Maurice Escande Movies
- 1963
Director Frederic Rossif takes a scattered look at the world and the animal kingdom in this docudrama. Wildlife is witnessed in scenes raging from lovable comedic moments, to the life-and-death struggles for survival. Commentary spoken by Maurice Escand and music from Maurice Jarre are added effectively. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Frédéric Rossif, Maurice Escande, (more)
- 1950
Though French director Jean Gremillon's postwar films were nowhere near as brilliant as his prewar efforts, they still afforded plenty of entertainment value. L'Etrange Madame X stars Michele Morgan as Irene, a woman torn between two lovers. Married to aristocratic Jacques (Maurice Escande), Irene is devoted to her husband, yet she cannot resist the charms of low-born laborer Etienne (Henri Vidal). Her passionate affair with Etienne results in a pregnancy, which Jacques accepts with dignified resignation. Etienne, however, is less understanding, especially when he learns that Irene is not the humble housemaid she has pretended to be. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michèle Morgan, Henri Vidal, (more)
- 1945
One of the most expensive French films of the immediate postwar years, L'Affaire du Collier de la Reine is primarily a vehicle for the formidable Vivian Romance. The star plays an aristocrat in the court of Louis XVI, who helps engineer a scheme to divest the Queen of her royal necklace. On the verge of success, the "heroine" is found out, and forced to submit to whipping and torture, presented in vivid and somewhat erotic detail (few films displayed so much of the unclad Romance torso as this one). Officially directed by Marcel L'Herbiere, the film had to be completed by an uncredited collaborator when L'Herbiere fell ill during production. A pre-war version of L'Affaire du Collier de la Reine starred Marcelle Chantal. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Viviane Romance, Marlon Dorian, (more)
- 1938
This murder mystery is set in a Parisian cafe and examines the mysterious murder of a famed journalist and extortionist who is killed at his table in the cafe. Though the prime suspects are gathered together( including his wife and her lover, the gun-runner, the creditor, and a playboy) and all of them have motives, none of them did it. So whodunit? ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jules Berry, Vera Korene, (more)
- 1937
This saucy French adaptation of the Cinderella legend stars America exotic dancer Joan Warner as the heroine, here named Evelyne. The story is updated to 1930s Paris, with Evelyne aspiring to become a famous musician. She gets her chance in an unexpected manner when a "fairy godmother" allows her to lead an all-girl band at a fancy nightclub. Featured in the cast are several entertainers who'd previously appeared with Warner in the Casino de Paris revue. These worthies display a bit more flesh than was customary in American films of the period, which explains why Cinderella was extensively trimmed before its U.S. release. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Maurice Escande
- 1937
Jean Renoir's epic account of the French Revolution juxtaposes the opulent life of King Louis XVI with the poverty of the commoners who rose up to overthrow the monarchy in 1789. The film's title comes from the rallying song which grew out of the peasants' march on the Bastille, the song that ultimately became the French national anthem. Filmed with a cast of thousands, the focus is on two members of a large volunteer battalion who help the revolutionary army in its takeover of the Tulleries, which resulted in the publication of the Brunswick Manifesto and ultimately led to King Louis' downfall. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pierre Renoir, Lise Delamare, (more)
- 1936
The "une femme" (one woman) of the title is a young widow (Vera Korene). Upon discovering that her late husband was far from faithful, the woman decides to make up for all the fun she missed out on in life. She invites the "sept hommes" (seven men) who have been her most ardent suitors for a weekend of "fun and games" at her lavish chateau. Once the seven have arrived, however, the widow realizes that she has eyes only for one: her childhood sweetheart, an impoverished nobleman (Fernand Gravey). For the record, the remaining six suitors include a gigolo (Roger Duquesne), a self-made businessman (Pierre Larquey), a writer (Felix Oudart) and a bureaucrat (Saturin-Fabre). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vera Korene, Fernand Gravey, (more)
- 1935
With director Abel Gance at the helm, the title character in Lucrezia Borgia exudes more sex appeal and wears fewer clothes than any previous screen incarnation of the infamous Florentine poisoner. Edwige Feuillere stars as Lucrezia, who learns her ruthless political cunning at the knee of Machiavelli (Aime Clariond) himself. Sold into a marriage of convenience by her craven brother Cesare (Gabriel Gabrio), Lucrezia soon holds all of 15th-century Florence in thrall. Her despotic rule is energetically challenged by tireless reformer Savonarola, who more or less functions as Abel Gance's alter ego (though Gance would certainly not have wished to meet Savonarola's grisly fate!) Filmed in 1935, Lucrezia Borgia ran into censorship problems in England (thanks to its implicit anti-Papal stance), Italy and Germany, holding up its international release for nearly two years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edwige Feuillère, Gabriel Gabrio, (more)
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