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1[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lechat_7.jpg]]
2%%[[caption-width-right:300:some caption text]]
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4''Le Chat'' ("The Cat") is a 1971 French-Italian drama film directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre, starring Creator/JeanGabin and Creator/SimoneSignoret. It is [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted from a 1967 novel]] of the same name by Creator/GeorgesSimenon.
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6Julien (Gabin) and Clémence Bouin (Signoret) are an old married couple. They live in the suburbs of Paris. They cannot get along any more, but they do not want to separate either. Julien adopts a stray cat and takes care of it. Clémence gets jealous of the cat.
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8!!''Le Chat'' provides examples of:
9* AnachronicOrder: The film starts with the ambulance going to the house (which is the end of the story), then we see Julien and Clémence doing the shopping, eating separately and communicating by notes (which is quite late in the story, because it is after the death of the cat). The rest of the film is approximately in the chronological order, but there are several {{Flashback}}s about Julien and Clémence's past relationship.
10* AwfulWeddedLife: {{Exaggerated|Trope}}. Julien and Clémence do not talk to each other any more, they do not eat together any more, but they do not want to separate.
11* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: PlayedForDrama. The viewer realizes that Clémence still loves Julien because she keeps all the notes that he writes to her (because he refuses to talk to her). The viewer also understands that Julien loves Clémence, because [[spoiler:when she dies, he is desperate and kills himself]].
12* CareerEndingInjury: Clémence was a circus performer, but she fell from a trapeze and had to stop her career.
13* DrivenToSuicide: When [[spoiler:Julien]] realizes that [[spoiler:Clémence died, he]] swallows pills to kill himself.
14* TheFilmOfTheBook: The film is adapted from a 1967 novel of the same name by Creator/GeorgesSimenon.
15* ForegoneConclusion: Because of the AnachronicOrder, the viewer knows from start that the cat disappears and Julien holds Clémence responsible for that, but he does not know the exact circumstances.
16* HollywoodHeartAttack: [[spoiler:Clémence]] has one in the end: [[spoiler:she]] staggers, drops to the floor and dies within seconds.
17* IWasQuiteALooker: Clémence is an older unattractive woman, but she was attractive when she was a young circus performer.
18* LadyDrunk: Clémence is an older woman who is an alcoholic. In her day, she was attractive, but now alcohol and age have degraded her appearance.
19* MistakenForCheating: Clémence thinks that Julien cheats on her because he often visits a hotel used by prostitutes, but actually the owner of the hotel is Julien's friend and he goes there just to chat with her.
20* RuleOfSymbolism: The destruction of the neighbourhood where Julien and Clémence live (and ultimately the destruction of their house) is a symbol of the end of their love and the end of their life.
21* WomanScorned: Julien ill-treats his wife Clémence. So Clémence [[spoiler:shoots down the innocent cat that Julien adopted]].

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