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1-50 of 51
- Director
- Writer
- Composer
An educated man, Jean Grémillon (b.1898) should almost be mentioned in the same breath as the big five of the golden age of the French cinema (Carné, Renoir, Duvivier, Feyder and Clair). Some of his plans never came to anything: for instance, after World War 2, only three movies, which is too few for such a man.
The silent years: Grémillon's career began with documentary shorts... and ended the same way. His first effort (1923) dealt with Chartres town. Three years later came his first feature film "Maldone". One of his recurrent features is already here rebellion against the wealthy class. It's the story of a young heir who favors freedom over possessions. "Gardien De Phare" could be remade today (and its influence appears in some horror movies): Two lighthouse keepers (the father and the son) are to spend one entire month in the middle of the sea near the coasts of Brittany; flashbacks reveal us that the young man has been bitten by a rabid dog.
The period of transition: his first talkie "La Petite Lise" (1930) was a melodrama; the male character was probably inspired by Hugo's Jean Valjean. "Dainah La Métisse" was some kind of murder mystery: did she jump or was she pushed? But what's extraordinary is the obvious connection with Gremillon's later work "Pattes Blanches" (1947): the murder of the bad girl (Suzy Delair) by Maurice (Michel Bouquet) on the cliff, and the white bride veil. The director himself confessed he never liked its follow-up "Pour Un sou D' Amour", not exactly class struggle. Both his Spanish movies sank without a trace. "La Dolorosa" was a musical where they sing every ten minutes; his collaboration with Luis Buñuel seemed unworthy of both men's talent: "It is odd that Luis Buñuel singled out the uninspired but decidedly above-average melodrama" (Mario Gauci). "La Valse Royale" (1935), a French-(Hitlerian) Germany co-production did nothing to rectify Gremilllon's stature: "light-hearted gallantry" best described this old-fashioned, poorly written story with some hints at the French Revolution.
The golden years: From "Gueule d'Amour" (1937) onward, Grémillon would never produce anything mediocre. This 1937 work was the stuff Gabin's legend was made, his part of a legionnaire who experimented tragedy. "L'Etrange Monsieur Victor" gave Raimu the opportunity to play, masterfully, a part of a criminal. The making of "Remorques" began in 1939, but because of the occupation, was released in 1941: the banal plot mattered much less than the atmosphere; the star of the movie was the Ocean: you could hear, feel, or see it ceaselessly along the viewing. "Lumière D'Ete" (1942) pitted the men of leisure against the working class heroes. Although it was a Prévert/Laroche screenplay, the main influence here was Renoir's. All that concerned Paul Bernard's character and his fete in the castle strongly recalled "La Règle Du Jeu". Probably the center of gravity of the movie, this memorable sequence of the Farandole - while the tragedy was impending - would find an equivalent in Prévert/Carné's ending of "Les Enfants Du Paradis". Nowadays, it is generally considered Grémillon's apex. "Le Ciel est A Vous" (1943) was a beautiful movie dedicated to daring women who were feminists ahead of their time, the story of a woman who wanted to be an aviator. During the Occupation, the Petainist France set this movie up as an example of virtue and courage, against the dirty Clouzot's "le Corbeau". After the Liberation, both movies were attacked, the former for being too Petainist, the latter for showing the darkest side of the occupied country.
The post-war years: Grémillon's career was never the same, although the three movies he made were very interesting. Jean Anouilh, who wrote the screenplay, was to direct "Pattes Blanches", but he fell sick and had to give it up. He chose Jean Grémillon to do the job and he was right: it included moments of desperate lyricism. In "L'Etrange Madame X" (1951), Jean Grémillon and Albert Valentin did what they did best: setting a working class milieu against the bourgeois world. His final effort, "L'Amour D'Une Femme" was beautiful but extremely sad, even lugubrious. It featured two funerals and many depressing scenes; even the love scenes were sad. When Madame Leblanc, a schoolteacher about to retire, packs her stuff. When the doctor asked herself if her work was finally worthwhile, we think of the director who probably knew it was to be his final work. During his last years he had to be content with shorts, which, for a first-class director such as him, was certainly a shame, considering the great works he could still have made. He died at 61, prematurely.- Music Artist
- Writer
- Actor
Orelsan was born on 1 August 1982 in Alençon, Normandy, France. He is a music artist and writer, known for A Simple Favor (2018), Civilisation tour (2023) and Comment c'est loin (2015).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Raymond Bussières was born on 3 November 1907 in Ivry-la-Bataille, Eure, Haute-Normandie, France. He was an actor and writer, known for Paris When It Sizzles (1964), Casque d'Or (1952) and Le jugement dernier (1945). He was married to Annette Poivre. He died on 29 April 1982 in Paris, France.- Cathia Caro was born on 17 December 1943 in Rouen, Seine-Inférieure [now Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie], France. She is an actress, known for Il trionfo di Maciste (1961), Isabelle a peur des hommes (1957) and Violent Summer (1959).
- Juliette Jouan was born in 2002 in Caen, Calvados, Normandy, France. She is an actress, known for Scarlet (2022), Anime galleggianti and L'invité (2000).
- Was gravely wounded in 1985 in a car accident, was in a coma for 40 days and was left handicapped. The car was driven by Sacha Distel, a french singer who was just slightly hurt and who received a suspended sentence of one year following the accident. Chantal Nobel retired from public life following the accident.
- François Hollande was born on 12 August 1954 in Rouen, Seine-Inférieure [now Seine-Maritime, Normandy], France. He is an actor, known for Silex & The City - The Movie (2024), Au nom de la grèce and Trump Takes on the World (2021). He has been married to Julie Gayet since 4 June 2022.
- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Laurent Ruquier made his debut in the famous French "café-théâtre" Le Caveau de la république in his own stand-up. Then he become the assistant of Jean Amadou and Maryse for a radio program. After that, he was hired by Claude Villers to make a column on the "Vrai-Faux Journal" for France Inter. Then he had his own radio program "Rien à Cirer" which ran a long time on the same station before a change of title many times (Dans tous les sens, Changement de Direction,...). After an adaptation of his show "Rien à Cirer" to the TV which stopped after few weeks and Les niouzes (1995) which ended after only 5 days, Ruquier decided to leave television for ever. But few years later he made his return as co-host with Marc-Olivier Fogiel on the show "Un an de +" on Canal+ and was announced as co-host for the new show of Fogiel on France 3 "ONPP" but few days before the premiere he finally agreed to have his own show -"On a tout essayé"_ produced by Thierry Ardisson. He left France Inter to come back to Europe 1 with his famous show "On va s'gêner". He wrote few plays like "La presse est unanime" for the actress 'Isabelle Mergault', "Grosse Chaleur", "Si c'était à refaire" and "Landru" starring Régis Laspalès as Désiré Landru in december 2005. He also produced Marie Laforêt's comeback to stage in 2005 (after she left her singing tours since 1972)- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Jean-Charles Tacchella was born on 23 September 1925 in Cherbourg, Manche, Haute-Normandie, France. He is a writer and director, known for Cousin, Cousine (1975), Silver Anniversary (1979) and Travelling avant (1987). He has been married to Ginette Tacchella since 27 December 1969.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Patrick DeMarchelier was born on 21 August 1943 in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France. He was an actor, known for Sex and the City (2008), The Believers (1987) and París: Magic Jeans (2015). He was married to Mia Skoog. He died on 31 March 2022 in France.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Cinematographer
- Editor
Vincent Richard was born on 19 October 1978 in Bois Guillaume, Normandie, France. He is a cinematographer and editor, known for Lucy (2014), Anna (2019) and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017).- Dominique Marcas was born on 8 August 1920 in Dozule, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France. She was an actress, known for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999), The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak (1984) and Love Me Strangely (1971). She died on 15 February 2022 in Illiers-l'Évêque, Eure, France.
- Composer
- Actor
- Director
Vincent Delerm was born on 31 August 1976 in Évreux, Eure, Haute Normandie, France. He is a composer and actor, known for Spring Blossom (2020), Merlí. Sapere Aude (2019) and Out of Season (2023).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Olivier Chapelle was born on 8 February 1975 in Normandie, France. He is a director and writer, known for Karma Battle (2009), Commissariat Central (2016) and Plus belle la vie (2004).- Gaëtan Cotigny was born on 13 January 1977 in Saint Lô, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France. He is an actor, known for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017), Gérald le Conquérant and Louis la brocante (1998).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Josyane was born on 24 December 1901 in Granville, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France. She was an actress, known for Le secret du cargo (1929), Le costaud des PTT (1931) and Il carnevale di Venezia (1928). She died on 17 July 1999 in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Adorée Villany, born as Ada Villany in Rouen 1888, was French/Hungarian exotic dancer, choreographer and writer, best known for her deviant performances inspired mythical, historical and Oriental themes. She was self-taught and bold when she presented her daring "Dance of the Seven Veils" along with a reading of Oscar Wilde's "Salome" in Paris 1905. German director and film-pioneer Oskar Messter noticed her show and produced the short "Tanz der Salome" in 1906. The success was immediate and Adorée Villany toured Europe with her veil-dance spiced with artistic elements from Franz Stuck and Arnold Böcklin. In 1912 she published the book "Tanz-Reform und Pseudo-Moral : Kritisch-satyrische Gedanken aus meinem Bühnen - und Privatleben" (Dance reform and pseudo-morality: Critical-satyrical thoughts from my stage and private life). When the Great War broke out she moved north to Denmark, where she starred in "The Veil Dancer" (1915) directed by Cesare Rino Lupo. She received a residence permit in Sweden and toured the country for several years, making memorable performances at Oscarsteatern and August Strindbergs Intima Teatern in Stockholm. The death of Adorée Villany is as mythologized as her life as an artist. Reliable information states that she was seen alive in 1919.- Jean-Marie Frin was born in 1949 in Normandie, France. He is an actor, known for Femme Fatale (2002), Capital (2012) and An Officer and a Spy (2019).
- Additional Crew
- Producer
- Actor
Maxime Delauney was born on 4 December 1981 in Saint Lô, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France. He is a producer and actor, known for La femme de Rio (2013), Collection rue des ravissantes: Boris Vian fait son cinéma (2014) and No Limit (2022).- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Jean Teulé was born on 26 February 1953 in Saint Lô, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France. He was a writer and actor, known for Caché (2005), Rainbow for Rimbaud (1996) and The Marquis. He died on 18 October 2022 in Paris, France.- Chéri Bibi was born on 7 April 1925 in Canapville, Orne, Normandie, France. He was an actor, known for Vidocq (1967), World by Night (1960) and Catch (1952). He died on 18 February 1996 in Cannes, France.
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Philippe Lopes-Curval was born on 9 June 1951 in Bayeux, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France. He was a writer and assistant director, known for The Chorus (2004), Trop tard Balthazar (1986) and See Here My Love (1978). He was married to Catherine Lopes-Curval. He died on 13 February 2023 in Bayeux, Calvados, France.- Lise Lamétrie was born on 20 February 1955 in Luneray, Normandie, France. She is an actress, known for District 13: Ultimatum (2009), Romantics Anonymous (2010) and LOL (Laughing Out Loud) (2008).
- Aurélien Tchouaméni was born on 27 January 2000 in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France.
- René Hell was born on 1 May 1891 in Orbec, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France. He was an actor, known for The Count of Bragelonne (1954), Le cabaret du grand large (1946) and Witness in the City (1959). He died on 11 October 1965 in Paris, France.