Jean Marais Movies
The extremely good-looking (some have called him beautiful) French actor Jean Marais was hardly a prize-winning performer in his formative years. Turned down by the Paris Conservatory, Marais took odd jobs to sustain his nighttime efforts as a stage bit player (one of the productions in which he appeared, Les Parents Terrible, would be filmed years later with Marais in the lead). On the basis of his looks and wavy blonde hair, he was able to wangle a few minor film roles from 1933 onward, beginning with Jean Tarride's Etienne, but the big breaks were not forthcoming until Marais met and befriended director Jean Cocteau. Marais would later describe his first encounter with Cocteau as his "second birth." The latter's homosexuality has frequently cast aspersions concerning his real stake in Marais' well-being, but the fact remains that Marais truly blossomed as an actor with starring roles in such Cocteau films as L'Eternel Retour (1943), Beauty and the Beast (1946), and Orpheus (1950). Thanks to Cocteau, Marais became one of the most popular French film personalities of the postwar era, with the country's top directors clamoring for his services. The two would remain professionally and personally close until Cocteau's death in 1963. The passing of his long-time companion devastated Marais, who would later write that a large part of himself died that day, leaving Marais but a shadow of his former self.Before becoming an actor, Marais had a hard time deciding what he wanted to do with his life. While still in his native Cherbourg, he worked at various jobs that included photographer, copying postcards, and selling newspapers. He started painting as a young man and it would remain a lifelong passion and eventually gained him access to the film industry after filmmaker Marcel L'Herbier purchased one of his paintings and the offered Marais the chance to play bit parts in two of his films, L'Epervier and L'Aventurier in 1933. His life-story would later inspire Francois Truffaut's plot for Le Dernier Metro/The Last Metro (1980).
In the early 1960s, the still strikingly handsome Jean Marais became something of a Gallic Roger Moore, appearing in such adventure-film series as Fantomas and The Saint. After a long retirement, Jean Marais returned to moviemaking in the mid-1980s with choice character roles in such films as Parking (1985). Marais made his final film appearance in Bernardo Bertolucci's Stealing Beauty (1996). That year, Marais received France's highest tribute, the Legion of Honor for his contribution to French cinema . ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
This nonsensical swashbuckler stars Jean Marais as a "lovable rogue" named LaTour. Generally loyal to no one but himself, La Tour swears eternal fidelity to King Louis XIV during a moment of national crisis in France. When he's not dueling for his life or romancing the ladies, our hero is prone to bursting out in song (Ah, this must be the "singing cavalier" alluded to in Singin' in the Rain). Filmed on an epic scale in Yugoslavia, La Tour, Prends Barde! nonetheless cost a lot less than American costume dramas of the period. The film was reissued to U.S. television under a variety of titles in the 1960s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Cathia Caro, (more)
- 1958
French filmmaker Sacha Guitry had intended to direct as well as write 3DLa Vie a Deux3D (3DLife as a Couple3D), but death claimed him before he could bring his plan to fruition. Adapted from Guitry's original by Jean Martin and directed by Clement Duhor, the film offers an all-star cast in a series of seriocomic anecdotes. The narrative is tied together by a millionaire novelist (based on Guitry himself), who on his deathbed wants to bequeath his fortune to several married couples upon whom he'd based one of his books. The proviso is that the couples must have remained happily wed to claim their money. The millionaire's family anxiously hire private detectives to prove that the couples in question are not only unhappy, but shameless philanderers in the bargain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Brasseur, Danielle Darrieux, (more)
- 1953
La Voca del Silenzio (Voice of Silence) was the only Italian production of fabled German director G. W. Pabst. Based on a concept by neorealism specialist Cesar Zavattini (fleshed out by a team of =12= prominent writers, including Pabst himself and Jean Cocteau), the film follows a small group of very troubled men during a three-day spiritual sojourn. One is a politician, laden with guilt over his comportment during WW II. The second is a war veteran whose wife has "grown away" from him. The third is a writer of detective novels whose works might have inspired a real-life killing. The fourth is a thief who has come to the spiritual retreat to avoid capture. And the fifth is a candle merchant whose livelihood is threatened by modern technology. One of the few concessions to popular taste is a striptease sequence involving Rosanna Podesta. In keeping with the film's title, few words are spoken in La Voca del Silenzio; in this respect, the film is an intriguing throwback to Pabst's classic silent films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Set in the 18th century, this French swashbuckler centers on Lagardere (Jean Marais), an adventurer whose life is affected when he decides to help out a nobleman in distress. Lagardere's comic companion Passepoil (Bourvil) adds a light touch to the proceedings. But when the nobleman is vilely murdered by a villainous courtier, Lagardere is duty-bound to raise the victim's little daughter as though she were his own. Time goes by, though not enough to erase the memory of the murder from the adventurer's mind. He decides to disguise himself as a hunchback in order to be accepted into the faction that had the nobleman killed, and from the inside as it were, plots his revenge. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Bourvil, (more)
- 1961
Based on a novel by Theophile Gautier, this costume drama by Pierre Gaspard-Huit is set in 17th-century France and centers around De Sigognac (Jean Marais), a nobleman fallen on hard times. The once-wealthy and still-titled gentleman is currently working with an itinerant acting troupe where he comes across Isabelle (Genevieve Grad) a comely maid who tugs at his heart strings. He falls in love with her, but she is unwilling to make a commitment. Meanwhile, another of the titled gentry has been chasing after Isabelle with a little more success, in that he simply kidnaps her. The story takes a surprising turn when Isabelle's parentage is revealed. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Genevieve Grad, (more)
- 1960
Andre Hunebelle directs this talky, standard costume drama set in the court of King Louis XIII in the 17th century. King Louis (Christian Fourcade) has his problems -- a power-hungry regent is trying to take the seat of government right out from underneath him. In order to stave off this bid for power, the king turns to François (Jean Marais), a swordsman and fighter who swashbuckles better than anyone else. François also incurs the wrath of the king's enemy but is compensated by the fact that the lovely Gisele (Elsa Martinelli) has noticed him. Geared more towards the younger audiences, Le Capitan also features a stock comic character, Cogolin, played by Bourvil. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Bourvil, (more)
- 1950
Somewhere between his more celebrated Walls of Malapaga and Forbidden Games, French filmmaker Rene Clement squeezed in the romantic drama Le Chateau de Verre. The film is based on a novel by Vicki Baum, of Grand Hotel fame. Michele Morgan stars as Evelyn, a married woman taking a vacation without her husband. Evelyn enjoys a brief but intense romance with Remy (Jean Marais), another vacationer. Later on, Remy suffers the taunts of his much-older mistress Marie (Elina Labourdette) who feels that he is an inadequate lover. Hoping to prove something to himself, he visits Evelyn once more. By now, however, she is suffering the pangs of guilt and remorse over her infidelity. Eventually she does return to Remy, but the consequences are disastrous. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michèle Morgan, Jean Marais, (more)
- 1954
This French/Italian adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo began as a two-part film, the entire project running well over three hours. Only the second portion of the film was seen in America, and it is this half that currently carries the title of the Dumas original. Safely escaped from the Chateau D'If, the wronged Edmond Dantes (Jean Marais) returns to his old haunts, thirsting for revenge. In the guise of the Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes manages to drive all his old persecutors to ruin, or death, or both. He finally relents when he realizes that his long-ago sweetheart Mercedes (or "Mercedes-is-it?") is still in love with him. Director Robert Vernay coadapted the screenplay with Georges Neveaux. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Lia Amanda, (more)
- 1965
In this adventure, a secret society, the Sons of the Panther, stop a ring of jewel thieves from stealing diamonds from a downed plane in Africa. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Liselotte Pulver, (more)
- 1962
An aging musketeer is called out of retirement to help a king in this comic swashbuckler. The king's twin brother is freed after twenty years in an iron mask. He is to be used as a decoy for the monarch while the real king and his court roust some rebels to foil their insurgent uprising. D'Artagnan (Jean Marais) leads the way with his expert fencing to aid in the royal flush. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Jean-Francois Poron, (more)
- 1961
Based on a novel by Henri Dupuy-Mazuel, this costume drama is set in the 16th century during the time of the French king, Louis XI (Jean-Louis Barrault). Charles, Duke of Bourgogne kidnaps the beautiful Jeanne de Beauvais (Rosanna Schiaffino) because King Louis has not granted Charles permission to marry the woman (she is the king's goddaughter). Charles then accuses Robert de Neuville (Jean Marais) of the kidnapping, and the fight is on. Robert manages to rescue Jeanne, but then the two of them are faced with squelching Charles' bid for the throne. The "miracle of the wolves" happens when the animals protect Jeanne from a band of villains. Jean Marais creates a powerful Robert (he does his own stunts), as illustrated in the poster for the film which shows him with upraised sword. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Rosanna Schiaffino, (more)
Shy young Marcelo Mastroianni ambles across a bridge one evening, where he meets a strange but alluring girl (Maria Schell) who is awaiting her lover. This chance acquaintance is the first strand in a complex web entrapping Mastroianni in a dreamlike world of flashbacks, flashforwards and false visions. The girl, suspecting that her lover is staying at a nearby hotel, asks Mastroianni to deliver a note to the errant swain. He agrees--then destroys the note, setting the plot in motion. Updated from a 19th century story by Dostoyevsky, White Nights (Le Notti Bianche) was later refilmed by Robert Bresson as Four Nights of a Dreamer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcello Mastroianni, Maria Schell, (more)
- 1966
The Saint (Jean Marais) and his dim-witted sidekick Uniatz (Jess Hahn) spring in to action in this slapstick comedy spy actioner. The duo goes after a cache of American cash left over from World War II used in an undercover operation. The two battle rival international agents also after the sizeable sum. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Henri Virlojeux, (more)
- 1948
The tragic 19th-century romance between Austria's Crown Prince Rudolph and his teenaged mistress Marie Varetska served as the basis for the classic 1937 film melodrama Mayerling. This 1951 remake was held in high regard by critics when first released, but has since been strangely forgotten. Jean Marais stars as Prince Rudolph, who after an abortive attempt to topple his father from the Hapsburg throne is exiled to his summer home in Mayerling. Here he continues his romance with the "socially unacceptable" Marie Varetska, played by Dominique Blunchar. The lovers enter into a suicide pact, but Rudolph's political foes beat him to the punch. This denouement is a controversial one; historians still argue over who was responsible for the deaths of Rudolph and Marie. Mayerling would be given a third cinematic treatment in 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Dominique Blanchar, (more)
- 1952
Dany Robin plays a modern-day Cinderella in Les Amants de Minuit. On Christmas Eve, lonely shopgirl Francoise (Robin) makes the acquaintance of slick counterfeiter Marcel (Jean Marais). Swept off her feet, the girl allows Marcel to shower all sorts of gifts and pretty clothes upon her. When she discovers that he's been using "funny money," however, she returns everything he's given to her. She also burns a roll of money that Marcel left behind to remember him by--and this turns out to be a bi-i-i-i-ig mistake. Filmed on location in and around Paris, Les Amants de Minuit complements the more hard-to-swallow aspects of the story with a surface veneer of reality. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Dany Robin, (more)
- 1946
Les Chouans is set during the dark days of the French Revolution. The title translates as "The Royalists," and indeed the protagonists are a group of French refugees loyal to the toppled royal family. Operating in Brittany, the royalists make a courageous if futile stand against the Republican army and the pro-revolution police. Based on a novel by Honore de Balzac, the film's screenplay was surreptitiously updated to include a few pro-left sentiments. Heading the cast is Madeline LeBeau -- the then-wife of Marcel Dalio -- whose best-remembered Hollywood role was as the patriotic trollop Yvonne in Casablanca. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Madeleine Robinson, Madeleine Le Beau, (more)
- 1992
The small port town in Brittany in this movie has its charms, but they are largely invisible to the children growing up there. In the first place, they are deeply disturbed at the sudden death of an elderly woman who is one of their favorite teachers under what appear to them to be suspicious circumstances. They launch an investigation and start a little newspaper to report their findings in, as a result of which the workings of their little town are made extremely clear. When "suspects" refuse to cooperate with them, they persecute him (or her) with pranks until they do. Naturally, their teacher's replacement has her work cut out for her, but she eventually accomplishes this by taking an interest in her predecessor and the student's investigations. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brigitte Fossey, Jacques Dufilho, (more)
- 1951
Yves Allegret's Les Miracle N'Ont Lieu qu Une Fois was briefly released in the U.S. under the literally translated title Miracles Only Happen Once. Critics have not dealt kindly with the film, comparing it unfavorably to Allegret's "classic" trilogy Dedde d'Anvers, Une si Jolie Petite Plage and Maneges (1948-50). Even so, Les Miracle is not to be dismissed lightly. The story concerns the romance between French student Jerome (Jean Marais) and Italian student Claudia (Alida Valli). Intending to marry, the couple is separated when war breaks out. Year later, Jerome and Claudia are reunited. By this time, however, Jerome has sunk to the depths of degradation, and the rapidly maturing Claudia wonders if the spark can ever be rekindled. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Alida Valli, (more)
- 1995
- R
Not a strict adaptation of the oft-filmed Victor Hugo classic, director Claude Lelouch's ambitious epic instead focuses on the story of two men, a father and a son, whose life stories bear striking similarities to Hugo's character Jean Valjean. The father is Henri Fortin (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a chauffeur (in 1900) wrongly accused of his employer's murder. Like Valjean, he is subjected to a harsh and unfair prison sentence. While Henri vainly attempts to escape his unjust fate, his family suffers, with his wife forced to raise their young son alone. The film jumps ahead several decades to show the adult life of this son (also Belmondo), a former boxer turned furniture mover who agrees to help smuggle a Jewish lawyer (Michel Boujenah) out of France during the Nazi occupation. Along the way, the lawyer reads to the younger Fortin from Les Misérables, and Fortin begins to imagine himself in the role of Jean Valjean, on the run from the obsessive Inspector Javert. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Paul Belmondo, Michel Boujenah, (more)
- 1962
One of several versions of a steamy novel by Eugene Sue, Les Mystères de Paris is set at the turn of the 20th century and begins when the carriage of Count Rodolphe (Jean Marais) runs over a man and as he dies, the Count vows to help his poor, orphaned daughter Marie (Jill Haworth). And so the Count penetrates the "thieves' quarter" in Paris looking for Marie, and he is emotionally overcome by the poverty he sees everywhere. After he meets Marie, he is attracted to her -- but then she is kidnapped and eventually, the Count learns the truth about her paternity. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Jill Haworth, (more)
