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Comedy drama

Life Is a Bed of Roses (1983): Cast & Plot

Life Is a Bed of Roses (1983) movie poster

Life Is a Bed of Roses is a 1983 comedy drama directed by Alain Resnais, starring Jean-Claude Corbel as The legendary hero, Ruggero Raimondi and Samson Fainsilber. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes.

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Life Is a Bed of Roses (1983) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 50m (110 min)
Director
Alain Resnais
Genres
Comedy , Drama
Original language
French
Studio
Soprofilms
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Life Is a Bed of Roses About?

The premise of Life Is a Bed of Roses without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In this whimsical fable, Resnais deftly interweaves three story lines: the visionary effort to build an early‑20th‑century utopia, romantic high‑jinks at a school conference, and a dreamy fantasy inspired by pioneering filmmaker Georges Méliès and his early special‑effects work. The film balances humor, imagination, and a loving tribute to cinema.

Life Is a Bed of Roses Themes & Keywords

· 26 tags
  • reference to st therese of lisieux
  • reference to marquis de sade
  • reference to mona lisa
  • reference to frank sinatra
  • reference to liza minnelli
  • reference to al capone
  • reference to sacco and vanzetti
  • reference to francis ford coppola
  • reference to william shakespeare
  • reference to othello
  • reference to shakespeare's romeo and juliet
  • reference to the merchant of venice
+14 more
  • reference to stendhal
  • reference to heraclitus
  • year 1914
  • reference to napoleon bonaparte
  • singing
  • france
  • castle
  • happiness
  • utopia
  • opera
  • education
  • eccentricity
  • dream
  • drugs
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Cast & crew

Life Is a Bed of Roses Cast & Characters

Jean-Claude Corbel leads the cast as The legendary hero, with Ruggero Raimondi as Count Michel Forbek and Samson Fainsilber as Zoltán Forbek. Directed by Alain Resnais; 61 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Life Is a Bed of Roses

· 57 more
Show all 61 cast members
From the director

More from Alain Resnais

More films directed by Alain Resnais, best-rated first: Private Fears in Public Places, Wild Grass, Life of Riley and You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet.

Full filmography
Plot

Life Is a Bed of Roses Plot Summary

What happens in Life Is a Bed of Roses from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film interweaves three stories from different eras, all connected by a single place in the forest of Ardennes, weaving myth, memory, and a shared dream of happiness.

In legendary times, the baby son of a king is rescued by his nurse after his father is killed by a rival. As the boy grows, he confronts danger and triumphs: he defeats a dragon, rescues a maiden, and reclaims his throne, signaling the birth of a reign defined by love and happiness.

Full summary

The whole story of Life Is a Bed of Roses, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Life Is a Bed of Roses?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

In the legendary segment, what creature does the young king defeat to prove his heroism?
Details

Life Is a Bed of Roses Also Known As

14 alternative titles, including “Livet er en roman” and “La vita è un romanzo”.

Also known as
  • Livet er en roman
  • La vita è un romanzo
  • Das Leben ist ein Roman
  • La vida es una novela
  • Az élet kész regény
  • A Vida é um Romance
  • 인생은 소설이다
  • Yaşam Bir Romandır
  • Жизнь - это роман
  • Życie jest powieścią
  • 生命是部小说
  • Život je román
+2 more
  • Viața este un roman
  • 生命是部小説

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Movies Like Life Is a Bed of Roses

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Bed of Roses, Life Is a Long Quiet River and The Best Years of a Life.

FAQ

Life Is a Bed of Roses FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Life Is a Bed of Roses, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Life Is a Bed of Roses?

Life Is a Bed of Roses runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).

When was Life Is a Bed of Roses released?

Life Is a Bed of Roses was released on April 20, 1983.

Who directed Life Is a Bed of Roses?

Life Is a Bed of Roses was directed by Alain Resnais.

More films by Alain Resnais

Who is in the cast of Life Is a Bed of Roses?

Life Is a Bed of Roses stars Jean-Claude Corbel as The legendary hero, Ruggero Raimondi as Count Michel Forbek and Samson Fainsilber as Zoltán Forbek, among 61 credited actors.

Does Life Is a Bed of Roses have a post-credit scene?

No. Life Is a Bed of Roses has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Life Is a Bed of Roses in?

The original language of Life Is a Bed of Roses is French.

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