Jacques Dumesnil Movies

Showing no signs of slowing down in his 70th year, Sacha Guitry served as director and writer of the lavish historical epic Napoleon, and also costarred as Talleyrand. It is now hard to assess the quality of the film, since most American prints are severely edited, and the color photography appallingly washed out. Reviewers in 1955 admired the effort that went into this $1,800,000 production, but complained that the viewer left the film with no deeper understanding of Napoleon Bonaparte than the viewer had had when coming in. Daniel Gelin poses impressively as the young Bonaparte, registering emotion only when things go wrong in his conquest of Europe, while Raymond Pellegrin is somewhat better as the older, more jaded Napoleon (the transition between the two actors is handled in a near-comic fashion). The Revolution is reduced to a few fleeting scenes, while the rest of the film is devoted to political infighting and betrayal. The huge supporting cast includes Michele Morgan as Josephine and Lana Marconi and Dany Robin, respectively, as Napoleon's mistresses Waleska and Desiree. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Le Vicomte De Bragelonne is another variation on Dumas' "Man in the Iron Mask" theme. Georges Marchal plays the title character, who comes to the rescue when King Louis XIV (Robert Burnier) is imprisoned by the villains and replaced on the throne by his twin brother. The Vicomte is aided in his task by the aging Three Musketeers, as well as the silver-haired D'Artagnan (Jacques Dumesnil). British actress Dawn Addams does not play Milady De Winter, as has been previously claimed, but instead the virtuous heroine Helene. Le Vicomte De Bragelonne later played repeatedly on American television under a variety of new titles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Thanks to the popularity of the 1948 cinemazation of Gigi, the "fin de siecle" novels of Colette suddenly became hot properties in the French cinema. Julie de Carneilhan stars Edwige Feuillere in the title role. A divorcee, Julie de Carneilhan finds herself ardently pursued by a roue (Pierre Brasseur) and by her more reliable younger cousin (Jacques Dumesil). Like most of Colette's works, Julie de Carneilhan talks a great deal about sex and sexuality, but shows very little. The film's preponderance of dialogue, witty though it may have been, left American audiences dissatisfied. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Set during the Napoleonic era, La Ferme des Sept Peches begins with an actual incident: the murder of obscure French pamphleteer Paul-Louis Courier. Through a complicated series of flashbacks and flashforwards (a la Citizen Kane), Courier's life story unfolds before the audience's eyes. The Courier character is played by Jacques Dumesnil, whose awesome task it is to bring dozens of contrary personality traits together into one creditable performance. The maiden effort of filmmaker Jean Devaivre, La Ferme des Sept Peches won first prize at the Locarno Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Director Maurice Cloche's sole cinematic contribution of 1946 was Jeux de Femmes. Jacques Dumesnil stars as a carefree young man, living in exquisite sin with the lovely Mila Parely. But upon learning that his rich uncle will cut him out of his will if he doesn't marry, Dumesnil frantically searches about for an appropriate wife, leaving Parely in the lurch (which doesn't seem to bother her too much). Our hero's friends publicize Dumesnil's impending marriage to Helen Perdiere, who supposedly has been provided as an "instant wife" by an employment agent. Naturally, boy and girl fall in love on their own, without his friends' well-meaning intervention. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide