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Timeline

Monsieur Batignole (2002) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2002 · 100 mins · French
Starring
Daniel Martin, Gérard Jugnot, Daphné Baiwir, Michèle Garcia, Jean-Marie Winling, Jean-Paul Rouve

In occupied Paris, 1942, grocer Edmond Batignole lives with his wife and daughter. When his son‑in‑law Pierre‑Jean Lamour betrays the Jewish Bernstein family to the Nazis, the family is displaced. Their son Simon escapes, returns to the bakery, and Batignole shelters him. He later guides the children to Switzerland, risking his own safety.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (12)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like Monsieur Batignole
  5. 5 Every angle

12 events in order · contains spoilers

Monsieur Batignole Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Monsieur Batignole (2002) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Occupation sets the stage in Paris

    In 1942, Paris is under Nazi occupation and daily life is shaped by fear and secrecy. Edmond Batignole, a small-time butcher, lives with his family on the ground floor of a Parisian apartment building. The looming pressure of the war already colors the household's routines and decisions.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Paris, occupied France (Batignole family apartment, ground floor)
  2. Pierre-Jean triggers trouble by informing on the Bernsteins

    Edmond's daughter is soon to be married, and her fiancé Pierre-Jean pushes for the large penthouse. He alerts the Gestapo to the Bernstein family's presence, hoping they are removed to make room. The Bernsteins are arrested as a result.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Paris apartment building
  3. Property confiscation and the Batignoles' tenancy

    With the Bernstein family taken away, the property is confiscated by occupying authorities. The Batignoles file for the apartment and are eventually awarded the tenancy.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Batignole's building, Paris
  4. A lavish SS party in the penthouse

    To solidify their cover and household, the Batignoles host an unexpected birthday party for SS officers in the very penthouse. The arrangement is risky but helps them maintain a semblance of normalcy under scrutiny.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Penthouse, Batignole building, Paris
  5. Simon Bernstein returns home from escape

    During the party, Simon Bernstein sneaks back into Paris after escaping from a railway station. Edmond discovers him and hides him in the servant's room on the top floor.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Top floor servant's room, then moves to the cellar
  6. Simon's cousins join the hidden group

    Simon is joined by his two cousins, who themselves were being hidden by a concierge at another building. The trio is kept hidden in the building to avoid discovery by the occupiers.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Top floor and cellar, Batignole building
  7. Edmond decides to smuggle the children to Switzerland

    Edmond begins seeking a smuggling route to Switzerland, wrestling with the danger of being caught. Ultimately, he decides to undertake the perilous journey himself with the children.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Paris toward Swiss border
  8. Edmond impersonates a doctor to aid the escape

    During their escape, Edmond pretends to be a doctor and even fixes a dislocated knee of a German official, buying time and allowing the group to move forward. The ruse helps them progress toward the border.

    When
    1942
    Where
    On the road toward Switzerland; German-occupied zones
  9. Arrest follows a mention of Yom Kippur

    A critical moment arrives when Simon accidentally mentions Yom Kippur, tipping off the authorities. Edmond is arrested as a consequence of the overheard remark.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Occupied France, near Paris
  10. Edmond's defense and the escape plan

    While imprisoned, Edmond delivers a passionate speech denouncing French antisemitism, which stirs sympathy in some onlookers. Simon creates a diversion that helps enable their escape from custody.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Paris, jail environment
  11. Aid from a sympathetic woman and a priest

    With help from a sympathetic woman and a priest, the group makes it to Switzerland, where they reach safety away from occupation. The journey concludes with the trio finding refuge beyond France's borders.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Swiss border / Switzerland
  12. The Bernstein children never reunite with their parents

    In the film's closing moments, it is revealed that the Bernstein children never manage to reunite with their parents. The war's upheaval leaves them separated and living under new circumstances.

    When
    1942
    Where
    Switzerland; unspecified future

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 18:45

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Timeline questions answered

Monsieur Batignole Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Monsieur Batignole (2002): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Pierre-Jean report the Bernstein family to the Gestapo?

Pierre-Jean reported the Bernstein family to get them evicted from the penthouse apartment. He wanted the large apartment for himself and his fiancée, and he knew that alerting the Gestapo to a Jewish family would result in their arrest and removal. His ambition and desire for status outweighed any moral concerns.

Foreshadowing: Pierre-Jean's push for the penthouse and his resentment toward the Bernsteins occupying it were established early in the film.

  • Pierre-Jean Lamour
  • betrayal
  • Gestapo
  • penthouse
  • ambition
Q2

Why did Edmond agree to hide Simon in his building?

Edmond hid Simon because he couldn't ignore a child's plea for help during the Nazi occupation. When Simon returned after escaping a railway station, Edmond faced a moral choice: turn him away to certain death or risk his own safety. He chose humanity over self-preservation.

Foreshadowing: The film establishes Edmond as a decent man who values family, making his decision to help consistent with his character.

  • Edmond Batignole
  • Simon Bernstein
  • hiding
  • Jewish children
  • courage
Q3

Why did the Batignoles host an SS birthday party in the Bernstein apartment?

The Batignoles hosted the SS party to maintain their cover and appear loyal to the occupiers. By throwing a celebration for SS officers in the penthouse, they reinforced their story as trustworthy French citizens, which protected the children hidden in the building.

Foreshadowing: The risk of hosting such a party was established when Pierre-Jean first suggested they claim the apartment.

  • SS party
  • cover
  • deception
  • penthouse
  • occupation
Q4

How did Edmond plan to smuggle the children to Switzerland?

Edmond decided to personally escort the three children across the border into Switzerland. He impersonated a doctor during the journey, which allowed them to pass through German checkpoints more easily. The ruse buying them safe passage was a desperate but clever tactic.

Foreshadowing: Edmond's resourcefulness as a butcher was shown early in his daily life, suggesting he could improvise under pressure.

  • Switzerland
  • smuggling
  • doctor impersonation
  • border
  • escape
Q5

Why was Edmond arrested during the escape?

Edmond was arrested because Simon accidentally mentioned Yom Kippur while they were traveling through occupied territory. This religious reference alerted the authorities that the children were Jewish, leading to Edmond's detention.

Foreshadowing: The constant fear of discovery was established throughout the escape journey, making this mistake a critical turning point.

  • Yom Kippur
  • arrest
  • Simon
  • discovery
  • Gestapo
Q6

What did Edmond say in his speech while in jail?

While imprisoned, Edmond delivered a passionate speech denouncing French antisemitism and collaboration with the Nazis. His defiant words highlighted the moral failing of ordinary French citizens who betrayed their Jewish neighbors, stirring sympathy among some listeners.

Foreshadowing: The film established French collaboration as a central theme through Pierre-Jean's betrayal.

  • Edmond
  • jail speech
  • antisemitism
  • France
  • collaboration
Q7

How did Simon and the others escape from jail?

Simon created a diversion while Edmond was being held, which enabled Edmond to slip away from custody. The children's quick thinking, combined with the chaos of the moment, allowed them to reunite and continue their escape toward Switzerland.

Foreshadowing: Simon's resourcefulness was demonstrated when he first escaped from the railway station.

  • jail escape
  • Simon
  • diversion
  • Edmond
  • freedom
Q8

Who helped Edmond and the children reach Switzerland?

A sympathetic woman and a priest assisted the group in reaching Switzerland. These compassionate individuals chose humanity over hatred, helping the fugitives cross the border to safety despite the risks of aiding Jewish refugees.

Foreshadowing: The film's theme of quiet heroism suggested that not everyone would turn a blind eye to suffering.

  • priest
  • woman
  • Switzerland
  • help
  • border crossing
Q9

Why were the Bernstein children never able to reunite with their parents?

The Bernstein parents were already deported and killed in the Holocaust before the children reached safety. While Edmond saved the three children, the tragic reality of the genocide meant their parents did not survive. The war's devastation kept them permanently separated.

Foreshadowing: The constant threat of deportation loomed over every Jewish family in occupied France.

  • parents
  • separation
  • Holocaust
  • tragedy
  • reunion
Q10

Why did Edmond risk everything to save Jewish children?

Edmond couldn't stand by while children faced deportation and almost certain death. His moral conscience compelled him to act, despite the grave danger to himself and his family. He chose to be an ordinary hero in extraordinary circumstances.

Foreshadowing: Edmond's character was established as a simple, decent man with strong moral principles.

  • Edmond
  • risk
  • moral choice
  • Jewish children
  • heroism

Movie threads

More Movies Like Monsieur Batignole, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Monsieur Batignole tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Wartime Moral Awakening movies like Monsieur Batignole

Ordinary individuals find extraordinary courage in the face of tyranny. If you were moved by Monsieur Batignole's journey, find more films about civilians finding courage during wartime. These movies feature ordinary people making heavy moral choices under extreme pressure, offering tense and hopeful stories of resistance.

  • morally conflicted
  • tense
  • anxious
  • hopeful
  • somber
  • courageous
  • Tone: tense, morally conflicted, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with an apathetic or self-interested character living under an oppressive regime. A personal encounter with injustice, often involving a specific victim they befriend, triggers a moral dilemma. The plot follows their perilous journey from complicity or fear to active, dangerous resistance, testing their courage and humanity.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by a powerful central theme: the emergence of individual heroism in the darkest of times. They share a tense, high-stakes atmosphere, a steady pacing that builds emotional weight, and a focus on the profound personal cost of doing the right thing.

Somber Journeys of Protection similar to Monsieur Batignole

A dangerous mission to deliver someone to safety, forging an unlikely bond. For viewers who enjoyed the escape mission in Monsieur Batignole, this list finds other movies about perilous journeys of protection. These films share a steady, tense pace and explore the bonds formed when one person risks everything to lead others to safety.

  • tense
  • somber
  • hopeful
  • anxious
  • journey
  • survival
  • Tone: tense, somber, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, suspenseful
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is a linear, geographical journey from danger to presumed safety, fraught with obstacles and constant threat. The narrative tension is sustained by the risk of capture or discovery at every turn. A key emotional arc is the development of a surrogate family bond between the world-weary protector and their charges, despite the grim circumstances.

Why they belong together: These films share a very specific narrative structure and mood. They combine high intensity and a steady, methodical pace to create a gripping sense of suspense. The emotional core is the heavy, bittersweet weight of responsibility and the fragile hope that drives the characters forward.

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Every angle

Monsieur Batignole (2002) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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