Charles, Dead or Alive
7.2
On the 100th anniversary of the founding of a watchmaking company in Geneva, Charles Dé the founder's 50-year-old grandson has had it: he speaks eccentrically to a reporter, recognizing his grandfather as a craftsman and his son as a businessman, but is evasive about himself. He gives his family the slip and moves in with a young couple he meets by chance, doing the cooking, reading, drinking, and engaging in philosophical discussions with them. The young couple comes to love Charles. In secret, he stays in touch with a daughter, and the rest of the family hires a private investigator to find him, setting in motion a business take-over that threatens his Bohemian happiness.
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Cast
18 people
François Simon
Charles Dé
Known for
To Die of Love
Christ Stopped at Eboli
Marie-Claire Dufour
Adeline
No other roles listed
Renato Berta
Also in
Les avatars de la mort d’Empédocle
Defense of the Time
Alain Tanner
Also in
Cinématon XL
Marcel Robert
Paul
Also in
Peter Pan & Wendy
Return from Africa
Maya Simon
Marianne Dé, Fille de Charles
André Schmidt
Pierre Dé, Fils de Charles
Also in
The Middle of the World
The Death of Mario Ricci
Jo Excoffier
Reporter de TV
Also in
How Can I Love (A Man When I Know He Don't Want Me)
Nous autres fossoyeurs
Walter Schochli
Le Détective
No other roles listed
Jean-Pierre Moriaud
L'Avocat
Also in
Return from Africa
Janine Christoffe
La Femme de Chambre
No other roles listed
Michèle Martel
Germaine Dé, la Femme de Charles
No other roles listed
Alain Tanner Director · Jacques Olivier Composer Renato Berta Cinematographer
Worldwide gross $785K · United States release August 19, 1972 · Produced in Switzerland
Box office
Worldwide gross
$785,000
Production
Groupe 5
Production
SRG SSR
Production
Switzerland
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Charles mort ou vif
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · May 8, 1969
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
Switzerland · January 29, 1970
Theatrical · French Speaking Region
United States · August 19, 1972
Theatrical · New York City, New York
France
January 15, 1970 · Theatrical
May 2, 2004 · Premiere · Festival de Films Anti-Boulot de Montpellier
Germany
January 1, 1979
Portugal
February 13, 1973
Spain
December 1, 1973 · Madrid
Switzerland
October 2, 1969 · Premiere · Locarno Film Festival
February 26, 1970 · Theatrical · German Speaking Region
United Kingdom
May 10, 2008 · Cinema '68
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Some details come from TheTVDB.