Charles, Dead or Alive

Charles, Dead or Alive

93 mins | Drama | Jan. 15, 1970

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.

Charles, Dead or Alive

93 mins | Drama | Jan. 15, 1970

Charles, Dead or Alive
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.
IMDb rating 7.2
Producers SRG SSR, Groupe 5 Genève
Original title Charles mort ou vif
Directors Marlène Walthert, Florian Rochat, Éric Noguet, Alain Tanner
Writers Alain Tanner

Cast

François Simon

as Charles Dé

Marie-Claire Dufour

as Adeline

Marcel Robert

as Paul

Maya Simon

as Marianne Dé, Fille de Charles

André Schmidt

as Pierre Dé, Fils de Charles

Jo Excoffier

as Reporter de TV

Walter Schochli

as Le Détective

Jean-Pierre Moriaud

as L'Avocat

Janine Christoffe

as La Femme de Chambre

Michèle Martel

as Germaine Dé, la Femme de Charles

Martine Simon

as Cilette

Jean-Luc Bideau

as Le Premier Ambulancier

Francis Reusser

as Le Second Infirmier

Antoine Bordier

as Le Réceptionniste de l'Hôtel

Pierre Verdan

as Le Patron de Bistrot