Jacques Gretillat Movies

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Le Joueur d'Echecs: 1939

In one of his last European film appearances, Conrad Veidt heads the cast of Le Joueur D'Echecs (The Checker Player). Set during the reign of Russia's Catherine the Great, the film recreates Poland's ongoing efforts to wrest free of Russian tyranny. Paul Cambo plays Polish patriot Bosleslas Vorosky, whose insurrection is aided by an eccentric Hungarian nobleman, Baron Kempelen (Conrad Veidt). Seemingly more interested in his various mechanical devices (including an automated checker player) than with human beings, Kempelen nonetheless proves to be the best friend the Poles could have, even sacrificing his own life for their cause. In the film's bizarre but historically accurate conclusion, the spiteful Catherine demands that Kempelen's beloved mechanical checker player be executed by firing squad (It makes sense within context--honest!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Starring:: Françoise Rosay, Micheline Francey, (more)

Danton: 1939

Starring:: Andrée Ducret, Jacques Gretillat, (more)

Entente Cordiale: 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, Rovi

Starring:: Gaby Morlay, Janine Darcey, (more)

Cafe De Paris: 1938

This murder mystery is set in a Parisian cafe and examines the mysterious murder of a famed journalist and extortionist who is killed at his table in the cafe. Though the prime suspects are gathered together( including his wife and her lover, the gun-runner, the creditor, and a playboy) and all of them have motives, none of them did it. So whodunit? ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Starring:: Jules Berry, Vera Korene, (more)

Gribouille: 1937

Originally titled Gribouille, Marc Allegret's Heart of Paris serves as an excellent vehicle for that matchless stage and screen favorite Raimu. The star is cast as bourgeois family man Camille Morestau, who while serving on a jury in a murder trial takes pity on the accused, waiflike Natalie Rougin (Michele Morgan). Through a series of unlikely circumstance, Morestau invites Natalie to move in with himself and his family for the duration of the trial. Morestau's son Claude (Gilbert Gil) assumes there's some hanky panky going on between his father and Natalie, whereupon he takes a serious interest in the girl himself. Realizing that her presence has caused serious dissension in the Morestau household, Natalie prepares to leave-but not before "borrowing" a few valuables to finance her exit. The ending of Heart of Paris is somewhat grimmer than the one utilized in its American remake, The Lady in Question, in which the three main characters were portrayed by Brian Aherne, Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Starring:: Michèle Morgan, Raimu, (more)

Bourrasque: 1935

La Porteuse De Pain: 1934

Starring:: Germaine Dermoz, Jacques Gretillat, (more)

La Flambee: 1934

Starring:: Edith Mera, Constant Remy, (more)

La Robe Rouge: 1933

Starring:: Marcelle Praince, Constant Remy, (more)

Pas Sur La Bouche: 1931

Pas Sur La Bouche (Not Much on the Mouth) was based on a stage operetta by Andre Barde and Maurice Yvane. Nicolas Rimsky (who also directed) stars as Thomson, an American industrialist who refuses to kiss his gorgeous wife on the mouth because of a traumatic oscillatory experience in his youth. He finally succumbs to her charms -- and her kisses -- when he's on the verge of losing her to another man. The filmmakers have a curious idea about American life, as indicated by the opening sequence in which a Mexican damsel is rescued from Indians as part of a charity-benefit show. Likewise, Nicolas Rimsky's exaggerated American dialect and hand gestures border on the ridiculous. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Starring:: Mireille Perrey, Alice Tissot, (more)

La Fille Des Chiffonniers: 1922

Starring:: Blanche Montel, Madeleine Guitty, (more)

Nero: 1922

The Fox studio wasn't known for its big-budget spectacles, but when it needed to, it could really come through, as proven here. Director J. Gordon Edwards spent eight months in preparation and a couple of months in Italy filming the story of the last of the Caesars -- quite a long time in those days. Except for Violet Mersereau, who played the part of the Christian heroine Marcia, the whole cast was made up of Italian actors (appropriate, considering that the film was about ancient Rome). For the most part, Edwards made good use of the 11 reels it took to tell Nero's story, showing off the immense Circus Maximus, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and giving heated life to the burning of Rome (accomplished with a combination of miniatures and full-size sets). The only time he goes just a touch overboard is when the Roman people, fed up with their mad emperor (played by Jacques Gretillat), assemble into an angry mob; at this point he tries a little too hard to be D.W. Griffith. This was Fox's big mid-year release for 1922.
~ Janiss Garza, Rovi