The Passage (French: Le Passage) is a 1986 French supernatural thriller film written and directed by René Manzor, and starring Alain Delon.
It was a success with admissions of 1,998,983 in France.
Contents
Plot
Jean Diaz, a once-renowned animated film creator, lives in isolation with his son David after separating from his wife. Known for his vocal opposition to violence, Jean has long abandoned his career, drawing the attention of Death herself, who watches him from a digital realm beyond the living.
After a fatal car crash orchestrated by Death, Jean dies while David falls into a coma. Death offers Jean a deal: finish a violent animated film he abandoned years ago, and David will be revived. Jean agrees, sacrificing a hand in the process. As he works, he discovers Death’s true plan—to use his film to destroy humanity.
Jean rebels, escapes Death’s domain, and fights to save his son, who senses his father's imprisonment. When Death breaks the pact and kidnaps David, Jean confronts her, severs her hand with her own scythe, destroys her system, and rescues David. The two reunite on a beach in the world of the living, while Death watches, powerless.
The film closes with Jean’s voice: “If you think of me as strongly as I think of you, then I’m sure, David, we’ll meet again.”
Cast
Alain Delon as Jean Diaz
Christine Boisson as Catherine Diaz
Jean-Luc Moreau as Patrick
Alain Musy as David Diaz
Alberto Lomeo as Le chirurgien (“The surgeon”)
Jean-Pierre Levasseur as L'anesthésiste (“The anesthetist”)
Daniel Emilfork as La Mort (“Death”; uncredited)
Release
When the film was screened on French television on TF1 in 1988 it received the highest primetime rating for the year with a 37% rating and 59% share of the audience.