Marguerite Pierry Movies

La Vie d'un Honnette Homme was the sole 1953 contribution from indefatigable French filmmaker Sacha Guitry, who scripted and directed. Surprisingly, Guitry does not play the film's titular "honest man." Michel Simon essays that role -- or rather, "roles," since Simon plays twin brothers, ant-and-grasshopper types. Secretly, the wealthy and industrious Albert has always envied his carefree brother's lifestyle. When his brother dies, Albert takes his sibling's place, experiencing true happiness for the first time in his life. Despite Albert's duplicity, the film's title is still appropriate: Guitry argues that it's possible to lie to the world so long as you're honest with yourself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Private Life of an Actor was the English-language title bestowed upon Sacha Guitry's first postwar feature, Le Comédien. The film recounts the life and loves of Guitry's actor/father Lucien, with Guitry playing both himself and his dad. Most of the story takes place either on-stage or in the dressing room, satirically emphasizing the wide schism between an actor's public and private life. Adding to the Pirandellian ambience of the project is Guitry's wife, Catherine (Lana Marconi), cast as one of Lucien's various mistresses. To fully appreciate the wit and wisdom of Private Life of an Actor, one must be conversant in French. The English-language subtitles don't even try to match the excellence of Guitry's original screenplay. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This disturbing melodrama centers upon the relationship between two sisters. One sister is married, but unable to bear children; her husband, who wants kids, is ready to leave her. The other sister is single and pregnant. The baby's father left her. The married sister talks her sister in to giving her the child, so she can save her marriage. The little sister does so, and then falls in love herself and gets engaged. Trouble ensues when the baby's father reappears and blackmails her. Now the sister must decide when and how she is going to tell her fiance the truth. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Originally Tourbillon de Paris, this film details the misadventures of a group of French military-school students. The plot is merely an excuse to showcase the considerable talents of bandleader Ray Ventura and his orchestra, most of whom play students so as to justify their presence in the film. After getting in and out of one scrape after another, the students redeem themselves by landing a contract as nightclub performers. Corpulent comic actor Charpin provides acting relief as a pompous headmaster, who deals as best as he can with his unruly charges. The best way to sum up Whirlwind of Paris is to imagine an American film in which Benny Goodman and his orchestra play West Point cadets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

French stage favorite Lya Gauty made her screen debut in 1938's La Goualeuse (The Street Singer). The story concerns a poverty-stricken vagabond (Jean Martinelli) who supports himself by singing for pennies in a rough section of town. Only the local barkeeper knows that the vagabond is actually the illegitimate son of a prosperous and highly respected banker (Constant Remy). One would think that the film's dramatic climax would consist of a tearful reunion between father and son. Instead, this scene occurs in the middle of the picture; the rest of the film is a melodramatic melange of high emotionalism and low melodrama, culminating in the boy's suicide. Though billed first, Lya Gauty has an almost peripheral role as the hero's long-suffering sweetheart who sings at the drop of a hat and frequently brings her own hat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide