Jean-Pierre Aumont Movies
Throughout his lengthy screen and stage career, French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont served as the very essence of sophistication, adding a touch of grace and class to even the least noteworthy production. Born Jean Pierre-Salomon in Paris on January 5, 1909, he was the product of a wealthy family, and his mother was an actress. At the age of 16, he began studying drama at the Paris Conservatory and made his professional debut on-stage in 1930. A year later, Aumont appeared in his first film, Jean de la Lune, but he did not shoot to fame prior to starring in Jean Cocteau's play La Machine Infernal in 1934. That same year, he co-starred with Jean Gabin in the Julien Duvivier feature Maria Chapdelaine, followed in 1936 by the Marcel Carné comedy Drôle de Drame. In 1938, Aumont reunited with Carné for Hotel du Nord, but his film career was to come to a five-year halt when he joined the Free French forces in Tunisia, Italy, and France, ultimately winning the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre for his bravery in battle. Fleeing the Nazis' occupation of France, he relocated to California in 1942, landing a contract with MGM.The studio made the most of Aumont's background by assigning him a pair of 1943 war dramas, The Cross of Lorraine and Assignment in Brittany, both detailing the efforts of the French Resistance forces. The following year, Aumont starred in the war romance Three Hours, and in 1946 appeared in Heartbeat. Many of his postwar films, like 1947's Song of Scheherazade and 1948's Siren of Atlantis, lacked distinction, and by the early '50s he was primarily working in Europe, appearing in productions originating in Italy (Revenge of the Pirates), Britain (1953's The Gay Adventure), and, of course, France (Life Begins Tomorrow, made in 1949 but released internationally in 1952). However, because he enjoyed a fan following in America, Aumont occasionally returned to the U.S. to appear in films, on-stage, and on television, and in 1953, he co-starred in the acclaimed musical Lili. Never a major star, Aumont rarely appeared in films of consequence, although he did co-star in Francois Truffaut's 1973 Oscar-winner La Nuit Américaine. In the mid-'90s, he also appeared in Jefferson in Paris and The Proprietor, a pair of films from the well-regarded Merchant-Ivory team. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1953
Charge of the Lancers is an all too typical Columbia "B" adventure film of the 1950s, with inexpensive sets, fading stars, and miles of stock footage. Paulette Goddard, pushing 50, plays a lively gypsy girl who romance an British military officer (the robustly non-British Jean-Pierre Aumont) during the Crimean War of the 1850s. Goddard and Aumont are captured by the Russians, but escape to do some spying for the Allied cause. All of this leads up to the British victory at Sebastopol, staged with both eyes on the budget sheet by resourceful director William Castle. Charge of the Lancers was filmed in Technicolor, evidently the only real expenditure made by "quickie" producer Sam Katzman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paulette Goddard, Jean-Pierre Aumont, (more)
- 1953
This 1953 French historical melodrama was the fourth film version of Pierre Benoit's novel Koenigsmark. Jean-Pierre Aumont stars as a court historian named Vignerte, who comes to the titular duchy to do research. Instead, Vignerte spends his time romancing the Duchess Aurora (Sylvana Pampanini), then saving her from the diabolical intrigues of her former husband, Duke Frederic (Roldano Lupi). Along the way, our hero discovers that the Duke is not a man to be trifled with, especially since he has a habit of walling up his enemies in the dungeon. Will the lovers escape, or will they meet a horrible doom? It takes 90 minutes to find out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Aumont, Silvana Pampanini, (more)
- 1953
- G
Based on the story by Paul Gallico, Lili stars Leslie Caron as the title character, a 16-year-old waif who runs off to join a carnival. Embittered, crippled puppeteer Mel Ferrer treats Lili with contempt; only by speaking through his puppets is Ferrer able to express his genuine love for the girl. Before this happens, however, Caron must overcome her crush on magician Jean-Pierre Aumont, who is married to the contentious Zsa Zsa Gabor. Though not a musical (as was Carnival, the 1961 Broadway version of Lili), the film affords Leslie Caron the opportunity for a dream ballet, and also accommodates the lilting Bronislaw Kaper/Adolph Deutsch hit song "Hi Lili, Hi Lo". Legend has it that professional curmudgeon H.L. Mencken, who considered movies a waste of time and never bothered to see them, was persuaded to attend a showing of Lili--and loved every minute of it! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Caron, Mel Ferrer, (more)
- 1952
Alida Valli delivers one of her finest performances in the Italian Ultimo Incontro. Based on La Biondina, a 19th-century suspense novel by Marco Praga, the script has been updated to the Milan of 1951. Valli plays Lina, the faithless wife of wealthy Piero (Amadeo Nazzari). After entering into an affair with race-car driver Michele (Jean Pierre Aumont), Lina is blackmailed into selling her sexual services to others. Eventually, she is hired to satisfy the desires of -- guess who? The operatic denouement seems less hokey than it is, thanks to the combined skills of star Alida Valli and director Gianni Franciolini. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alida Valli, Amedeo Nazzari, (more)
- 1952
Set in Venice, this espionage thriller concerns a gang of saboteurs who've been targeting French military installations. Gallic secret service agent Cyril (Jean Pierre Aumont) is sent to investigate. His progress is impeded by worldly-wise cabaret singer Katherine (Carla del Poggio), who may or may not be involved with the saboteurs. During most of the film, action and adventure take a back seat to the Aumont-del Poggio romance, which plays itself out against several photogenic Venetian locales. Things begin picking up again in the last reels, culminating in a thrilling denouement. The title translates literally (and appropriately) to Wolves Hunt at Night. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Aumont, Carla Del Poggio, (more)
- 1951
This Italian/Spanish swashbuckler was released in Europe as La Vendetta Del Corsaro. In some English-speaking markets, it bore the name Pirates Revenge. No matter how you spell it, this is a strictly formula affair, right down to the Korngoldesque music whenever the pirates attack. Its one distinction is historical. Revenge of the Pirates stars former Hollywood luminary Maria Montez, in what must have been her last film role before her untimely death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1949
Documentary filmmaker Nicole Vedre's first semi-fictional feature was released in France in 1949 as La Vie Commence Demain. The film made it to the U.S. in 1952 as Life Begins Tomorrow. Made in cooperation with UNESCO, the film speculates on the future of mankind after the advent of Atomic Energy. Many prominent French artists and intellects contribute to the narration: Jean-Pierre Aumont plays The Man of Today, Andre Labarthe is the Man of Tomorrow, and Jean-Paul Sartre, Daniel Agache, Jean Rostand, Le Corbusier, Pablo Picasso and Andre Gide are respectively seen as "The Existentialist," "The Psychiatrist,' "The Biologist," "The Architect," "The Artist" and "The Author" (talk about typecasting!) Film clips of hospitals, schoolrooms, scientific laboratories, and even nightclubs are woven into Vedre's fascinating tapestry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Aumont, André S. Labarthe, (more)
- 1949
The French Hans le Marin secured an American distributor on the strength of its three stars. Jean-Pierre Aumont plays the title character, a Canadian sailor docked in Marseilles. Here he carries on a torrid romance with cabaret owner Dolores (Maria Montez). When he is robbed and left for dead, Hans awakens to discover that Dolores has disappeared. Ever hopeful that she will return, he takes a job as a nightclub bouncer, and dallies with gypsy girl Marie (Lilli Palmer). This little diversion results in even more trouble for the hapless Hans, who ends up on the lam from the law. Marcel Dalio pops up from time to time, espousing Gallic philosophy as only he can. Hans le Marin was also released as The Wicked City. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Montez, Jean-Pierre Aumont, (more)
- 1948
Jean-Pierre Aumont heads the largely British cast of Affairs of a Rogue. Set in the years just following the Napoleonic wars, the film casts Aumont as Leopold, a poverty-stricken German prince. Leopold casts his romantic spell upon Charlotte (Joan Hopkins), the daughter of England's Prince Regent (Cecil Parker). What began as another fortune-hunting expedition for Leopold culminates in true romance and startling tragedy. Swamped in period costumes and decor, Affairs of a Rogue is consistently good to look at, even when the plotline begins to drag. The film was released in the U.S. by Columbia Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Aumont, Joan Hopkins, (more)
- 1948
Siren of Atlantis is the third movie version of Pierre Benoit's fantasy novel L'Atlantide, first film in 1921. Jean-Pierre Aumont and Dennis O'Keefe star as Foreign Legionnaires Andre and Jean, who while on a routine mission in the African desert stumble upon the sunken city of Atlantis. Once they've arrived in the subterranean metropolis, they are forbidden to leave by sultry Queen Antinea (Maria Montez). For her own perverse amusement, Antinea romances both Andre and Jean, then sits back and watches the two duke it out over her affections. One of the men survives to tell the tale-if he can find anyone to believe him, that is. To their credit, Henry Daniell and Morris Carnovsky play their supporting roles with utterly straight faces. Of the many deliriously awful Maria Montez vehicles of the 1940s, Siren of Atlantis may well be the worst, though it's not without its campy pleasures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Montez, Jean-Pierre Aumont, (more)
- 1947
Bearing little resemblance to reality, this musical biography of 19th century Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov takes liberal poetic license with the truth. Jeanne-Pierre Aumont stars as Nicky, a Naval Academy cadet assigned to a vessel undergoing a world cruise. On shore leave in Morocco, Nicky goes in search of a piano intending to pursue his true passion, music. Accompanied by the ship's singing doctor, Klin (Charles Kullmann), Nicky makes the acquaintance of a cabaret dancer named Cara de Talavera (Yvonne De Carlo). The daughter of a Spanish colonial family that was once prominent but has fallen upon difficult times, Cara now dances in secret as Scheherazade in a revue at the nightclub. Inspired by her, Nicky sets about composing his most famous song for inclusion in a ballet. Although fate conspires to keep Cara and Nicky apart for a time, his piece is a success and is scheduled for a performance at the St. Petersburg Opera House, where none other than Cara turns up as the lead dancer. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yvonne De Carlo, Patricia Alphin, (more)
A remake of the 1939 French film Battement de Couer, Heartbeat reunites star Ginger Rogers with her Kitty Foyle director Sam Wood. Ms. Rogers plays Arlette, a reform school alumnus who is recruited by Faginlike Professor Aristide, headmaster at a school for pickpockets. Before long, Arlette becomes Aristide's prize pupil, and is being groomed for bigger things. Assigned by a corrupt foreign ambassador (Adolphe Menjou) to steal a valuable watch from wealthy and handsome diplomat Pierre (Jean Pierre Aumont), Arlette not only bungles the job, but also falls in love with her would-be victim. Heartbeat wasn't the first mediocre American remake of a French film, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ginger Rogers, Jean-Pierre Aumont, (more)
- 1944
Originally released in 1939, Three Hours went under the titles Le Deseteur and Je t'attendri during its initial European run. In his last French film appearance before WW II, Jean-Pierre Aumont plays WW I soldier Paul Marchand. When his troop train is stalled for repairs in his hometown, Marchand takes advantage of the delay to visit his sweetheart Marie (Corinne Luchaire). Within the next three hours, Marchand discovers that (a) his letters to Marie have been held up by his own spiteful mother and (b) Marie has been driven from her home. With little time to spare, our hero reconciles Marie with his mother, bidding them a fond adieu as he reboards his train. By the time Three Hours was released in the U.S. in 1944, Jean Pierre-Aumont had been signed by MGM, while co-star Corinne Luchaire had been denounced by the Allied occupation troops as a collaborationist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Aumont
- 1943
Jean-Pierre Aumont (billed simply as Pierre Aumont) makes his American film debut in Assignment in Brittany. Set during WW2, the film casts Aumont as Free French captain Metard, who bears a remarkable resemblance to Bertrand Conlay, a prisoner of the Allies whom is suspected of being a fifth columnist. Posing as Conlay, Metard gains the confidence of the Nazi occupiers of Brittany. He plays his part to the hilt, even unto romancing Conlay's patriotic girlfriend Anne Pinot (Susan Peters). This being a standard-issue "underground" melodrama, the film ends with a life-and-death contretemps with the Nazis, excitingly staged by director Jack Conway. Assignment in Brittany is based on the best-selling novel by Helen Macinnes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Aumont, Susan Peters, (more)
- 1943
The time is World War II. A group of disillusioned French soldiers are approached by Nazi troops and promised safe passage to their homeland. The Frenchmen willingly surrender, only to discover that their next destination is a German concentration camp located near a Gallic village. The anticipated escape attempt results in an uprising from the French villagers--hence the film's title, which refers to the emblem of the Free-French underground. Cross of Lorraine compensates for its Hollywood's-eye view of France (no more realistic than the Paris of the Ernst Lubitsch musicals) with some remarkably graphic sequences showing the extent of German brutality. The melting-pot cast includes Frenchman Jean-Pierre Aumont as a patriot, Hungarian Peter Lorre as a hateful Nazi, American Gene Kelly as a cynical victim of German torture, and Canadian Hume Cronyn as the traditionally rodent-like informer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Aumont, Gene Kelly, (more)
- 1939
Le Deserteur (The Deserter) is Jean-Pierre Aumont, who during WWI jumps off a troop train en route to the battlefield. It's not that he's a coward: Aumont hopes to locate his runaway sweetheart, who has taken a job in a rundown tavern. It turns out that the hero's own mother, a bitter, spiteful woman, is responsible for his girlfriend's present sorry state. Hoping to take her away from all this, Aumont is cornered by the tavern's hateful owner, who intends to turn the boy over to the military authorities so that he can have the girl all to himself. A struggle follows, ending in a killing, but a timely German bombing raid wipes out all evidence of the "crime." Less than two hours after his desertion, Aumont manages to rejoin his regiment, having solved all of his girlfriend's problems in record time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Corinne Luchaire, Jean-Pierre Aumont, (more)
- 1938
Le Paradis de Satan is set in the jungles of Brazil, where a once-thriving plantation faces financial ruin. Young financier Jean-Pierre Aumont arrives at the plantation to oversee its demolition so that the property can be purchased for a fraction of its value. But Aumont hasn't counted on falling in love with Jany Holt, the daughter of the plantation owner. Now dedicated to saving Holt and her dad from eviction, Aumont finds help from an unexpected source when drunken recluse Pierre Renoir reveals his true identity. As usual, the film's most interesting character is the villain, in this case duplicitous plantation doctor Lucas Girandoux. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jany Holt, Marcelle Geniat, (more)
- 1938
Hotel du Nord was the second in Marcel Carne's trio of "fatalistic romantic melodramas", bracketed on either side by Quai des Brumes and Le Jour se Leve. Star-crossed lovers Annabella and Jean-Pierre Aumont draw up a suicide pact, making their fatal rendezvous at the Hotel du Nord. Aumont shoots Annabella, but loses his nerve when time comes to take his own life. Seedy criminal Louis Jouvet and his mistress Arletty help Aumont to escape the authorities-but he can't very well run away from himself. Happily, Annabella recovers from her wounds and forgives the repentant Aumont. Fate, however, has other things in store for the tormented hero, as elucidated by the grimly ironic ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arletty, Louis Jouvet, (more)
- 1938
SOS Sahara is set in a forlorn desert outpost, manned by French officers. Like the rest of his men, commander Charles Vanel has come to this godforsaken spot to forget and to be forgotten. Complicating matters is the arrival of Vanel's faithless wife Marta Labarr, who rapidly becomes the object of lust for the other men. Labarr's affair with young officer Jean-Pierre Aumont at first arouses the ire of the taciturn Vanel, but when the chips are down he puts duty above personal feelings and saves Aumont's life. SOS Sahara was partially remade in 1964 as Station Six Sahara, with Carroll Baker in the Marta Labarr role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Vanel, Marta Labarr, (more)
- 1937
Le Messager was the fourth directorial effort for prominent Gallic actor Raymond Rouleau. Adapted from a play by Henry Bernstein, the story comes to life when wealthy Englishwoman Betty Rowe is deserted by her French husband Jean Gabin in favor of his secretary Gaby Morlay. In "hell hath no fury" fashion, Rowe uses her influence to ruin Gabin financially. He is forced to flee to Africa, leaving Morlay behind in Paris. Setting up a prosperous business concern, Gabin goes into partnership with handsome Jean-Pierre Aumont. Waxing rhapsodic about his new wife Morlay, Gabin unwittingly causes Aumont to fall in love with her, sight unseen. And then, he does see her, leaving the luckless Gabin in the lurch once more. A tragic plot twist enables Gabin to stage a reunion with Morlay, though at least one of them is not too happy about it. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gaby Morlay, Jean Gabin, (more)
- 1937
This lightning-paced actioner is based on a popular series of French pulp novels. His somewhat effeminate moniker notwithstanding, Cheri-Bibi (Pierre Fresnay) is a two-fisted he-man gangster, albeit with a heart of gold. Sentenced to life imprisonment in a brutal French penal colony, Cheri-Bibi befriends wastrelly first offender Palas (Jean-Pierre Aumont), helping the boy to survive life behind bars. Also on hand is the matchless Marcel Dalio as a philosophical convict known as "The Giver." Dialogue is at a minimum: this is one instance where actions definitely speak louder than words. The original story for Cheri-Bibi was written by Gaston Leroux, of Phantom of the Opera fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Suzet Mais, Colette Darfeuil, (more)
