Françoise Arnoul Movies
Originally touted as the newest French sex symbol of the '50s, only to be overshadowed by the spectacular Brigitte Bardot, unusually pretty and petite Françoise Arnoul had enough talent and range to forge a decent film career for herself in such highly regarded films as Jean Renoir's French Can-Can (1955) and Jean Cocteau's Le Testament d'Orphee (1960). A native of Constantine Algeria, born Françoise Gautsch, Arnoul made her film debut in 1949 after studying drama in Paris. Her film career tapered off dramatically during the mid-'70s, but in the late '90s, Arnoul returned in character roles in such films as Post Coitum, Animal Triste (1997). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1997
A middle-aged woman temporarily abandons her role as wife and mother to embark upon a mad love affair with a man 20 years her junior. Up until the time she meets handsome young Emilio, Diane Clovier had a relatively happy life with her husband, kids and career. Emilio, with his amoral charm, is the antithesis of her life and Diane throws herself into a heated frenzy of lovemaking and romance with him. She shows little regard for the destruction she causes within her family. Her husband Phillipe, a lawyer, finds out about the affair, but does nothing to stop it in the hope that she will come to her senses. But as her relationship with Emilio grows hotter, it looks as if Diane may be lost forever. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brigitte Roüan, Patrick Chesnais, (more)
- 1958
In this routine melodrama by director Herve Bromberger, Francoise Arnoul stars as a somewhat confused young woman from an impoverished family who marries well out of her economic class. Life on the leisurely side eventually becomes boring, and so she decides to cruise back to her old neighborhood one night and check up on the action there. She discovers that her former boyfriend is living a shady existence and then circumstances, including a blackmail plot, place her precariously on the fence as she is forced to decide whether to return to her old life or continue with her marriage. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Massimo Girotti, (more)
- 1958
Cargaison Blanche (White Cargo) bears no relation to the steamy tropical stage melodrama of the same name. The "cargo" referred to in the title consists of innocent young girls who are transported to parts unknown for immoral purposes. Female journalist Francoise Arnoul tries to catch the white-slaver villains in the act, only to be kidnapped herself. She is rescued by Georges Aminel, a black dope addict with whom she forms a strong (albeit platonic) bond. Once Aminel is able to convince the authorities of Arnoul's plight, the poor girl is returned to safety by nominal hero Georges Rivieres. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Renée Faure, (more)
- 1977
In this drama, unemployment complicates a father's relationship with his estranged daughter. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Mondy, Anne Jousset, (more)
- 1955
Director Henri Verneuil co-adapted Des Gens Sans Importance from a novel by Serge Groussard. The title translates to People of No Importance, an all-too-apt description for the film's cast of characters. Jean Gabin plays an aging, world-weary truckdriver who falls in love with restaurant counter-girl Francoise Arnoul. For the first time in his life, Gabin has found true happiness, but Fate isn't about to let him off so easily. The film's tragic ending and defeatist characterizations rather limited the appeal of Des Gens Sans Importance in the United States. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Gabin, Françoise Arnoul, (more)
- 1955
Beautifully photographed, this comedy drama from Jean Renoir chronicles the revival of Paris' most notorious dance as it tells the story of a theater producer who turns a humble washerwoman into a star at the Moulin Rouge. The film is also title Only the French Can. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Gabin, Maria Felix, (more)
- 1953
A French boarding school is where a detective searches for a killer. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1982
- R
This French comedy stars Laurent Malet as Jacko, an aging delinquent who falls for businessman's fiancee Lise (Evelyne Bouix). ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Not reaching much beyond a routine and predictable crime-romance story, La Bete a L'Afflut features (Francoise Arnoul) as an attractive widow faced with an unusual dilemma. A convict has escaped from prison and gets into her place, whereupon she is prevented from calling the police. The interaction between the widow and the convict soon evolves into a steamy love affair, though that in no way means he is going to remain safe from capture. This was one of the last films of director Pierre Chenal, known for his crime dramas. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Piccoli, Henri Vidal, (more)
- 1958
La Chatte (The Cat) in this wartime meller is played by Francoise Arnoul. When her husband is murdered by the Gestapo, Cora (Arnoul) joins the French resistance movement. Gaining a reputation underground for her catlike grace and cunning, Cora has sworn not to complicate her life with romance until the war is won. Even so, she falls hard for Swiss journalist Bernard (Bernard Wicki). This proves fatal when Bernard turns out to be a Nazi spy. Both star Francoise Arnoul and director Henri Decoin seem preoccupied with other matters throughout La Chatte. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Bernhard Wicki, (more)
- 1959
This is a wartime action drama featuring Cora (Françoise Arnoul) the same heroine (known as the "cat') whose activities in the French underground were featured in the 1959 film La Chatte. She is back, this time with a string of bad luck, starting with her capture by German forces. Once she is imprisoned, Cora's mind is bent by unscrupulous techniques generally referred to as "brainwashing," that leave her in the power of her captors. When she is released, they know she will gather information about the French resistance movement and then hand that info over to the Germans. Unfortunately for her captors, their technique cannot overcome Cora's loyalty to country and friends. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Francois Guerin, (more)
- 1952
Jean-Pierre (Jean-Pierre Pascal) is the foreman of the lumber empire managed by a powerful family. The family's daughter Christine (Francoise Arnoul), sent to England as punishment for an indiscretion, returns to their forest home. It is a foregone conclusion that Jean-Pierre and Christine will fall in love, despite violent opposition from her aristocratic aunt (Marcelle Arnold). It turns out that the aunt is acting out of something other than social propriety: it was her lover who'd dallied with Christine before the girl's banishment to England. Advertised as another "naughty" Gallic romantic drama when released in the U.S., Le Foret D'Adieu is actually quite chaste in the treatment of its storyline. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul
- 1951
Set in fin de siecle Paris, La Maison Bonnadieu stars Bernard Blier as a middle-aged bourgeois husband named Felix. Much to his discomfort, Felix learns that his wife Gabrielle (Danielle Darrieux) is carrying on with a young man--a very young man. Rather than express outrage, Felix decides that there's something lacking in him. He spends the rest of the picture trying to keep his wife by altering his own personality and outlook. La Maison Bonnadieu managed to secure good American bookings on the strength of Danielle Darrieux's star appeal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danielle Darrieux, Bernard Blier, (more)
- 1960
A routine, wordy romantic drama about far-from-routine relationships, this tale by Pierre Kast looks at the personalities and love life of two couples. One couple is comprised of a writer and his wife, the writer being egocentric and out of inspiration after his one good novel. His wife is occupied with her own obsessions. The other couple is formed by a young diplomat and his tough, hard-nosed spouse. No one is faithful. As the foursome interact with each other, one of the women ends up with both of the men, and the remaining wife gets her husband's land for herself. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Daniel Gélin, (more)
- 1951
The title of this French film translates literally to The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. This lyrical cognomen somewhat obscures the film's intent: to expose the seamier side of the beauty-contest business. Five young lovelies are selected as finalists in a Parisian beauty pageant. Their breathless, starry-eyed excitement over this "honor" is soon compromised by the cynicism of the pageant's organizers, the lechery of various patrons and sponsors, and the overall fraudulence of the whole enterprise. Jacqueline Gautier delivers the film's best performance as a would-be actress whose experiences sour her for life on the notions of fame and fortune. La Plus Belle Fille du Monde has much in common with the like-vintage British seriocomedy Lady Godiva Rides Again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Nicole Francis, (more)
- 1954
La Rage au Corps (Tempest in the Flesh) stars Francoise Arnoul as Clara, a woman with quite a past and a questionable future. Employed as a lunchroom worker by a Parisian construction company, Clara is rescued from a potentially fatal on-the-job accident by a handsome laborer. She expresses her gratitude sexually, and soon the rest of the workers are consumed by lust and jealousy. A psychiatrist determines that Clara is a nymphomaniac, who can be "cured" only by truly falling in love. Eventually this happens, but not before several torrid affairs (many of which proved too torrid for the American censors). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Raymond Pellegrin, (more)
- 1960
In this crime drama, a crook tries to pull off the biggest job of his illustrious career by stealing extremely important, valuable documents. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Michel Piccoli, (more)
- 1959
This well-acted-though routine wartime drama is the second such film in a row for young Jean Claude Brialy, who plays a member of one of two families who are experiencing the effects of the German Occupation. In general, both morals and morale have declined in the families so that a lonely married woman whose husband is in a prison camp is willing to have an affair with a 17-year-old youth. But beyond that indiscretion, her need for money in a tight economy drives her to get the young man involved in the lucrative black market. Meanwhile, the father of the indiscreet youth finds out what his son is doing and although he has been an ineffectual parent, he tries to lay down the law to his son. Unfortunately, the law at this time seems to be on vacation. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bourvil, Alain Delon, (more)
- 1951
Le Desir et L'Amour is an interesting precursor to such "how movies are made" efforts like Day for Night and Sweet Liberty. A French film company heads to Spain for a location shoot. All sorts of mishaps befall the cast and crew, some of them self-inflicted, others beyond their control. The main plotline concerns a young local fisherman (Antonio Vilar) who is hired to double for the water-shy leading man. The youth promptly falls in love with the film's seductive leading lady, played with tongue-in-cheek self-consciousness by the delectable Martine Carol. Among the film's highlights is a flamenco number by Spanish musical star Carmen Sevilla. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martine Carol, Antonio Vilar, (more)
- 1962
Filmmaker Julien Duvivier returns to the multistoried format of his earlier omnibus films Tales of Manhattan and Flesh and Fantasy with the 1962 French production The Devil and the Ten Commandments. Actually, there are only seven separate episodes in the film, covering such commandments as "Thou Shalt Not Have Any Gods Before Me", "Thou Shalt Not Steal" and "Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother." Each of the vignettes seems to owe more to O. Henry or DeMaupassant than the Book of Exodus, with twist endings carrying the day. The all-star cast includes Michel Simon (Episode One), Dany Saval (Episode Two), Charles Aznavour and Lino Ventura (Episode Three), Micheline Presle, Mel Ferrer and Claude Dauphin (Episode Four); Fernandel (Episode Five); Alain Delon and Danielle Darrieux (Episode Six) and Jean-Claude Brialy (Episode Seven). Best of the batch is the fifth episode, wherein horse-faced Fernandel declares that he is God. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Simon, Françoise Arnoul, (more)
- 1967
Julia Danielle Darrieux is a woman who marries a younger man in this pre-World War II drama. The newlyweds settle down and run a store inherited by the bride. With storm clouds of war on the horizon, the woman's brother-in-law makes a small fortune dealing in guns and ammunition, and when war finally breaks out, Julia is left alone when her husband answers the nation's call to build up the military. She has a premonition about her husband's death as others only think of how they too can profit from the human misery of war. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danielle Darrieux, Jean-Pierre Moulin, (more)
- 1952
The unbeatable combination of star Fernandel and director Henri Verneuil strikes again with Le Fruit Defendu (Forbidden Fruit). Fernandel plays a rural doctor, trapped in a dull, uneventful marriage. During a visit to the city, the doctor falls for a young lady (Francoise Arnoul) of very loose morals. Unwilling to relinquish this affair upon returning home, the doc works out a clever scheme whereby he can install the girl in his own home without arousing the suspicions of his wife (Claude Nollier) . How he does this, and how he's finally caught, is handled in a hilarious but scrupulously tasteful fashion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernandel, Claude Nollier, (more)
