Pierre Fresnay Movies

An evil and manipulative leader has pushed some of his subjects too far. They join together to stage a revolution. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The original "grumpy old men," Jean-Marie (Jean Gabin), Baptiste (Pierre Fresnay), and Blaise (Noel-Noel) raise havoc in this entertaining comedy by director Gilles Grangier. The trio of irritable, temperamental grouchy men abandon their village to go take up residence in a senior citizens' home. They have a great time playing tricks on others and venting about the inadequacies of modern youth. Each elderly eccentric has his moment in the spotlight, as their story unfolds in an episodic manner. In the end, the retirement-home staff become convinced that taking care of these characters lies above and beyond the call of duty. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Les Ouefs de L'Autruche translates to The Ostrich Eggs, a description of the offspring of bourgeois paterfamilias Hippo (Pierre Fresnay). For Hippo is indeed a human ostrich, remaining blind to the true natures of his wife and children until it is too late. Prizing his eldest son as a prime example of French manhood, Hippo is shocked to learn that the boy is an unhappy homosexual. His other son, assumed to be self-reliant, allows himself to be the kept man of a wealthy Japanese woman. As for his wife, whom he has underestimated and browbeaten all her life, Hippo discovers that she once planned to leave him for his best friend. Hardly a candidate for "Family Hour" television, Les Oeufs de L'Autruche was adapted from a stage play by Roussin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Director Leo Joannon, the man responsible for the much-maligned Laurel and Hardy swan song Atoll K (1951), demonstrates that he had some talent after all in L'Homme aux Clés d'Or (The Man With the Golden Keys). Pierre Fresnay stars as Professor Fournier, who devotes his spare time to raising money for charity. When Fournier discovers that three of his students have been stealing his charity funds, he arranges to have the culprits paroled in his custody, provided they sign a note promising that they'll be on their best behavior. The professor's good intentions pave the road to Hell when one of the delinquents, a promiscuous young girl, (Annie Girardot), accused him of rape. The rest of the film details Fournier's long, arduous struggle to regain his reputation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title of this French wartime melodrama translates to The Fugitives. The title characters are three in number, played by Pierre Fresnay, Francois Pirier and Michael Andre. Escaping from a German POW camp, the trio search high and low for safe refuge. They briefly find it in the home of Polish refugee Silvia Monfort, but the reach of the Gestapo is far longer than anyone can imagine. Though the title suggests nonstop action, Les Evades leans towards verbosity in most of its scenes, with emphasis on preaching. Its release in the U.S. was somewhat hampered by a glut of similar films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

La Route Napoleon is a lampoon of the aggressive sales tactics adopted by the French tourism industry. Go-getting publicity flack Martel (Pierre Fresnay) hits upon a clever scheme to boost the tourist trade along the coast of France. He arranges a group of sightseeing tours around the route taken by Napoleon during his 1815 flight from Elba. He then sets up a series of "authentic" historical sites along the way, the better to separate the tourists from their money. The irony of it all is that when Martel comes across a site where Napoleon actually stayed during his journey, the owners refuse to allow the building to be exploited. Undaunted, Martel decides to turn the next town up the road into the hub of all tourist activities. The changes brought upon the nonplused residents of this heretofore sleepy village is the source of most of the film's comedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Humanitarian Albert Schweitzer still had a dozen years worth of good works left in him in 1952; thus, the title of this French biopic, which translates to It is Midnight, Dr. Schweitzer, was a trifle premature. Pierre Fresnay stars as Schweitzer, while Jeanne Moreau co-stars as Marie, his dedicated nurse. The film begins with Schweitzer's graduation from medical school and his decision to travel to Gabon in Africa, there to establish a free clinic for the natives. Accompanying the doctor is Marie, who'd originally become a nurse to overcome an unfortunate romance, but who is soon swept up in Schweitzer's noble cause. The climax finds Schweitzer facing deportation as an "unfriendly alien" during WW I. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Banker Fournier Pierre Fresnay prefers to spend his spare time at home. But Fournier's wife Yvonne Printemps is possessed of a wandering spirit. After much pleading and cajoling, she convinces Fournier to accompany her on a trip to America, where their daughter lives. The comedy arises from Fournier's attempts to expedite the journey without going through the usual political channels. Director Henri Lavorel is not afraid to use slapstick to make his points; one wishes, however, that Lavorel had injected a little more variety into the proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally titled Un Grande Campon, The Perfectionist is a tailor-made vehicle for Pierre Fresnay. The star plays a brilliant and celebrated surgeon, on the verge of achieving his life's goal: a membership in the Academy of Medicine. Unfortunately, the surgeon's medical accomplishments are counterpointed by his less-than-admirable private life. One of the victims of the surgeon's single-minded pursuit of success is his woefully neglected life. He finally awakens to his domestic responsibilities only to lapse back into his old habits at the first opportunity. A subplot concerns a young medical student who bids fair to achieve the same measure of success as the elder surgeon -- and to make the same grievous errors on a personal level. The Perfectionist was the 1951 winner of France's Les Victoire Cinema Francais, the Gallic equivalent to Hollywood's Oscar. The film was the third feature-length directorial effort of Yves Ciampi, himself a onetime medical student. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

French filmmaker Jean Dellanoy once again combines visual poetry with box-office savvy in Dieu a Besoin des Hommes. Set on a remote French coastal island in the 19th century, the film stars Pierre Fresnay as a peasant named Thomas. In the absence of a priest, Thomas, the village sacristan, is coerced into conducting religious services. Suddenly, and much against his will, he becomes the spiritual leader of the community. He eventually runs afoul of both the Church and the Law by administering last rites, an illegal act for a non-clergyman. Despite its rather remonstrative attitude towards organized religion, the film won an award from a major Catholic organization. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

French filmmaker Henry Decoin was better known for his stylistic panache than his creative originality. In Au Grand Terrace (originally released in 1949 as Au Grand Balcon), Decoin weaves a familiar story with finesse. Like the director himself, the film's hero is World War I aviator Carbot, played by Pierre Fresnay. After the war, Carbot attempts to establish a commercial airline, for the purpose of delivering the mail to the outermost regions of France. There's plenty of Only Angels Have Wings-style heroics as Carbot's pilots face injury and death while braving the elements to meet their appointed rounds. The film's nominal heroine, Maryse, played by Jeannine Crispin, has little to do but wait anxiously as the pilots go about their duties. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed in France in 1945, The Devil's Daughter didn't make it to the U.S. until 1949. Pierre Fresnay plays Saget, a supposedly self-made man of wealth who has allegedly struck it rich in America. In fact, Saget is a bank robber, who has assumed the identity of a recently deceased millionaire known for his acts of philanthropy. Everyone in the small French village where Saget resides accepts him for who he claims to be--everyone, that is, except the local doctor (Fernand Ledoux), who knows the truth and intends to use this knowledge to his advantage. Everyone's ultimate fate is sealed when Isabelle (Andree Clement), the titular "devil's daughter," falls in love with Saget. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide