

The Big Departure
Le Grand Départ
Synopsis
This is the only feature directed by the famed French painter and sculptor Martial Raysse. In keeping with the revolutionary spirit of the time, the movie has no plot to speak of and appears to have been largely made up on the spot. We follow the cat man into a bizarre fantasy universe presented in negative exposure that reverses color values (black is white and vice versa) and written words. The cat man steals a car and then picks up a young girl he promises to take to “Heaven.” Heaven turns out to be a country chateau inhabited by several more animal mask wearing weirdoes...
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Martial Raysse
- Screenplay & Story
- Martial Raysse
- Original Score
- Gong
- Original Title
- Le Grand Départ
- Country of Origin
- France
- Spoken Languages
- French
- Runtime
- 1h 11m
- Production Studios
- Sunchild Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Martial Raysse
Martial Raysse
Gong
Jean-Jacques Flori
Monique Giraudy, Martine Kalfon
Department Leadership Roster
Martial Raysse
Writer
Jean-Jacques Flori
Director of Photography
Monique Giraudy
Editor
Martine Kalfon
Editor
Martial Raysse
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Big Departure.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Big Departure
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Big Departure about?
This is the only feature directed by the famed French painter and sculptor Martial Raysse. In keeping with the revolutionary spirit of the time, the movie has no plot to speak of and appears to have been largely made up on the spot. We follow the cat man into a bizarre fantasy universe presented in negative exposure that reverses color values (black is white and vice versa) and written words. The cat man steals a car and then picks up a young girl he promises to take to “Heaven.” Heaven turns out to be a country chateau inhabited by several more animal mask wearing weirdoes...
Who directed The Big Departure?
The Big Departure was directed by Martial Raysse.
Who stars in The Big Departure?
The principal cast of The Big Departure includes Sterling Hayden, Anne Wiazemsky, Gilles Raysse, Lucienne Hamon, Alexandre Raysse.
When was The Big Departure released and how long is it?
The Big Departure was released in 1972 with a total runtime of 1h 11m.
Who composed the musical score for The Big Departure?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Big Departure was composed by Gong.



















