18.2.11

Film directors - Montmartre Cemetery

I will soon try to do something else than about the Montmartre Cemetery, but… In the meantime, another cat. This time it will be about film directors, maybe more or less known abroad, but with a great reputation in France.

Claude Autant-Lara (1901-2000) - who he spent a few years in his youth in Los Angeles and made some French versions, copies (yes, that’s how it was one those years), of among others some Buster Keaton and Douglas Fairbanks Jr films - made the rest of his career in France. He made some – at least in France – famous films before (during) and after WWII, did not get sufficiently “modern” according to critics (the "French New Wave”-period) and stopped filming in the 70’s. During his later years, Autant-Lara had an unfortunate political, extreme right, activity.
Below you can see an extract of the film “En cas de malheur” (In case of adversity) from 1958, with Jean Gabin and Brigitte Bardot, censored when the film was released.


SCENE INTERDITE BARDOT GABIN 1958 EN CAS DE MALHEUR FILM FR
envoyé par kirivalse. - Un accés privé avec plus de vidéos sexy.


Henri-George Clouzot (1907-77) rests together with his wife Vera, who appeared in several of his films. He had a long career, first as a screen writer and as from 1942 as film director. His later life was disturbed by health problems and his last film dates from 1968.

Many of his films were great critic and public successes. “Le salaire de la peur” (The wages of fear) with Yves Montand released in 1953 won the “Palme d’Or” in Cannes and the “Golden Bear” in Berlin and got some American remakes by Otto Preminger, William Friedkin…. “Les diaboliques” (The devils) with Simone Signoret (1955) also got several more or less successful remakes, including one from 1996 with Sharon Stone, Isabelle Adjani, Kathy Bates...
Here you can see an extract from some tests that Clouzot made with Romy Schneider for a film to be titled “L’enfer”, but which had to be interrupted because of his ill-health.






François Truffaut (1932-84), after a tough youth as an illegitimate child, started as film critic and he was one of those who actually a lot criticized the above directors. His first full-length quite self-biographic film “Les 400 coups” (The 400 blows) was released in 1959, got the Best Director-award at Cannes and represented somehow the real beginning of the French New Wave movement (Godard, Chabrol…). He made later several films with the same, then very young, actor, Jean-Pierre Léaud. His second film, “Tirer sur le pianist” (Shoot the piano player), starred Charles Aznavour, who by the way was one of Truffaut’s neighbours during his young, very unhappy, years.

Among his most famous films, maybe some special mentions for “Jules and Jim” (1962) starring Jeanne Moreau, “Fahrenheit 451” (1965) with Julie Christie and Oscar Werner, his only English-speaking film, “La Sirène de Mississippi” (Mississppi Mermaid) (1969) with Catherine Deneuve and Paul Belmondo, “La nuit américaine” (Day for night) (1973) with Jacqueline Bisset which won an Oscar as Best Foreign Film, “The story of Adèle H” (1975) with Isabelle Adjani (nominated for Best Actress Oscar), “The Last Metro” (1980) with (again) Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu…

Truffaut died too young of a brain cancer in 1984.

Here you can see an extract from “Jules and Jim” when Jeanne Moreau sings…


… and just for pleasure, when 45 years later, Vanessa Paradis (Johnny Depp’s partner in life) sings the same tune during the Cannes Film Festival.


Truffaut was a great admirer of Hitchcock and Spielberg and made an appearance Speilberg’s “Close encounters of the third kind” (1977).





As usual, here is a plan to show you where you can find these tombs.

32 comments:

Owen said...

I can't agree with you more, it is the cats who are directing the show ! They are in charge !

Peter (the other) said...

Whoa! Between BB and Romy's slinky my glasses are all steamed up. Now how am I supposed to get any work done?

For feral cats they seem to find their hunting good enough to stay well filled out, or do cat fanatics (such as myself) feed them?

Gabin's character, Grandgil's house in la Traversée de Paris is in my neck of the woods, rue Poliveau

(I need a drink! And a smoke!) Whoa...

Rakesh Vanamali said...

While these posts are naturally impressive, I'm amazed at the research that has made these posts come about! I respect the effort, immensely!

Maria O. Russell said...

Divino!!! Nunca mas una diosa como Romy Schneider!!! Mil gracias.

James said...

Excellent cemetery posts Peter! I'm amazed by your collection of photos!

Studio at the Farm said...

Thank you, Peter, once again, for an interesting and enjoyable post. And I love the smug-looking cat photo at the beginning of your blog.

Shionge said...

You never failed to amaze me with your posts...what a great effort.

Anai Le said...

Excelente.

Virginia said...

Well Peter, I think your links are very informative. You have spiced up your Montmartre Cemetery posts considerably! :) Perhaps you have more??
V

Jilly said...

My goodness, all this before breakfast! Adore this post Peter. All those memories of great films - no one makes movies like the French!

And so good to see the clip with Vanessa P and Jeanne Moreau too. I hadn't seen it.

Coincidentally, there's a cat on Menton DP today too. Love your cemetery cats.

Super post. So enjoyed it. Now I have to come back to the present time....and get on with the day!

hpy said...

I thought the cat was a film director! I must be sleeping.

Thirtytwo degrees said...

I loved the film clips. The Rony video reminded me of the movie Nine in which the director says all they want to see is your face! What a beautiful film as I was truly mesmerized. A great director whose work should be kept alive! Thanks so much for reminding me of Close Encounters as well...enjoyed that! Ecoute!

Cezar and Léia said...

Bonjour dear Peter,
A very special post, and a great start with the AWESOME close up of the cute kitty!MErci! I loved it!

And I sent the link to my son Guilherme, he is addict at cinema and classics, directors and soundtracks.He has a channel at youtube about soundtracks, his favorite movies.Maybe you can take a look when you have time, I think you would like the playlist.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Guilherme0212

Your post is a joy, very elaborate, BRAVO!
I love Jeanne Moreau song!
hugs
Léia

Alain said...

Depuis la mort de Claude Chabrol, il ne reste plus beaucoup de grands réalisateurs français. En y réfléchissant, je ne trouve que les deux Bertrand : Blier et Tavernier.

claude said...

Magnifique post Peter ! Moi, quand on me parle cinéma, je suis au anges, car très fan.
Que de beaux films ils nous ont faits ces metteurs en scène. Genre de films que l'on ne fait plus.
Le duo Gabin/BB restera dans les anales, tant par l'anachronimse de les avoir réunis et par la scène assez osée dont Gabin n'avait pas l'habitude. Il fallait oser, tout simplement. C"'est peut-être pour cela que je suis fan de ce film.
De bien d'autres aussi.
Je viens de faire une petite séance de cinoche grâce à toi et c'est fort sympa. Merci et bises !

Richard said...

I want to know how long it took you to research and assemble all this - it's quite extraordinary!

I don't think I know any other blogger that presents us with so much unique, relevant, new, interesting and well presented information on an almost daily basis.

Cheers

Cergie said...

A partir de quel âge on n'est plus trop jeune pour mourir, Peter ?
A fréquenter tous ces morts même illustre, tu ne deviens pas neurasthénique ?
Heureusement qu'il y a les chats et celui-ci très beau ressemble à Muchu le chat de notre voisin. Que je te dise : ce chat a une robe tabby et ces chats ont toujours le nez rose.

lasiate said...

Mossieu Peter fait dans le cinéma maintenant !! il se prend pour Peter Tchernia. Allons !! merci pour ce très riche post en images et en extraits de fils

Starman said...

I had forgotten about Truffaut in Close Encounters. I particularly liked the duet with La Forestier and Paradis.

Cynthia Schelzig said...

I just love reading your posts...such a story about this filmaker and the clips...all very interesting. I could look at these beautiful cats everyday....

caterpillar said...

The amount of research you put into each post of yours amaze me...

Yaëlle said...

Chouette post!
plein d'idées de films à regarder. Merci!

Trotter said...

Fabulous!! We take more than half hour to see each of your posts, but it's truly worth every second... (I imagine how long it takes to create them...).
BB, Romy and Jeanne: wonderful... how we have aged...
You made my Saturday!
Now, we'll be heading for the lamprey rice for lunch... ;)

Kim said...

Thank you for this slant on film directors, Peter. It very much interests me. I've been trying to view as many mid to late 20th century French films as possible and have seen films by each of these men. Your posts are so rich with interesting information. I really appreciate all the work you put into your marvelous blog!
-Kim

amatamari© said...

Oh oh your blog is a guarantee of quality!
:-)
Again you surprised for accuracy, the spirit of research, the pleasure of art, culture and beauty.
Thank you very much for this generous post, magnificent!
:-)

Oakland Daily Photo said...

Very impressed by this series and the information provided. Love the collage treatments. What app do you use?

Bettina said...

Montmartre cemetery will never be the same after all your posts. Next time I'm in Paris I'll have to go there for a whole day I think ;o)
Thank you for the cat - so cute.

Gaëlle said...

Long time no see but... c'est toujours aussi intéressant par ici, une vraie mine d'information !

Catherine said...

Don't stop with the Montmartre Cemetery posts - we are all loving this series so much...!!

Parisbreakfasts said...

That is so touching to see V.Paradis and Jeanne Moreau singing together!
Merci Peter!

joanna said...

Peter:

Your opening photo is superb, like the consummate host the videos you selected were perfect as well as the movie posters.
Now if I can look as good as Romy Schneider smoking a cigarette I would immediately take up smoking. The video of V Paradis and Jeanne Moreau singing was touching to the heart to see and hear.

Applause to you Peter this was wonderful.

joanny

Macsmail said...

Just discovered your blog, fabulous! I am looking forward to catching up on all the old posts! Question for you, I was in Montmartre Cemetery in November 2003 and a movie was being filmed there. I was under the impression that the film was about Yves Montand but I've never been able to find out for sure. Do you know if a movie about Yves Montand was filmed in that cemetery? I know he is not buried there and I'm not sure what the story line was for the movie. Thank you!