Robert Lynen Movies
Robert Lynen was a leading child star in French films during the '30s. He was born the son of American citizens living in Paris. His best-known film was Duvivier's Poil de Carotte (1932). In 1944, the 23-year-old Lynen was executed by the Gestapo. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1938
Hatred was originally released in France in 1938 under the title Mollenard. Harry Baur stars as Captain Mollenard, skipper of cargo ship who returns from a trip to China to the "loving" arms of his despicable, castrating wife (Gabrielle Dorziat). During his absence, Mme. Mollenard has raised her two children to hate their father as much as she does. When the Captain is felled by a paralytic stroke, his wife's vitriol reaches hitherto unscaled heights. Bearing traces of August Strindberg's Dance of Death (though Strindberg didn't include Eurasian prostitutes in his opening scenes!), Hatred was coadapted by O. P. Gilbert from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Baur, Gabrielle Dorziat, (more)
- 1938
Maurice Cloche's second directorial effort was Le Petit Chose, released in the U.S. as The Little Thing. Based on a novel by Alphonse Daudet, the film stars Robert Lynen and Jean Marcaton as two brothers. While Marcaton is sober and sensible, Lynen is a poetic dreamer. Forced to make his way in the cold cruel world, Lynen attempts to adopt his brother's level-headedness, but it all goes out the window when he falls in love with pretty Janine Darcy. The film's best performance is delivered by Charpin as a furrow-browed porcelain manufacturer. Almost as good is Arletty as a worldly courtesan and Le Vigan as a flamboyant fencing instructor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arletty, Fernand Charpin, (more)
- 1937
In this episodic French drama, a widow uncovers a 20-year-old dance card from a ball. Just for fun, she decides to find all of her former partners. Her search becomes the framework for the episodes. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie Bell, Françoise Rosay, (more)
- 1936
La Belle Equipe (The Good Crew) was the fourth of six smash hits in a row for director Julien Duvivier. The fortunes of five unemployed laborers take a radical turn for the better when they jointly win a 100,000-franc lottery prize. Jean Gabin, the self-appointed leader of the bunch, suggests that they not throw their money away but instead invest it in a road-house on the river Marne. Their dreams of instant success are dashed when Vivian Romance, the common-law wife of Gabin's friend Charles Vanel, shows up demanding her portion of the winnings -- then plots the destruction of Gabin because he refuses to make love to her. In the end, "The Good Crew" collapses under the weight of treachery, jealousy and murder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Viviane Romance, Charles Vanel, (more)
- 1936
Filmed in 1936 but not released in the US until 1940, Julien Duvivier's Man of the Hour (L'Homme du Jour) was, believe it or not, Maurice Chevalier's first French starring feature (all of his previous vehicles had been made in Hollywood or London). Chevalier plays a dual role: "Himself", the well known singer-boulevardier, and a humble stage electrician named Alfred Boulard. The hero of the occasion is Boulard, who attains fame and fortune after donating blood to save the life of stage actress Mona Talia (Elvira Popesco). His sudden celebrity goes directly to Boulard's head, and soon he is impossible to be around. In the end, Mona teams up with Boulard's boarding-house companions to teach him a lesson. Critics in 1936 were overwhelmed with the scene in which both Chevaliers sing together, though that sort of thing was already kid stuff in Hollywood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvire Popesco, Renee Devillers, (more)
- 1934
An above-average Monogram programmer, Red Head stars the gorgeous Grace Bradley as a good-hearted photographer's model. After she is involved in a scandal, Bradley is persona non grata until she meets sympathetic playboy Bruce Cabot. Cabot marries Bradley, hoping that his wealthy father (Berton Churchill) will try to buy Bradley off and thus allow her to get back on her feet financially. Instead, the father offers Bradley a great deal of money if she will force the lazy Cabot to take a job. Cabot comes to like his new blue-collar existence until he discovers the deal Bradley has made with his father. All is forgiven when Bradley reveals that she never accepted the money and that she truly loves the now-industrious Cabot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Cabot, Grace Bradley, (more)
Adapted from various stories by Jules Renard, Poil de Carotte (The Red Head) is the poetically related tale of a delicate domestic situation. Robert Lynen plays the young son of Catherine Fourtenay. Fourtenay's husband Harry Baur knows that Lynen is not his son, but remains married for appearances' sake. Baur remains aloof and distant until he discovers the cruelties heaped upon Lynen by his resentful mother. Foster father and son develop a respect and friendship for one another that finally deepens into love. A remake of a 1925 film of the same name (also directed by Julien Duvivier), Poil de Carotte which made a star out of its juvenile lead Robert Lynen, whose genuine red head needed no touching up by the makeup men; sadly, Lynen was killed while fighting with the Resistance during World War II. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Lynen, Catherine Fontenay, (more)
