Summary Bulliedbyhismatriarchalmother，abusedbyhissiblings，ignoredbyhisfather，PoildeCarotte'schildhoodisasmiserableasitcouldbe. Anillegitimatechild，heisthemainreasonfortheenmitywhichexistsbetweenhisparents，whocontinuetolivetogetherjusttokeepupappearances.Intheend，PoildeCarotte'ssufferingbecomesmorethanhecanbear... Review DrawingheavilyonthepoignantnovelbyJulesRenardonwhichitisbased，Poildecarotteisamodestyetappealingfilmwhichhasstoodthetestoftimemainlybecauseofthequalityofitsactingperformancesanditsinherenthumanity.ItismorememorablethanJulienDuvivier'searliersilentversionof1925，alsonamedPoildeCarotte. ThepartofPoildeCarottewasplayedby11yearoldRobertLynen，whowasallegedtohavebeendiscoveredwhilstwalkingdowntheChamps-ElyséesinParis.Lynenistotallycaptivatingandthefilmmadehimaninstantstar，launchingwhatlookedlikebecomingaverypromisingfilmcareer–untilhewasshotdeadwhilstfightingagainsttheGermansin1944. HarryBaur，alegendarystageandfilmactor(whoalsodiedduringWorldWarII，allegedlyatthehandsoftheGestapo)，alsoturnsinatypicallyfineperformance. Thereconciliationbetweenfatherandsonattheendofthefilmprovidesitsmostenduringimage，enoughtomelttheheartofallbutthemoststoicalofspectators.