Jean Mercure Movies
The French-filmed Baxter is based on the American novel Hell Hound. The title character is a bull terrier, who in the course of the film has many masters--and for good reason. Baxter has been instrumental in the deaths or serious injuries of most of the human beings who've come in contact with him. The dog's latest owner is a young neo-Nazi. nd Baxter makes it quite clear (to the audience at least) what he has in store for this fellow. Don't be misled by the title or the fact that the leading character is a dog with a full range of human emotions; Baxter is not a family film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lise Delamare, Jean Mercure, (more)
- 1981
A young jounalist (Patrick Dewaere) stumbles across something much more sinister than a simple suicide in the death of a politician - the death seems to be an assassination contrived by an American multinational company intent on taking over several French industries. The journalist's objective is to garner enough evidence to expose the American corporation for what it really is, before French companies start disappearing - and before any more corpses accumulate, including his own. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dewaere, Caroline Cellier, (more)
- 1960
In what must be the longest lapse of time between a film and its sequel, 70-year-old Abel Gance continues his nearly legendary, 1927 historical drama Napoleon with this tale of Napoleon's life after his victories in Italy. The first half of Austerlitz delves into the private life of Napoleon Bonaparte (Pierre Mondy), the prodigal son of Corsica. The supreme commander of the French armed forces goes about his family life and dallies with Josephine (Martine Carol) and mistress Mlle. de Vaudey (Leslie Caron). He occasionally displays bursts of temper that presage some of the macho violence of the battle scenes in the second half of the film, after Napoleon has proclaimed himself Emperor. This sequel shows that Gance has not lost his directorial touch. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Mondy, Rossano Brazzi, (more)
- 1960
Murder, illusion, and lies form the basis of this convoluted drama that centers around twin sisters and the man that loves one of them. The girls work as a circus illusionist. People love their act because the girls are adept at making the audience believe that there is only one of them. To keep the illusion alive, the girls sign a contract that keeps them publicly separated. A man falls in love with one of the twins without knowing that she has a sister. The other sister becomes terribly jealous of the affair. The man's alcoholic mother is also jealous of the affair and murders one of the twins. Unfortunately, she murdered the wrong one. Meanwhile, news of the murder is kept secret to preserve the illusion. The poor man, in a confused rage, thinking his love to be the jealous twin, kills her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacques Riberolles, Ellen Kessler, (more)
- 1957
What if the Dauphin of France managed to escape the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution? That's the premise of the opulent British swashbuckler Dangerous Exile. Louis Jourdan stars as the Duc de Beauvais, who manages, at great personal sacrifice, to smuggle the son (Richard O'Sullivan) of King Louis XVI into England. The boy takes up residence in Wales, where he is protected by local lass Virginia Traill (Belinda Lee) and her wealthy Aunt Fell (Martita Hunt). When time comes for the boy to return to France, he refuses--but local newspaper editor Patient (Finlay Currie), a spy for the French revolutionaries, has other ideas. Keith Michell, future star of TV's Six Wives of Henry VIII, is well cast as a French Republican with whom the Duc de Beauvais must inevitably cross swords. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis Jourdan, Belinda Lee, (more)
- 1954
Stendhal's brilliant but difficult novel Le Rouge et le Noir all but defies transfer to film, but adaptor/director Claude Autant-Lara comes within shouting distance of full success. Stripped to essentials, the plot concerns Julien Sorel (Gerard Philipe), a carpenter's son who becomes a tutor. While his duties do not include the seduction of his employer's wife (Danielle Darrieux), Sorel offers this service free of charge. After this episode, Sorel becomes a priest...and the story isn't over yet. Though the director is too doggedly literal in his adaptation at times, and despite the fact that Gerard Philipe was about ten years too old for the part of Jean Sorel, Le Rouge et le Noir manages to hold the audience in its thrall for 2 hours and 50 minutes (most American prints, retitled The Red and the Black, run only 140 minutes). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Philipe, Danielle Darrieux, (more)
- 1953
- PG
The second of Disney's British-produced "historicals" (the first was Robin Hood, the last was Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue), The Sword and the Rose eschews historical accuracy in favor of wall-to-wall adventure and eye-filling pageantry. The film takes place in the court of King Henry VIII (James Robertson Justice), whose sister Mary Tudor (Glynis Johns) has fallen in love with soldier of fortune Charles Brandon (Richard Todd). Mary appoints Brandon Captain of the Guards, which rests not at all well with her erstwhile suitor, the Duke of Buckingham (Michael Gough). Rather than foment court intrigue, Brandon decides to move on to America, only to end up in the Tower of London when Mary tags along with him, disguised as a boy. Mary is ordered by Henry to wed the aging King of France (Jean Mercure), who promptly dies, leaving the girl at the mercy of the evil Dauphin (Gerard Oury). When rescued by the Duke of Buckhingham, Mary is informed that Charles is dead, but in fact her true love still lives, as he proves beyond doubt in a climactic battle with the duplicitous Duke. Sword and the Rose was based on Charles Major's novel When Knighthood Was in Flower, previously filmed in 1923 with Marion Davies. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Todd, Glynis Johns, (more)
- 1950
The frequently used title Ballerina (even more frequently after 1949's The Red Shoes) was applied to the English-language release of this French film. Dancer Violette Verday must choose between three men. Her suitors are jeweler Henri Guisoi, producer Romney Brent, thief Nicholas Orloff. She imagines, in ballet terms, what life with each man would be like. Thus Ballerina is a sort of Tom Dick and Harry with pirouettes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Violette Verdy, Gabrielle Dorziat, (more)
- 1950
Based on a stage play, Maitre Apres Dieu concentrates on a mercenary cargo-ship captain, played by Pierre Brasseur. The skipper experiences a life-altering epiphany when he reluctantly agrees to transport a human cargo, consisting of Jewish refugees. His new-found faith in the Almighty is seriously challenged as one country after another refuses to assume the responsibility for his passengers. When first presented on Broadway, Maitre Apres Dieu (Skipper After God) starred John Garfield in the Pierre Brasseur role. Contemporary reviews indicate that Garfield was somewhat more effective than his cinematic counterpart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Loleh Bellon, Jean Mercure, (more)
- 1944
It came as no surprise to filmgoers of 1946 that Vive la Liberte was a patriotic yarn of wartime France. The film details the exploits of the Maquis during the Nazi occupation years. Ostensibly based on fact, the script seems pretty incredible at times, a common shortcoming in "resistance" pictures on both sides of the Atlantic. The film proved most successful in those regions of France where the freedom-fighting Maquis were most active. In America, where such films were a dime a dozen in 1946, Vive la Liberte made little impact. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeanne Manet, Raymond Bussières, (more)
