Forbidden Games

"Forbidden Games" (1952) Review: A War Story Told Through Children's Eyes

Imagine if all the sadness and confusion of war was seen through the innocent eyes of a five-year-old girl. That's Forbidden Games, a French movie from 1952 that feels both like a fairy tale and a punch to the heart. It's about how children try to make sense of grown-up problems in their own special way.

The Simple Story With Big Feelings

During World War II, little Paulette (Brigitte Fossey) is running through a field with her parents when German planes attack. Suddenly, she's alone with only her dead puppy in her arms. She meets Michel (Georges Poujouly), an eleven-year-old farm boy who becomes her protector. Together, they create a secret game to deal with all the death around them - they start collecting dead animals and giving them funerals in an old mill.

What Makes This Movie Special?

1. Children's Secret World
   • The kids don't understand war, so they create rules that make sense to them
   • They steal crosses from graves to mark the animal graves, not knowing it's wrong
   • Their game is both sweet and heartbreaking at the same time
2. The Power of Friendship
   • Michel teaches Paulette how to swear (which is funny)
   • Paulette teaches Michel how to pray (which is sweet)
   • They build their own little family when the real world is falling apart
3. Beautiful Countryside
   • Green fields and flowing rivers make the war seem far away
   • The old mill becomes their magical castle
   • You can almost smell the hay and feel the summer sun

Characters Who Feel Real

• Paulette: With her big eyes and messy hair, she doesn't talk much but sees everything
• Michel: Tough on the outside but gentle with Paulette, like a big brother
• The Adults: Too busy with war and farm work to notice the children's secret world

Gentle But Powerful Lessons

• How children cope with things too big for them
• Why friendship can be stronger than fear
• That even in dark times, kids will find ways to play

What Might Be Hard For Kids?

• There's no color (it's all black and white)
• Some sad parts might make you cry (like when Paulette's puppy dies)
• The ending feels like waking up from a dream you didn't want to end

Funny Moments Too!

• The kids arguing about how many Hail Marys a dead butterfly deserves
• Paulette trying to milk a cow like she's seen the adults do
• Michel's face when Paulette repeats the bad words he taught her

Why It Still Matters Today

Even though it's about World War II, Forbidden Games teaches us:

1. Children see the world differently than adults
2. Play is how kids handle scary things
3. Kindness can grow even in the hardest places

Who Will Love This?

• Kids who like stories about secret clubs and hideouts
• Families who want to talk about big topics in a gentle way
• Anyone who's ever created their own game with special rules

Final Thought: Forbidden Games is like looking at a terrible storm through a child's bedroom window - the glass makes everything softer, but you can still hear the thunder. As Paulette whispers to her collection of crosses: "Don't be scared, I'll visit you every day." Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go give my dog an extra hug...

P.S. The little girl in the movie (Brigitte Fossey) wasn't even acting in some scenes - the director just told her stories and filmed her real reactions!