Murmur of the Heart
Le Souffle au cœur
“A souffle of a movie!”
Synopsis
This loosely plotted coming-of-age tale follows the life of 15-year-old Laurent Chevalier as he stumbles his way over the burgeoning swell of adolescence in 1950s France. After having his first sexual experience with a prostitute and dodging the lips of a priest, Chevalier contracts a case of scarlet fever. When the fever leaves him with a heart murmur, Chevalier is placed in a sanatorium, along with his over-attentive and adulterous mother.
Top Cast
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Lea Massari
Clara Chevalier
Benoît Ferreux
Laurent Chevalier
Marc Winocourt
Marc Chevalier
Fabien Ferreux
Thomas Chevalier
Daniel Gélin
Charles Chevalier
Michael Lonsdale
Father Henri
Ave Ninchi
Augusta
Annie Savarin
Cook
Gila von Weitershausen
Freda, prostitute
Micheline Bona
Aunt Claudine
Henri Poirier
Uncle Léonce
Liliane Sorval
Fernande
Jacqueline Chauvaud
Hélène
Corinne Kersten
Daphné
René Bouloc
Man at Bastille Day party
Jacques Gheusi
Hotel Receptionist
Jacques Sereys
Doctor
Yvon Lec
Father Superior
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 17, 1971
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 26, 2021
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Louis Malle
- Screenplay & Story
- Louis Malle
- Original Title
- Le Souffle au cœur
- Country of Origin
- France, Germany, Italy
- Spoken Languages
- French
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Production Studios
- Marianne Productions, Franz Seitz Filmproduktion, Vides Cinematografica, Nouvelles Éditions de Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Louis Malle
Louis Malle
Ricardo Aronovich
Suzanne Baron
Vincent Malle, Claude Nedjar
Department Leadership Roster
Louis Malle
Director
Jean-Jacques Caziot
Production Design
Ricardo Aronovich
Director of Photography
Louis Malle
Writer
Vincent Malle
Producer
Claude Nedjar
Producer
Suzanne Baron
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Murmur of the Heart.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Murmur of the Heart.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
***Retro***
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Murmur of the Heart
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Murmur of the Heart about?
This loosely plotted coming-of-age tale follows the life of 15-year-old Laurent Chevalier as he stumbles his way over the burgeoning swell of adolescence in 1950s France. After having his first sexual experience with a prostitute and dodging the lips of a priest, Chevalier contracts a case of scarlet fever. When the fever leaves him with a heart murmur, Chevalier is placed in a sanatorium, along with his over-attentive and adulterous mother.
Who directed Murmur of the Heart?
Murmur of the Heart was directed by Louis Malle.
Who stars in Murmur of the Heart?
The principal cast of Murmur of the Heart includes Lea Massari, Benoît Ferreux, Marc Winocourt, Fabien Ferreux, Daniel Gélin.
When was Murmur of the Heart released and how long is it?
Murmur of the Heart was released in 1971 with a total runtime of 1h 58m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Murmur of the Heart?
Murmur of the Heart holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.).