French films and actresses....

[pennycarrol]

Hey everyone!!I'm curious... I just wanted to know, do you watch vintage french films (maybe with subtitles?)!! Do you love our actresses? What do you think?? I have to say that Arletty, Mich?®le Morgan, Simone Signoret, Louis Jouvet, Louis de Fun?®s, Michel Galabru............ lol!!! (plus heaps) are my favourites!!! I'd love to hear what you think about vintage french films!!
Amicalement, Pennycarrol!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KittyT]

I loved Signoret in Les Diaboliques. Fantastic movie. Haven't seen anything else with her though.

 

[Lotus Leroux]

I actually majored in French in college and I do really enjoy French films. Though it has been a while since I have seen any!

I believe the last one I saw was Paris, je t'aime which I did really like.

 

[LadyStardust]

Hey everyone!!I'm curious... I just wanted to know, do you watch vintage french films (maybe with subtitles?)!! Do you love our actresses? What do you think?? I have to say that Arletty, Michèle Morgan, Simone Signoret, Louis Jouvet, Louis de Funès, Michel Galabru............ lol!!! (plus heaps) are my favourites!!! I'd love to hear what you think about vintage french films!!
Amicalement, Pennycarrol!!!!!!!!!!!

I regret to say I don't believe I have seen any -vintage- French films, at least none that are coming to mind right now. However, if it is any redemption on my part, I do ADORE a current French actress, Juliette Binoche. I think she is absolutely enchanting, and have enjoyed quite a number of her movies, both English and French.

 

[Brinybay]

I recently watched Le Samouraï and Borsalino and Co. on the recommendation of a post in the "Hat movies" thread here. Visually great, but I got a little frustrated because they didn't give the lead much to say, especially in the first movie. They just stand there looking bug-eyed at each other.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I regret to say I don't believe I have seen any -vintage- French films, at least none that are coming to mind right now. However, if it is any redemption on my part, I do ADORE a current French actress, Juliette Binoche. I think she is absolutely enchanting, and have enjoyed quite a number of her movies, both English and French.

We show a lot of current French films, and I'm always happy when we've got a Binoche coming up. She adds a real touch of class to anything she does.

 

[dr greg]

Touche pas!

My favourite french gangster film
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046451/

 

[LadyStardust]

We show a lot of current French films, and I'm always happy when we've got a Binoche coming up. She adds a real touch of class to anything she does.

I'm glad to find we are of the same mind. I think she's a real treasure to films nowadays, she does have a very special quality, and I've always found she commands the screen in whatever she is in, and she even manages to do so in subtle roles, in understated ways. She became one of my favorites because the first time I watched a movie with her in, I came away thinking about her performance, and that it had really made an impact on me, and I really wanted to see her other work. So I did, and the rest is history!

 

[KittyT]

For you Juliette Binoche fans, I highly recommend The Horseman on the Roof (Le Hussard Sur Le Toit), if you haven't seen it already. Stellar performances from both her and her (very hot Italian) costar. Stunning cinematography, and based on a novel from Jean Giono.

 

[deadpandiva]

I loved Diaboliques, but I too have not seen any other Simone Signoret films. I have only seen Mich?®le Morgan in an American film (The Vintage). I would love to se more of her thought. I also loved the Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

That, sadly is the extent of my veiwing.

 

[The Wolf]

I think the best known vintage french, at least here in the United States, film is Jean Cocteau's "La Belle et la B?™te". I've noticed filmmakers have "borrowed" from that film since it came out in 1946.
I, personally, prefer to see them with subtitles, not dubbed.

Sincerely,
Le Loup

 

[Martinis at 8]

Try catching modern French films. They are great! Even with subtitles.

 

[Lulu-in-Ny]

My favourite french gangster film
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046451/

Ahh... Gabin. I absolutely adore this man; I could watch him watch the grass grow. He had such a such a rare quality. He has been referred to as the "French Bogart". I, however, am more inclined to think of Bogart as the "American Gabin"... My favorite, though, is Port of Shadows. I love the photography, the sets- the entire atmosphere is magic. And Michele Morgan may be one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.

 

[Lulu-in-Ny]

I think the best known vintage french, at least here in the United States, film is Jean Cocteau's "La Belle et la B?™te". I've noticed filmmakers have "borrowed" from that film since it came out in 1946.
I, personally, prefer to see them with subtitles, not dubbed.

Sincerely,
Le Loup

This was the first French film I ever saw; it remains one of my favorites on many lists- B&W, Fairy Tales, Foreign...

The dubbing issue is a deal-breaker for me- if that's the way I have to watch something, I won't. I remember being very excited to see Brotherhood of the Wolf, and the person who lent it to me had the dubbed version. My stars, what a mess. I eventually saw the subtitled version, though, and it improved substantially...

 

[Martinis at 8]

I might add that any young man contemplating going off to the military should be forced to watch The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

What treachery from Genevieve!

 

[Marlowe P.]

Hey everyone!!I'm curious... I just wanted to know, do you watch vintage french films (maybe with subtitles?)!! Do you love our actresses? What do you think?? I have to say that Arletty, Michèle Morgan, Simone Signoret, Louis Jouvet, Louis de Funès, Michel Galabru............ lol!!! (plus heaps) are my favourites!!! I'd love to hear what you think about vintage french films!!
Amicalement, Pennycarrol!!!!!!!!!!!

I seem to be in love with everything French lately (YAY! La Vie en Rose)... not sure how vintage but really French movies from the 60s and 70s
I really liked Jeanne Moreau in Jules and Jim.. Thanks for some more recommendations... I took French from the second grade through my second year of college but sadly haven't retained much, so I do love subtitles but wish I didnt have to. And I think it is impossible to not be in love with at least one french woman in your life... this goes for the fairer and not-so-fair sex.

 

[dhermann1]

Favorite Renoir film: "La Règle du jeu" (1939), The Rules of the Game, an amazing film, period.
Favorite Jean Gabin film: "Pépé le Moko" (1937). This film was remade as "Algiers" in 1938 with Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr ("Come wiss me to ze Casbah. . ." tho he doesn't actually say that, just like "Play it again, Sam")
The latter is virtually a frame by frame copy of the former. Hard to say which is better, they're both so good. For my money "Algiers" is in the same class as "Casablanca". Gabin was also great as Inspector Magret.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Jacques Tati. His "Mr Hulot's Holiday" and "Mon Oncle" are just wonderful. His 1948 film "Jour de Fete" is a snapshot of a day in the life a small French provincial village. Just adorable.
1962 "Last year in Marienbad" . . . woo hoo. Weird but wonderful.
1970 "Claire's Knee"
And many many others. Oh, favorite French actress? Mmmmm . . .
peut etre Simone Signoret.

 

[Lulu-in-Ny]

Favorite Renoir film: "La R?®gle du jeu" (1939), The Rules of the Game, an amazing film, period.
Favorite Jean Gabin film: "P?©p?© le Moko" (1937). This film was remade as "Algiers" in 1938 with Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr ("Come wiss me to ze Casbah. . ." tho he doesn't actually say that, just like "Play it again, Sam")
The latter is virtually a frame by frame copy of the former. Hard to say which is better, they're both so good. For my money "Algiers" is in the same class as "Casablanca". Gabin was also great as Inspector Magret.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Jacques Tati. His "Mr Hulot's Holiday" and "Mon Oncle" are just wonderful. His 1948 film "Jour de Fete" is a snapshot of a day in the life a small French provincial village. Just adorable.
1962 "Last year in Marienbad" . . . woo hoo. Weird but wonderful.
1970 "Claire's Knee"
And many many others. Oh, favorite French actress? Mmmmm . . .
peut etre Simone Signoret.

I love Pepe as well; I am mildly disturbed by Algiers. It's just such a close reshoot. Even some of the stock footage is the same, and he went so far as to cast supporting actors who resembled the French originals. I guess I have a tendency to feel bad for Gabin. The studio behind Algiers actually tried to have Pepe Le Moko suppressed so as not to interfere with Algiers. Same thing happened when they remade Le Jour se Leve as The Long Night with Henry Fonda. Poor Jean...
I agree with you about Regle du Jeu; it is definitely Renoir's best film, maybe one of the best films ever made. That being said though, my favorite Renoir would have to be Grand Illusion.

 

[dhermann1]

Algiers

I'd like to put up two screens side by side and compare the two versions. Both sets of leads are so different. But I think the Hollywood version had a MUCH more convincing ending. The French version's ending was simply ludicrous. I won't spoil it for others by describing it. Go rent the film!!! Either or both versions. I say again, "Algiers"/"Pepe Le Moko" is just as great a romantic film as "Casablanca"!

 

[Flitcraft]

Re: Algiers...

Gabin was set to re-create his Pepe Le Moko character in the Hollywood re-make, but the Hollywood honchos found him too arrogant and too "French" and decided to go with "Gabin-lite"- Charles Boyer. But don't feel too sorry for Monsieur Gabin- he promptly had a torrid affair with Marlene Dietrich, then went off to fight with the French Resistance. C'est la vie!

Algiers looks like a frame-for-frame re-shoot because it is. The director couldn't figure how to contain his costs until Charles Boyer suggested they simply re-shoot Pepe Le Moko scene for scene.