The Elegant Criminal
6.1
On 9 January 1836, Pierre Lacenaire goes to the guillotine, a murderer and a thief. He gives Allard, a police inspector, his life story, written while awaiting execution. He also asks Allard to care for Hermine, a lass to whom he has been guardian for more than ten years. In flashbacks, from the prison as Lacenaire writes, from Allard's study as he and Hermine read, and from other readers' memory after the book is published, we see Lacenaire's childhood as he stands up to bullies, including priests, his youthful thieving, his first murder, his brief army career, his seduction of a princess, and his affair with Avril, a young man who dies beside him.
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Cast
34 people
Daniel Auteuil
Pierre-François Lacenaire
Known for
Caché
La Belle Époque
Jean Poiret
Allard
Known for
The Last Metro
Cop au Vin
Francis Girod
Ariel Zeitoun
Georges Conchon
Also in
The Lady Banker
Rene the Cane
Jacques Weber
Jacques Arago
Known for
La Mante
Cyrano de Bergerac
François Périer
Lacenaire's father
Known for
Le Samouraï
Nights of Cabiria
Geneviève Casile
Lacenaire's mother
Known for
Le Chef
Leaving
Jean Davy
Alphonse Damoiseau
Known for
Christine
Carnival of Sinners
Jacques Duby
Marmignat
Known for
Thérèse Raquin
The Sicilian Clan
Paul Le Person
Vigouroux
Known for
The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe
Very Happy Alexander
Maïwenn
Hermine
Known for
High Tension
Jeanne du Barry
Francis Girod Director · Georges Conchon Writer Laurent Petitgirard Composer
United States release June 24, 1992 · Produced in France · Production Hachette Première, Investimage 2
Production
Ciné Cinq
Production
Hachette Première
Production
Investimage 2
Production
Investimage 3
Production
Partner's Productions
Production
Sofica Créations
Production
Sofinergie 1
Production
Sofinergie 2
Production
Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)
Production · Distribution
France
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Lacenaire
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · December 19, 1990
Theatrical
United States · June 24, 1992
New York City, New York
Australia
May 29, 1993 · Adelaide Film Festival
France
September 5, 2005 · Physical · DVD
February 12, 2025 · Physical · Blu-Ray
Hungary
November 9, 1991 · TV premiere
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Some details come from TheTVDB.