A Bag of Marbles
At the beginning of the 1940s, in a France occupied by Nazi forces, lived the Jewish Joffo family. Happy and tight-knit, she sees her future darken when all members of the family are forced to wear the yellow star. Fearing the worst, the parents organized their family to flee to the free zone in the south of the country. Maurice, twelve years old, and Joseph, ten years old, will therefore leave alone in order to maximize their chances of finding their older brothers already settled in Nice. The brothers left to their own devices demonstrate an incredible amount of cleverness, courage, and ingenuity to escape the enemy invasion and to try to reunite their family once again.
The film struggled financially against its respectable budget of $21.4M, earning $10.9M globally (-49% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its innovative storytelling within the war genre.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
A Bag of Marbles (2017) reveals deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Christian Duguay's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 53 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Joseph Joffo
Maurice Joffo
Roman Joffo
Anna Joffo
Albert Joffo
Henri Joffo
Ferdinand
Main Cast & Characters
Joseph Joffo
Played by Dorian Le Clech
A resourceful 10-year-old Jewish boy who escapes Nazi-occupied Paris with his brother, using wit and courage to survive.
Maurice Joffo
Played by Batyste Fleurial
Joseph's older brother and protective companion, guiding them through occupied France with street-smart intelligence.
Roman Joffo
Played by Patrick Bruel
The boys' father, a Jewish barber who makes the difficult decision to send his sons away to save their lives.
Anna Joffo
Played by Elsa Zylberstein
The boys' mother who struggles with letting her young sons go but supports their escape for survival.
Albert Joffo
Played by Christian Clavier
One of the older Joffo brothers who helps with the family's resistance efforts.
Henri Joffo
Played by Cyril Descours
Another older Joffo brother involved in helping the family navigate the dangers of occupation.
Ferdinand
Played by Bernard Campan
A priest who shelters Joseph and Maurice despite the risks, showing compassion across religious lines.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Joseph plays marbles with friends in occupied Paris, establishing his innocent childhood world where games and friendship still matter despite the growing Nazi presence.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when The father announces the family must separate and flee Paris. He tells Joseph and Maurice they must travel alone to the Free Zone in southern France, giving them money hidden in their clothing.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Joseph and Maurice board the train leaving Paris, waving goodbye to their parents. They actively choose to step into the dangerous journey, leaving childhood safety behind forever., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat The boys successfully reach the Free Zone and reunite with their older brothers. A false victory - they believe they're safe, but the stakes are about to raise as the Nazis will soon occupy all of France., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 84 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The brothers are separated during a Nazi roundup. Joseph believes Maurice has been taken away to a death camp. The death of hope and brotherhood - the one thing that kept them going., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 90 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Joseph discovers Maurice is alive and they reunite. With renewed determination and everything they've learned about survival, they plan their final escape as Allied forces approach., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
A Bag of Marbles's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping A Bag of Marbles against these established plot points, we can identify how Christian Duguay utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish A Bag of Marbles within the war genre.
Christian Duguay's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Christian Duguay films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.4, reflecting strong command of classical structure. A Bag of Marbles takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Christian Duguay filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional war films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Fury and Sarah's Key. For more Christian Duguay analyses, see The Art of War, Extreme Ops and Screamers.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Joseph plays marbles with friends in occupied Paris, establishing his innocent childhood world where games and friendship still matter despite the growing Nazi presence.
Theme
Joseph's father tells him: "Being Jewish is not something to be ashamed of, but it's not something to brag about either." This captures the film's exploration of identity, survival, and dignity under persecution.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of the Joffo family's barbershop in occupied Paris. We see the parents, the brothers Joseph and Maurice, their tight-knit Jewish community, and the increasing anti-Semitic restrictions including mandatory yellow stars.
Disruption
The father announces the family must separate and flee Paris. He tells Joseph and Maurice they must travel alone to the Free Zone in southern France, giving them money hidden in their clothing.
Resistance
The father prepares the boys for their journey, teaching them survival skills: never admit they're Jewish, memorize their false story, trust no one completely. The mother struggles to let them go. Final goodbyes are exchanged.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Joseph and Maurice board the train leaving Paris, waving goodbye to their parents. They actively choose to step into the dangerous journey, leaving childhood safety behind forever.
Mirror World
The boys meet a kind priest who helps smuggle Jewish children. This relationship introduces the thematic counterpoint: there are good people who will risk everything to help, representing the humanity that persists even in darkness.
Premise
The brothers' journey across France: close calls with Nazi checkpoints, using their wits to survive, meeting resistance helpers, working odd jobs, narrow escapes. The adventure-survival aspect the premise promises - two boys outwitting the Nazis.
Midpoint
The boys successfully reach the Free Zone and reunite with their older brothers. A false victory - they believe they're safe, but the stakes are about to raise as the Nazis will soon occupy all of France.
Opposition
The Nazis occupy the Free Zone. The boys are arrested and interrogated by the Gestapo who suspect they're Jewish. They're sent to a transit camp. Pressure intensifies as their false identities are scrutinized and they face increasingly dangerous situations.
Collapse
The brothers are separated during a Nazi roundup. Joseph believes Maurice has been taken away to a death camp. The death of hope and brotherhood - the one thing that kept them going.
Crisis
Joseph despairs in isolation, processing the loss of his brother and confronting the possibility of dying alone. He must find the will to continue even without Maurice.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Joseph discovers Maurice is alive and they reunite. With renewed determination and everything they've learned about survival, they plan their final escape as Allied forces approach.
Synthesis
The brothers execute their escape plan, using all the cunning and courage they've developed. They evade capture one final time and make their way toward liberation as the war ends. Final confrontation with their identity and survival.
Transformation
Joseph and Maurice return to Paris and reunite with their parents at the barbershop. Where the opening showed innocent boys playing marbles, the closing shows transformed young men who survived the Holocaust, still together, having preserved their humanity and family bonds.