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ThrillerHorrorMystery

The Tenant

- Apartment for rent: Quiet building. Furnished. 2 rooms. Previous tenant committed suicide.

A quiet and inconspicuous man rents an apartment in Paris where he finds himself drawn into a rabbit hole of dangerous paranoia.

Release Date : 1976-05-26

Language :EnglishFrench

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Marianne ProductionsParamount Pictures

Production Country : France

Alternative Titles : The Tenant

Cast

Roman Polanski

Character Name : Trelkovsky

Original Name : Roman Polanski

Gender : Male

Isabelle Adjani

Character Name : Stella

Original Name : Isabelle Adjani

Gender : Female

Melvyn Douglas

Character Name : Monsieur Zy

Original Name : Melvyn Douglas

Gender : Male

Jo Van Fleet

Character Name : Madame Dioz

Original Name : Jo Van Fleet

Gender : Female

Bernard Fresson

Character Name : Scope

Original Name : Bernard Fresson

Gender : Male

Shelley Winters

Character Name : Concierge

Original Name : Shelley Winters

Gender : Female

Lila Kedrova

Character Name : Madame Gaderian

Original Name : Lila Kedrova

Gender : Female

Claude Dauphin

Character Name : Husband at accident

Original Name : Claude Dauphin

Gender : Male

Claude Piéplu

Character Name : Neighbour

Original Name : Claude Piéplu

Gender : Male

Rufus

Character Name : Georges Badar

Original Name : Rufus

Gender : Male

Romain Bouteille

Character Name : Simon

Original Name : Romain Bouteille

Gender : Male

Gérard Jugnot

Character Name : Office Clerk

Original Name : Gérard Jugnot

Gender : Male

Josiane Balasko

Character Name : Viviane, Office Worker

Original Name : Josiane Balasko

Gender : Female

Michel Blanc

Character Name : Scope's Neighbor

Original Name : Michel Blanc

Gender : Male

Jacques Monod

Character Name : Cafe Owner

Original Name : Jacques Monod

Gender : Male

Patrice Alexsandre

Character Name : Robert

Original Name : Patrice Alexsandre

Gender : Male

Jean-Pierre Bagot

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Jean-Pierre Bagot

Gender : Male

Florence Blot

Character Name : Madame Zy

Original Name : Florence Blot

Gender : Female

Louba Guertchikoff

Character Name : Wife at accident

Original Name : Louba Guertchikoff

Gender : Female

Jacques Chevalier

Character Name : Patron

Original Name : Jacques Chevalier

Gender : Male

Jacky Cohen

Character Name : Stella's friend

Original Name : Jacky Cohen

Gender : Male

David Gabison

Character Name : Witness at accident

Original Name : David Gabison

Gender : Male

Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu

Character Name : Bar waiter

Original Name : Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu

Gender : Male

Alain Frérot

Character Name : Begger

Original Name : Alain Frérot

Gender : Male

Raoul Guylad

Character Name : Priest

Original Name : Raoul Guylad

Gender : Male

Éva Ionesco

Character Name : Bettina, Madame Gaderian's daughter

Original Name : Éva Ionesco

Gender : Female

Héléna Manson

Character Name : Head Nurse

Original Name : Héléna Manson

Gender : Female

Maïté Nahyr

Character Name : Lucille

Original Name : Maïté Nahyr

Gender : Female

André Penvern

Character Name : Cafe waiter

Original Name : André Penvern

Gender : Male

Gérard Pereira

Character Name : Drunk

Original Name : Gérard Pereira

Gender : Male

Dominique Poulange

Character Name : Simone Choule

Original Name : Dominique Poulange

Gender : Female

Arlette Reinerg

Character Name : Tramp

Original Name : Arlette Reinerg

Gender : Female

Jacques Rosny

Character Name : Jean-Claude

Original Name : Jacques Rosny

Gender : Male

Serge Spira

Character Name : Philippe

Original Name : Serge Spira

Gender : Male

Vanessa Vaylord

Character Name : Martine

Original Name : Vanessa Vaylord

Gender : Female

François Viaur

Character Name : Police Sergeant

Original Name : François Viaur

Gender : Male

Albert Delpy

Character Name : Neighbor (uncredited)

Original Name : Albert Delpy

Gender : Male

Bruce Lee

Character Name : Bruce Lee (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Bruce Lee

Gender : Male

Alain Sarde

Character Name : Peeping tom (uncredited)

Original Name : Alain Sarde

Gender : Male

Philippe Sarde

Character Name : Man staring at Trelkovsky in the movie theatre (uncredited)

Original Name : Philippe Sarde

Gender : Male

Marie-Christine Descouard

Character Name : One of the women at the bar (uncredited)

Original Name : Marie-Christine Descouard

Gender : Female

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-11-26

This is probably my favourite Roman Polanski film, as he takes centre stage playing the timid "Trelkovsky". He is looking for an apartment to rent in Paris and despite the rather frosty reception from concierge (Shelley Winters), the inquisition from his landlord "Zy" (Melvyn Douglas) and the fact that it's got no bathroom he decides to live there. He knows from the start that the previous occupant tried to kill herself by jumping from the window, and that she is still clinging on in hospital, so he goes to visit her and encounters her pal "Stella" (Isabelle Adjani). She's a bit of a live wire and that doesn't sit well in his new lodgings where a library-like atmosphere is actively encouraged. Indeed, before long he begins to feel that his neighbours are engaged in a plot to force him out, or even worse. He's hearing noises, voices; he's imagining things. Or is he? His flat is broken into; he fears that someone is going to try and kill him as he sleeps. In short, paranoia is taking a firm hold of this man. What also doesn't help is the fact that he is becoming increasingly obsessed with the (now deceased) previous occupant, and that leads to significant changes to his frequently erratic behaviour too. Is all of this real or is he just losing the plot? Polanski delivers well here, as does Adjani but it's really the whole concept that makes this interesting. It reminded me a little of "Rosemary's Baby". Not in any Satanic fashion, but in the way the claustrophobia of his dwelling with animosity on all sides; his own personality instinctively weak, susceptible and all in the face of a danger that might be real, or then again... It has some effective menacing elements of a psychological conspiracy thriller to it that I though worked really quite well and the two hours flew by as his character really does start to get under your skin.