Overview
A prosperous art dealer's life unravels as he confronts a dangerous doppelgänger in occupied Paris.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- oppressive
- paranoid
- austere
- serious film night
- historical cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an acclaimed, atmospheric historical thriller distinguished by its production design, political unease, and moral ambiguity, despite reservations about the central performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Robert Klein discovers a Jewish newspaper addressed to another man with his name, triggering an investigation that destabilizes his sense of self.
Klein exploits Jewish residents desperate to sell valuable artworks under discriminatory French laws.
Police scrutiny and administrative persecution gradually close around Klein in occupied Paris.
Klein's well-furnished apartment and art-trading milieu are set against raids, police attention, and the threatened Jewish community.
Films like Mr. Klein, and why
The Conformist
historical paranoia, mistaken identity, and morally compromised protagonists amid fascist persecution
Army of Shadows
occupied-Europe political thriller atmosphere, ambiguous identity, and oppressive institutional menace
The Pawnbroker
Holocaust-era moral ambiguity, bureaucratic terror, and psychologically unsettling historical drama
The Tenant
doppelgänger mystery, urban alienation, and identity destabilization in a dark European thriller
Movie Details
- Director
- Joseph Losey
- Release Date
- 1976-09-23
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (296)
Cast
- Alain Delon
- Jeanne Moreau
- Francine Bergé
- Juliet Berto
- Jean Bouise
- Suzanne Flon
- Massimo Girotti
- Michael Lonsdale
- Michel Aumont
- Roland Bertin
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Mr. Klein about?
- In occupied Paris, a prosperous art dealer’s discovery of a Jewish double turns opportunistic privilege into an unnerving crisis of identity and complicity.
- What is Mr. Klein like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mr. Klein as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Mr. Klein violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Mr. Klein as mild.
- What did critics think of Mr. Klein?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an acclaimed, atmospheric historical thriller distinguished by its production design, political unease, and moral ambiguity, despite reservations about the central performance.
- Which films are like Mr. Klein?
- Films with a similar feel include The Conformist, Army of Shadows, The Pawnbroker, and The Tenant.
- How long is Mr. Klein?
- Mr. Klein runs 123 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mr. Klein?
- In United States, Mr. Klein streams on Criterion Channel.
