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The Passerby

The Passerby

Drama · 1982

Max Baumstein is a reputable businessman who founded an international organization fighting against violations of human rights. Why would he commit an act that apparently negates the principles he has striven for so long to uphold? As he is tried for first-degree murder for killing a Paraguayan ambassador in cold blood, he reveals a secret about himself that he kept hidden from his wife Lina. His act is the conclusion of a struggle that started many decades earlier in his childhood...

Movie details

The Passerby

1982 Drama 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

Max Baumstein is a reputable businessman who founded an international organization fighting against violations of human rights. Why would he commit an act that apparently negates the principles he has striven for so long to uphold? As he is tried for first-degree murder for killing a Paraguayan ambassador in cold blood, he reveals a secret about himself that he kept hidden from his wife Lina. His act is the conclusion of a struggle that started many decades earlier in his childhood...

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Passerby?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jacques Rouffio

Written by

Jacques Rouffio · Jacques Kirsner

Romy Schneider

Romy Schneider

Elsa Wiener / Lina Baumstein

Michel Piccoli

Michel Piccoli

Max Baumstein

Helmut Griem

Helmut Griem

Michel Wiener

Dominique Labourier

Dominique Labourier

Charlotte Maupas

Gérard Klein

Gérard Klein

Maurice Bouillard

Mathieu Carrière

Mathieu Carrière

Ruppert von Leggaert / Federico Logo

Jacques Martin

Jacques Martin

Marcel

Court is in session

Put The Passerby on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.