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The Mad Women's Ball

Original title: Le bal des folles
  • 2021
  • 2h 2m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
4.8K
YOUR RATING
The Mad Women's Ball (2021)
The Mad Women's Ball tells the story of Eugénie, a radiant and passionate young woman who is at odds with her bourgeois milieu in the late 19th century. When Eugénie's family learn that she communicates with spirits, they decide to have her committed...
Play trailer1:41
1 Video
20 Photos
DramaThriller

A woman who is unfairly institutionalized at a Paris asylum plots to escape with the help of one of its nurses. Based on the novel 'Le bal des folles' by Victoria Mas.A woman who is unfairly institutionalized at a Paris asylum plots to escape with the help of one of its nurses. Based on the novel 'Le bal des folles' by Victoria Mas.A woman who is unfairly institutionalized at a Paris asylum plots to escape with the help of one of its nurses. Based on the novel 'Le bal des folles' by Victoria Mas.

  • Director
    • Mélanie Laurent
  • Writers
    • Christophe Deslandes
    • Julien Decoin
    • Victoria Mas
  • Stars
    • Lou de Laâge
    • Mélanie Laurent
    • Emmanuelle Bercot
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    4.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mélanie Laurent
    • Writers
      • Christophe Deslandes
      • Julien Decoin
      • Victoria Mas
    • Stars
      • Lou de Laâge
      • Mélanie Laurent
      • Emmanuelle Bercot
    • 27User reviews
    • 39Critic reviews
    • 72Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:41
    Official Trailer

    Photos20

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    Top cast69

    Edit
    Lou de Laâge
    Lou de Laâge
    • Eugénie Cléry
    Mélanie Laurent
    Mélanie Laurent
    • Geneviève Gleizes
    Emmanuelle Bercot
    Emmanuelle Bercot
    • Jeanne
    Benjamin Voisin
    Benjamin Voisin
    • Théophile Cléry
    Cédric Kahn
    Cédric Kahn
    • François Cléry
    Lomane de Dietrich
    Lomane de Dietrich
    • Louise
    Christophe Montenez
    Christophe Montenez
    • Jules
    • (as Christophe Montenez de la Comédie Française)
    Coralie Russier
    Coralie Russier
    • Camille
    Alice Barnole
    Alice Barnole
    • Henriette
    Lauréna Thellier
    • Marguerite
    Martine Schambacher
    Martine Schambacher
    • Thérèse
    Martine Chevallier
    Martine Chevallier
    • Grand-mère Cléry
    André Marcon
    André Marcon
    • Dr. Gleizes
    Valérie Stroh
    Valérie Stroh
    • Mme Cléry
    Grégoire Bonnet
    Grégoire Bonnet
    • Jean-Martin Charcot
    Pierre-Antoine Deborde
    Pierre-Antoine Deborde
    • Gilles de la Tourette
    Morgan Perez
    Morgan Perez
    • Dr. Babinsky
    Pierre Renverseau
    Pierre Renverseau
    • Médecin gynécologue
    • Director
      • Mélanie Laurent
    • Writers
      • Christophe Deslandes
      • Julien Decoin
      • Victoria Mas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews27

    6.74.7K
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    Featured reviews

    8maykermedina

    safety pin! what a good story it will surprise you

    I was totally unaware of this film because I did not see any publicity but I was encouraged to see it without even knowing what it was about. What can I tell you, this movie was awesome from start to finish. The story is brilliant, costumes and performances impeccable, the music is beautiful and I am fascinated. I Love French cinema! In fact it is the first French film produced by Amazon.
    8Movi3DO

    Great work from Laurent

    My dear Geneviève, we are free...

    After Oxygen, Mélanie Laurent returns directing and starring in an Amazon original.

    As a director, Laurent did a great job showing the cruelty in the treatment of women in asylum back in the days. The "therapies" were nothing different from tortures. However, within the cruelty was the premise that added heart to the characters. I liked that the movie didn't scream feminism, but let the scenes play out so audiences could root for the women characters.

    Probably my only problem was the movie became pretty predictable near the end. I liked how the two main characters were tied to each other, but what became of it was quite clear and not surprising.

    Overall, a solid and well done movie. 7.5/10.
    8portal1790

    Delightful Movie

    This is really a delightful movie. A beautiful and dramatic story . A touching tale of suffering , friendship , salvation and redemption in a time of barbaric psychiatry methods .
    8bshaef

    Great

    A great movie. Good story, great acting and just the right length. Amazon did will with this one. Almost makes want to watch another French movie.

    I don't know anything about French actors but whoever played Eugenie is equal to the best in America.
    8ops-52535

    a classic nouvelle...

    About the 19th century psychiatry treatment of women in le hospitale salphetriere in paris, france. Its a well made jump back to the past, where womens destiny where the mens decision, a fathers decision, a brothers decision or a husbands decision, if you were apart from the common term of normality, they could put you in a house for madwomen with a blink of an eye.

    Acting is superb, though the story might feel a bit shallow and it-ified, where the caracter build is purely towards the main caracter, i feel far more shouldve been spent on the copatients and doctors, who many of them where real life caracters..

    staging of the sets are impecable, youe drawn into a miljoe of darkness and madness, the musical score that contains lots of deep cello tones do enhance the tragedy of them lost soles in the socalled human care business, thank god things have cchanged to the better, but still humanity has a giant leap to take to make psychiatric care and medicine perfect.

    Its a french edition of the typical dickensian british take on the mental ill a good take thinks the grumpy old man, but not perfect.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Melanie Laurent directed this film as well as starred in it. This is Melanie Laurent's fifth time directing a film.
    • Connections
      Referenced in In Praise of Shadows: The History of Insane Asylums and Horror Movies (2022)
    • Soundtracks
      Allerleil, Polka Schnell, Op. 219
      written by Josef Strauss

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    FAQ15

    • How long is The Mad Women's Ball?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 17, 2021 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Бал божевільних жінок
    • Production company
      • Légende Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 2m(122 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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