Laurent is stuck in a strange limbo. He is too cultured and sensitive for his peers, yet he is desperate to be initiated into the world of adulthood. He lives in a bourgeois household dominated by a distant Italian father and a neurotic, yet glamorous, mother, Clara (Lea Massari). Laurent navigates his adolescence through a mix of petty theft, jazz music, and awkward attempts at losing his virginity.

: For users in certain regions, the film is also listed for streaming and download on CHILI . Physical Media

The film takes a pivotal turn when Laurent is diagnosed with a heart murmur—a respiratory condition that requires rest and treatment. He accompanies his mother to a sanatorium in the mountains. It is here, in the crisp alpine air and away from the structural rules of their family home, that the relationship between mother and son shifts. The film culminates in a controversial, taboo-breaking moment that has been debated by critics for decades. Yet, Malle handles this climax not with scandal, but with a gentle, forgiving hand, treating it as a misplaced act of love and comfort rather than a predatory tragedy.

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