Victor Francen Movies
Silver-haired Belgian leading man Victor Francen was the son of a police commissioner. Upon embarking on an acting career, Francen toured the provinces of Europe, Russia, Canada and South America before joining the Comedie Francaise. After a stop-and-go silent film career, in 1931, Francen established himself as a leading man of French films. Some of his best work was under the direction of innovative filmmaker Abel Gance, who inspired Francen to expand his emotional range to the breaking point in such films as The End of the World (1931) and J'Accuse (1937). When the Nazis marched into Paris in 1940, Francen moved to the United States. He found himself much in demand as a worldly continental type in Hollywood, often as a villain, spy or schemer; in keeping with the tenor of his roles, Francen's acting style became heavier (as did the actor himself). Victor Francen closed off the Hollywood phase of his career with 1961's Fanny, making one final film appearance in the French La Grande Frousse before retiring in 1964. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1942
Tales of Manhattan is a sumptuous multipart film centered around a formal tailcoat. The coat is specially designed for stage actor Charles Boyer, who wears it during a rendezvous with his lady friend (Rita Hayworth). The lady's husband (Thomas Mitchell) shoots Boyer, thus the tailcoat is damaged merchandise and sold at a discount to a bridegroom (Cesar Romero). When the groom's peccadillos catch up to him, the bride (Ginger Rogers) chooses to marry the best man (Henry Fonda) instead, and the coat is shipped off to a second hand store. It is purchased by a would-be composer (Charles Laughton), who wears it the night that he is to conduct his first symphony; alas, the coat is too tight and tears apart, nearly ruining the conductor's debut. Stitched back together, the coat is donated to a skid row mission, wherein the kindly proprietor gives the coat to a down and out drunkard (Edward G. Robinson) so that the shabby gentleman can attend his 25th college reunion. Later on, the coat is stolen by a crook (J. Carroll Naish) in order to gain entrance to a fancy charity ball. The crook holds up the ball and stuffs the loot in the pockets of the coat, but while escaping in an airplane he loses the outer garment. The coat floats down to an impoverished African American shanty community; a farmer (Paul Robeson) decides to distribute the "money from heaven" amongst his needy neighbors. At the end, the tattered coat adorns the shoulders of a scarecrow. Tales of Manhattan is one of the best "portmanteau" dramas turned out by Hollywood; it was directed by French expatriate Julien Duvivier, a past master of the multi-story technique. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Boyer, Rita Hayworth, (more)
- 1942
This historical drama tells the story of the first class to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In the early 19th Century, Congress appropriated the money to build the school, but opponents who believed it to be an illegitimate expansion of the powers of the federal government decided to sabotage the school. They put the hard-as-nails Major Sam Carter (Laird Cregar) in charge of the academy, and he ruthlessly put the recruits through grueling training -- until only ten prospective soldiers remained. They include Dawson (George Montgomery), a patriotic farm boy and Howard Shelton (John Sutton), a selfish playboy who has come to West Point only because of its prestige. The two vie for Carolyn Bainbridge (Maureen O'Hara), while they, along with the other eight, try convince Carter that the school is worth keeping. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Montgomery, Maureen O'Hara, (more)
- 1942
When two young island-dwelling people fall for each other, their rival parents do not embrace the romance with welcomed arms as one family is content with a simple and lazy life and the other is just the opposite. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Laughton, Jon Hall, (more)
- 1941
Hold Back the Dawn begins with a shabby immigrant (Charles Boyer) wandering onto a Paramount sound stage and telling his life story to director Mitchell Leisen (who actually directed this film). In flashback, we see that Boyer was once a conscienceless gigolo, desperate to flee Nazi-occupied Europe. He makes it to Mexico, where he pretends to fall in love with shy schoolteacher Olivia de Havilland. It is his plan to marry her, thus be able to enter the United States; then he intends to dump her and pursue the woman he really loves. Boyer's regeneration, and the price he pays for his previous callousness, brings Hold Back the Dawn to its tearful conclusion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, (more)
- 1940
Originally La Chemineau, The Open Road is a generally satisfying if overlong rural drama. Returning after a 20-year absence, a shabby vagabond (Victor Francen) discovers that his son has been raised to believe that another man is his natural father. At present, the boy is involved in a romance with a girl who doesn't meet with his mother's approval. The Vagabond straightens out everyone's problems without ever revealing his true identity. The Open Road bears more than a passing resemblance to Jubilo, a popular Will Rogers vehicle of the silent era. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victor Francen, Tania Fedor, (more)
- 1940
In this French drama, based on a story by Tolstoy, the public prosecutor decides to sacrifice himself so that his wife can be freed to be with the man she really loves. Just as he is about ready to kill himself, someone saves him. He then opts to become a soldier. The villagers do not know this and assume that he has been killed by his wife. She, now engaged to the lover, is arrested. When he later reappears, the philandering female begs that he return, but he ignores her pleas and walks away. She then swears to wait for him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victor Francen, Gaby Morlay, (more)
- 1939
Entente Cordiale was adapted from Andre Maurois' Edward VII and his Times. Victor Francen heads the cast as Britain's Prince Edward, who after assuming the throne of England in 1910 strives to bring about a lasting peaceful coexistence between the United Kingdom and France. Both countries are treated with equal respect throughout the film, depicted as intelligent nations willing to avoid war at all costs, but not quite as willing to give up national pride; the infamous Fashoda Incident, which almost resulted in full-scale warfare between Britain and France, is the film's central issue. Scores of historical personages make fleeting cameo appearances, including Queen Victoria (played by Gaby Morlay), Lord Kitchener (Jean d'Yd), French president Loubet (Jean Perrier), Clemenceau (Jacques Baumer) and Lord Balfour (Andre Roanne). Not surprisingly, Entente Cordiale was produced and released at a time when France and England were seriously contemplating a united front against future Nazi incursions into Europe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gaby Morlay, Janine Darcey, (more)
- 1939
This poignant drama peeks in at the lives and relationships between elderly thespians living in an actors' retirement home. The home is almost bankrupt and so the actors must support themselves. The residents include a faded sex symbol, an intellectual actor who kept a great distance between himself and the audience, and a depressed thespian who tries to conceal the fact that he was only an understudy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Simon, Madeleine Ozeray, (more)
- 1939
L'Homme du Niger (The Man from the Niger) is set in the Sudan, which in 1940 was still under French colonial rule. The story revolves around three individuals: Doctor Harry Baur, colonial commander Victor Francen, and Jacques Dumesnil, Francen's second-in-command. When Parisian tourist Annie Ducaux pays a visit to the Sudan, both Francen and Dumesnil fall in love with her. Eventually, Baur discovers that Francen has contacted leprosy, forcing the commander to remove himself from the romantic triangle. Upon Francen's unexplained disappearance, the heartbroken Ducaux marries Dumesnil, but three years later returns to Francen when the latter shows up again to complete a long-delayed dam project. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annie Ducaux, Victor Francen, (more)
- 1939
The Maginot line, designed to be the deepest war trench in the world, provides the focus for this espionage drama. The French began building the trench during WW II. It did not matter that trench warfare had proved to be terribly ineffective during WW I, the French were determined to make it work. It didn't. The Germans simple drove their tanks around the complex maze and invaded France. The story in the film begins as the new Line commander is murdered by a machine gun. Three lieutenants are the prime suspects. One of them is a German spy. He is soon discovered by counterintelligence agents who pursue him to a blind corner in the trench. Though he is only 200 yards from the German border, the spy kills himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vera Korene, Victor Francen, (more)
- 1938
In this French war drama, a battleship captain tries to keep an enemy cruiser from sinking his vessel; he then must defend his honor during a court-martial. Much of the tale is told in flashback and centers not only on the battle itself, but also on the young woman who is having an affair with a younger officer. It is her very indiscretions that ironically save the captain from being drummed out of the service. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annabella, Victor Francen, (more)
- 1938
Viere Folle (Foolish Virgin) was the latest in a long line of cinemadaptations of Henri Bataille's famous story. Married to faithful but frigid Annie Ducaux, attorney Victor Francen finds contentment with dewey-eyed naif Juliet Faber. Entranced by Faber's youth and innocence, Francen tries to behave himself with the girl, but her family suspects the worst. Eventually they have good reason for their suspicions, and the result is unhappiness for everyone the audience cares about. Director Henri Diamant-Berger manages (none too gracefully) to inject a bit of arbitrary politicizing into the proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annie Ducaux, Juliette Faber, (more)
- 1937
This 1938 sci-fi and horror-tinged war drama from writer/director Abel Gance is an updated remake of Gance's own 1919 silent feature of the same name. J'accuse stars Victor Francen as Jean Diaz, a scientist who, after witnessing the unspeakable horrors of the battlefield during the First World War, dedicated his life to ensuring that history doesn't repeat itself. Diaz eventually invents a device that promises to bring an end to war forever. However, with WWII on the horizon, the government instead opts to use the machine against its enemies rather than for peace. This drives Diaz to the brink of insanity and leads him to resort to more unexpected measures to get his point across. Line Noro and Marie Lou also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Line Noro, Renee Devillers, (more)
- 1936
Director Marcel L'Herbier adapted the screenplay for La Porte du Large (Open Door to the Sea) from a novel by Charles Spaak. Victor Francen stars as Captain Vilette, the recently-appointed commander of the Naval officer's school where his son (Jean-Pierre Aumont) is a cadet. The younger Vilette becomes involved in his dad's personal affairs when the Captain falls in love with a very-married American heiress (Marcel Chantal). Hoping that the Captain will marry the gorgeous woman -- after she divorces her husband of course -- Vilette Jr. arranges an elopement in a "borrowed" navy plane. This results in an apparent tragedy, for which the duty-bound Vilette holds his son responsible. On the verge of court-martial and disgrace, the young man is saved and the Captain is able to marry his sweetheart. Much of La Porte du Large was filmed on location at the Ecole Navale at Brest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victor Francen, Marcelle Chantal, (more)
- 1936
Before the Battle is the English-language title of this espionage melodrama. The first half of the film takes place aboard a French cruising ship, steaming through dangerous waters during WWI. Among the passengers is heroine Jeanne (Annabella), who was once in love with first-officer D'Artelles (Robert Vidalin) but he now seems strangely preoccupied. It turns out that the ship is on a secret mission, which ultimately dooms the vessel to a Lusitania-like death. After the sinking, Captain De Corlaix (Victor Francen) faces a court-martial, and it is at this point that the film clarifies several baffling plot points. Despite its complexity, the story is fairly believable, with the exception of the grafted-on romantic subplot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annabella, Victor Francen, (more)
- 1936
Filmed two years before the Nazi takeover of France, The King (Le Roi) made its way to the U.S. in 1941. Victor Francen plays the title character, a playboy regent who goes out for a night on the town during a visit to Paris. In the course of the evening's revelry, Francen enjoys a brief fling with gorgeous Gaby Morlay -- who happens to be the mistress of the king's host, cabinet minister Raimu. Though enraged at being cuckolded, Raimu tries to honor the usual proprieties of protocol and class distinctions, with amusing results. Like many late-1930s films, The King was obviously inspired by the pre-abdication shenanigans of the Prince of Wales. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gaby Morlay, Elvire Popesco, (more)
