Mireille Balin Movies
Mireille Balin was a French actress who achieved worldwide popularity during the 1930s. She is best remembered for playing the saucy Dulcinea in Pabst's version of Don Quixote. Balin left films in the mid-1940s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1950
Released in the U.S. in 1950, Mask of Korea has the sort of title that suggests a tie-in with the then-raging Korean Conflict. Not true. The film was actually lensed in France in 1940, under the title Macao l'Enfer de Jeu. Silent-film veterans Erich Von Stroheim and Sessue Hayakawa star as, respectively, a gun-runner and a gambling-house proprietor. The two men are brought into conflict over a revolution in Korea, and are also rivals for the affections of a beautiful woman (Mirielle Balin). When customers complained about the misleading title Mask of Korea, the film was rechristened Gambling Hell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Erich Von Stroheim, Sessue Hayakawa, (more)
- 1941
Sin Novedad en el Alcazar (Siege of the Alcazar) is fascist propaganda in the guise of popular entertainment. Set during the Spanish Civil War, the story dramatizes the 70-day defense of the Alcazar of Toledo by Nationalist troops under the command of General Moscardo. At the end of the siege, it appears as though the Republican forces are triumphant, but the defenders have the last laugh. The film's dramatic high point is Moscardo's sacrifice of his own son, held hostage by the Republicans (according to the film, the younger Moscardo goes to his death willingly and with a smile on his lips). Somehow or other, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco emerges as the hero of the film, though he was but one of three generals fighting at the Alcazar. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fosco Giachetti, Mireille Balin, (more)
- 1939
Gunshot is the brief and succinct English-language title for this heavy-breathing French melodrama. In love with the beautiful Ginette LeClerc, aristocratic Austrian army officer Aime Clariond is forced to keep up "appearances" by refusing to acknowledge her existence. What Clariond doesn't know is that his own lieutenant, Raymond Rouleau, is madly in love with LeClerc. When he finds out, the honor-bound Clariond challenges Rouleau to a duel, but the latter, not wishing to have blood on his hands, merely shoots his weapon into the air. The outraged Clariond intends to kill Rouleau for this breach of dueling protocol, but in his own time, and only when it will cause Rouleau the most emotional pain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mireille Balin, Ginette Leclerc, (more)
- 1939
Menaces (Threats) was originally filmed in 1938 under the title Cinq Jours d'Angoise. Thanks to a studio fire, the release of the film was held up for nearly two years, by which time its "rumors of war" subtext had taken on a new topicality. John Loder and Mireille Balin star as, respectively, a British newspaperman and his French fiancee. During the Munich crisis, Loder and Balin decide to take refuge in a Parisian hotel until they're certain that war will not break out. The other hotel guests include Austrian professor Erich von Stroheim, whose hopes of becoming a French citizen are dashed by the growing animosity against all things Teutonic. Though Von Stroheim's fate is a tragic one, Loder and Balin manage to weather the crisis and find lasting happiness. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mireille Balin, Ginette Leclerc, (more)
- 1939
It's always fun to watch Erich Von Stroheim in a leading role, even in such hurry-scurry nonsense as Rappel Immediat (Immediate Call). The star plays diplomatic courier Captain Stanley Wells, who hopscotches around the hot spots of Europe on a variety of mysterious missions. While Captain Wells has all the fun, his American actress-wife Helen Wells (Mirielle Ballin) is tired of being left home alone. Bored out of her gourd, Helen inaugurates an affair with actor Pierre Deschamps (Roger Duchesne), awakening Wells to his responsibilities at home. If one can accept the Teutonic Von Stroheim as an American international troubleshooter, one should have no problem swallowing the rest of the story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mireille Balin, Mady Berry, (more)
- 1938
Naples au Baiser de Feu (The Kiss of Fire) was one of several films made in France by veteran Italian director Augusto Genina. Tito Rossi plays Mario, a Neapolitan cabaret singer who is tired of his life and hopes to settle down into a domestic existence with Assunta (Mirielle Balin) his boss' daughter. All of this changes when Mario falls in love with Lolita (Vivian Romance), the girlfriend of his roommate Michael (Michel Simon). On the day of his wedding to Assunta, Mario and Lolita skip town together, and for a while it looks as though there's going to be an unhappy ending for somebody. Some welcome comedy relief is provided by Marcel Dalio, whose part is so small that he doesn't even appear on the "official" cast list. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mireille Balin, Viviane Romance, (more)
- 1938
La Venus D'Or (Golden Venus) was based on Business, a play by Pierre Sabatier. Mirielle Balin stars as Judith, the mistress of ruthless oil magnate Harfstrong (Jacques Copeau). What Harfstrong doesn't know is that Judith is a spy for his hated business rival. When he does find out, he cannot get rid of her because she knows too much about his own crooked dealings. After several more reels of mutual betrayal and recriminations, the story suddenly shifts to the "good" characters, clean-limned young pilot Andre (Daniel Lecourtois) and his sweetheart Michelle (Andree Giuze). Set up as a fall guy for the villains, Andre somehow emerges from the experience none the worse for wear. This patchy, wandering storyline is threaded together by some fairly exciting aerial sequences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Lecourtois, Mireille Balin, (more)
- 1937
The English-language title of this French slice-of-life drama is Lady Killer, an apt description of anti-hero Lucien (Jean Gabin). A colonial cavalry officer, Lucien gives his love to whomever he fancies, then forgets about them as he moves from post to post. The one he can't forget is Madeline (Mireille Balin), and the feeling is mutual. Years later, Lucien is the wretched, embittered proprietor of a rundown Parisian café. Who should come back into his life but Madeline -- a reunion that ends tragically for them both, literalizing the film's title and leaving Lucien even more devastated than before. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Gabin, Mireille Balin, (more)
Pepe le Moko (Jean Gabin) is a well-known criminal mastermind who eludes the French police by hiding in the Casbah section of Algiers. He knows he is safe in this labyrinthine netherworld, where he is surrounded by his fellow thieves and cutthroats. Police inspector Slimane (Lucas Gridoux), who has developed a grudging respect for Pepe, bides his time, waiting for Pepe to try to leave the Casbah. When Gaby Gould (Mirielle Balin), a Parisian tourist, falls in love with Pepe, the inspector hopes to use this relationship to his advantage. He tells Gaby that Pepe has been killed, knowing that the heartbroken girl will return to Paris -- and that Pepe will risk everything to go after her. The French Pepe le Moko was remade in the US as Algiers, which followed the original so slavishly (except for changing its ending) that the American producers were able to utilize generous amounts of stock footage from the French film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Gabin, Mireille Balin, (more)
