Georges Marchal Movies

La Castiglione is set in 19th-century Italy during the reign of Emperor Napoleon III. The only way for Italy to declare her independence from Napoleon is to form a united front -- a monumental task, in that the various provinces aren't all that fond of each other. La Castilogne, played by Yvonne de Carlo, is the lover of firebrand Italian revolutionary Georges Marchal. When Marchal's efforts to unite Italy result in his arrest and condemnation, La Castilogne offers herself to Napoleon in exchange for her sweetheart's life. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Affairs of Messalina is a French/Italian historical spectacle produced in the wake of the internationally successful Fabiola (1949). Mexican film luminary Maria Felix essays the role of Messalina, the scheming wife of Roman emperor Augustus who searches for love by walking the streets of the Eternal City. Also in the cast is an Italian specialist and silky seductresses, Gianna Maria Canale. It is difficult to believe that any producer/director could go wrong with lavish sets, exotic costumes, and two of the most glamorous actresses on Earth, but Carmine Gallone (who previously helmed the 1937 Fascist-financed epic Scipio Africanus) achieves the impossible: Affairs of Messalina makes Roman decadence as dull as dishwater. Originally released in Europe in 1951 under the deceptively short title Messaline, Affairs of Messalina was mercifully cut to ribbons by its American distributor Columbia Pictures in 1954. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Of the dozens of film versions of Dumas' The Three Musketeers, this 1953 film version is one of the few to remain faithful to the source. As always, the story begins when farm boy D'Artagnan (Georges Marschal) rides into Paris, intending to become a King's Musketeer. En route, he manages to offend Porthos (Gino Cervi), Athos (Jean Martinelli) and Aramis (Jacques Francois), challenging all three to a duel at the same time. The foursome eventually becomes fast friends, uniting against such common enemies as Cardinal Richelieu (Renaud Mary) and Milady DeWinter (Yvonne Sanson). The plot then segues into the efforts of the Musketeers to save the honor of Queen Anne. The film is stolen by Bourvil as D'Artagnan's slovenly lackey Placher. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Benjamin (Jean Tissier) is the irresponsible patriarch of a fun-loving Roman family. Ostensibly the owner of a drug store, Benjamin would much rather rummage through ruins in search of ancient Roman artifacts. While searching for a valuable statue of the great God Jupiter, our hero must contend with his status-seeking wife (Huguette Duflos), who intends to marry off her daughter (Dany Robin) to a wealthy distant cousin. The comic complications come thick and fast when a genial escaped lunatic named Jupiter (Georges Marchal) shows up, and is immediately mistaken for the much-anticipated cousin. Jupiter is a faithful adaptation of a stage play by Robert Bolsey. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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, Rovi

Dany Robin stars as Dany, the ingenuous "front girl" for a gang of car thieves. It is Dany's job to lure the motorist away while her cohorts steal his vehicle. The plot proper gets under way when one of Dany's former victims, artist Marc (Georges Marchal), runs into her again. Reluctant to turn the girl over to the police, Marc takes her home with him. In Pygmalion-Galatea fashion, he transforms Dany into a much-sought-after artist's model. Romantic complications ensue, leading to a not-too-surprising denouement. La Voyageuse Inattendre secured American bookings because of the "participation" of writer/director Billy Wilder; in fact, the film was a remake of a much-earlier Wilder screenplay. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi