37°2 le matin (1986)

Director:

Jean-Jacques Beineix

Writers:

Philippe Djian (novel)
Jean-Jacques Beineix (writer)

Release Date:

7 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Zorg is a handyman working at in France, maintaining and looking after the bungalows. He lives a quiet and peaceful life...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Restaurant | Bungalow | Piano Player | Tears

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Jean-Hugues Anglade	...	Zorg
Béatrice Dalle	...	Betty
Gérard Darmon	...	Eddy
Consuelo De Haviland	...	Lisa
Clémentine Célarié	...	Annie
Jacques Mathou	...	Bob
Vincent Lindon	...	Richard le jeune policier
Jean-Pierre Bisson	...	Le commissaire (complete version)
Dominique Pinon	...	Le dealer / Dope dealer (complete version)
Bernard Hug	...	(complete version)
Catherine D'At
Claude Aufaure	...	Le médecin
Louis Bellanti	...	Mario
Dominique Besnehard	...	Client pizzeria
Raoul Billerey	...	Le vieux policier

Also Known As:

Betty Blue (UK) (USA)
37.2 Degrees in the Morning (International: English title) (literal title)
37.2 le matin (France) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

120 min | 185 min (director's cut)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Colour:

Colour (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Belgium:KNT (original rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:14 (DVD rating) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2005) | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:16 | Peru:18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Gruissan, Aude, France

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Cameo: [Frédéric Andréi]When in Paris, Betty briefly goes to the rail tracks and Jules, the postman played by Frédéric Andréi in Diva, also directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, can be seen walking past her.

Goofs:

Continuity: After 30 minutes Betty throws Zorg's boss from the porch. She wears only a shirt, her bottom part is clearly nude. She goes inside and starts throwing things out of the window. Then she wears a slip

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Peep Show: Sectioning (#3.2)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Fantasy in F minor (piano sonata for four hands) op. 103 D 940

A kind, loving handyman and aspiring writer falls for a beautiful manic depressive and -- despite his gargantuan efforts -- can't help the love of his life exist in his world.

Zorg, a shy, happy-go-lucky handyman and aspiring writer (Jean-Hughes Anglade) falls in love with Betty, a beautiful, free-spirited young woman (Beatrice Dalle). Betty has trouble with authority and tends to get reckless and sometimes violent when provoked. Zorg finds her manic behavior and cavalier demeanor refreshing as she brings him out of his shell. After Zorg's slum lord boss voices too many demands Betty tosses everything out of the house and then torches it. Even this exhibition of arson doesn't phase Zorg as they take off to seek a better life. As the story progresses, Zorg falls deeper in love with Betty and dismisses her increasingly bizarre behavior as quirky. Eventually, an event sets off a time bomb in Betty, and any doubts about her insanity are laid to rest.

37.2 le matin (Betty Blue) is simultaneously an entertaining "slice-of-life" romp, and a sad tragedy. This visually enticing film is perhaps the finest from Jean-Jacques Beineix.