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The Most Precious of Cargoes

The Most Precious of Cargoes

Animation · Drama · History · 2024

Once upon a time, a poor woodcutter and his wife lived in a great forest. Cold, hunger, poverty, and a war raging all around them meant their lives were very hard. One day, the woodcutter's wife rescues a baby. A baby girl thrown from one of the many trains that constantly pass through the forest. This baby, this "most precious of cargoes", will transform the lives of the poor woodcutter's wife and her husband, as well as those whose paths the child will cross—including the man who threw her from the train. And some will try to protect her, whatever the cost. Their story will reveal the worst and the best in the hearts of men.

Movie details

The Most Precious of Cargoes

2024 Animation · Drama · History 1h 21m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.7 / 10

Community rating

Once upon a time, a poor woodcutter and his wife lived in a great forest. Cold, hunger, poverty, and a war raging all around them meant their lives were very hard. One day, the woodcutter's wife rescues a baby. A baby girl thrown from one of the many trains that constantly pass through the forest. This baby, this "most precious of cargoes", will transform the lives of the poor woodcutter's wife and her husband, as well as those whose paths the child will cross—including the man who threw her from the train. And some will try to protect her, whatever the cost. Their story will reveal the worst and the best in the hearts of men.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Most Precious of Cargoes?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michel Hazanavicius

Written by

Michel Hazanavicius · Jean-Claude Grumberg

Dominique Blanc

Dominique Blanc

Wife (voice)

Grégory Gadebois

Grégory Gadebois

Woodcutter (voice)

Denis Podalydès

Denis Podalydès

Man with the Broken Face (voice)

Jean-Louis Trintignant

Jean-Louis Trintignant

Narrateur (voice)

Serge Hazanavicius

Serge Hazanavicius

Man in the mole hat (voice)

Antonin Maurel

Antonin Maurel

The father (voice)

Matej Hofmann

Matej Hofmann

Interpreter (voice)

Court is in session

Put The Most Precious of Cargoes on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.