Clerambard

Clerambard

Year: 1969

Runtime: 95 mins

Language: French

Comedy

When a cruel man is visited by Saint Francis and convinced to change his ways, his family believes him to be insane and locks him away in order to sell his beloved castle

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Timeline – Clerambard (1969)

Trace every key event in Clerambard (1969) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Tyranny in the castle

In a crumbling medieval castle, the penniless Count of Clérembard rules with fear over his wife, his son Octave, and his mother-in-law. Their income comes from knitting pullovers and what the Count can shoot for meat, leaving them hungry and dependent. The castle's grandeur has faded into tyranny and want.

Castle
2

A debt-clearing bargain

The local lawyer Galuchon offers a solution: he will clear the Count’s mounting debts if Octave agrees to marry Galuchon’s daughter. Galuchon has three daughters—the eldest is described as a fright, the middle as pretty, and the youngest as a beauty—and the arrangement is set up to resolve the Count’s problems through marriage.

Castle
3

Octave’s rebellion

Octave resists the deal, declaring his love for La Langouste, the town’s prostitute. He has never been able to afford her, but his heart pulls him toward a life beyond the castle gates.

Castle
4

Gustalin’s frightful gambit

Gustalin, a neighboring farmer fed up with his lost livestock, dresses as St Francis of Assisi and confronts the Count, presenting him with a book of the saint’s deeds. The gesture is meant to awaken the Count to a different, humbler path.

Near the castle
5

Renunciation and departure

Reading the saint’s deeds inspires the Count to renounce worldly goods and sell the castle to Galuchon. He decides to take to the road with his family in a gypsy caravan, embracing poverty and a simple life close to nature.

After reading the book Castle
6

La Langouste’s offer

Emboldened by his experience with La Langouste, Octave begins to imagine marrying her. La Langouste, half-convinced about retiring from her trade, offers Octave a free session as a sign of her tentative commitment.

Town
7

Galuchon arrives for the deed

Galuchon arrives to sign the deed for the castle’s sale and brings his three daughters. The moment marks a formal turning point as the old arrangement collides with new desires.

During signing Castle
8

The youngest contender joins the caravan

Emboldened by La Langouste’s influence, Octave takes Galuchon’s youngest daughter into the caravan and later tells Galuchon that he will marry her in return for an annual allowance.

Caravan
9

La Langouste’s fate clarified

The Count expresses sorrow that La Langouste has been jilted, but he allows her to join them in the caravan anyway. He seems ready to embrace the new life they will share on the road.

Caravan / vicinity
10

Gustalin’s apology and new life

Gustalin reappears to apologize for having misled the Count about the plan, and the Count, though he has lost his castle, is set on a hopeful, new life on the road.

Castle outskirts
11

The caravan departs, aided by angels

In the town square, two angels harness the Count’s horse to the caravan and the townspeople join the procession as they head out into the countryside. The exit marks a radical shift from tyranny to a communal, nomadic life.

Town square

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:04

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