and Marie Epstein — a remarkable creative partnership for the era. Marie Epstein was one of the very few women directing feature films in 1930s France, and her influence is felt throughout the film's empathetic, child-centered perspective.
Who are the main actors in Children of Montmartre?
Madeleine Renaud leads the cast as Rose, delivering a warm and nuanced performance. She's joined by Alice Tissot as the Superintendent, Paulette Élambert as the troubled young Marie, Sylvette Fillacier as Marie's mother, and Henri Debain as Dr. Libois, the school physician whose attention stirs Rose's heart.
What makes Children of Montmartre historically significant?
The film stands out as an early sound-era French drama co-directed by a woman — Marie Epstein — at a time when female filmmakers were extraordinarily rare. It also pioneered a naturalistic, socially conscious approach to depicting poverty and childhood, influencing later humanist cinema in France and beyond.
How was Children of Montmartre received by critics?
The film earned strong critical admiration upon release and has grown in reputation over the decades. Scholars of French cinema prize it for its compassionate realism, its sensitive portrayal of childhood vulnerability, and its quietly radical choice to center the story on working women and impoverished children rather than bourgeois protagonists.
What is the relationship between Rose and Marie in the film?
Rose and Marie share the film's emotional heart. Marie, the daughter of a prostitute, is starved for affection and latches onto Rose with fierce, almost possessive love. Rose reciprocates with genuine tenderness, but Marie's jealousy — especially toward Dr. Libois — creates the film's most poignant and dramatic tension.
Where was Children of Montmartre filmed?
The production was set and largely filmed in France, capturing the gritty, intimate atmosphere of working-class Montmartre in Paris. Cinematographer Georges Asselin's lens brings the cramped courtyards and bustling nursery school to life with a documentary-like immediacy that grounds the story in its social reality.
More About Children of Montmartre
Explore further details about this classic French drama through these authoritative sources.