Paul Meurisse Movies
Usually described as a "French general purpose actor," Paul Meurisse left clerical work for a music-hall career. He began making films in 1941, but was relatively unknown until his engagement to famed French songstress Edith Piaf, through whose sponsorship he attained better movie roles. Like most of Piaf's impulsive romances, Meurisse was soon discarded, but he managed to do quite well for himself in semi-serious character roles. Paul Meurisse's most famous screen role was as the apparently murdered husband in Henri-Georges Clouzot's labyrinthine thriller Diabolique (1954). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this war drama set during the French Resistance of WW II, a courageous fighter escapes Gestapo headquarters and returns to Marseille. There he and his gang capture a traitor and throttle him. They then try to rescue a Resistance fighter in Lyons. As they do so, the hero is again captured and his partner killed. Again the hero escapes just before he is executed. He then finds that a female partner has been captured. To avoid having her daughter forced to work in a Nazi brothel, the woman has informed upon the others. She is then released and subsequently killed by another Resistance fighter for revenge. The screenplay is based on Joseph Kessel's novel and became filmmaker Jean Pierre Melville's magnum opus. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, (more)
- 1947
Danielle Darrieux stars as Arabella Delvaire in this baroque adaptation of Pierre Benoit's novel Bethshabee. Arabella is a woman of the world who arrives at a remote Foreign Legion outpost for a rendezvous with her current lover, Captain Duveuil. It so happens that one of Arabella's previous amours, Captain Somerville (Paul Meurisse), is also serving at the same post. So much for joining the Foreign Legion to forget. A climactic knife duel "solves" the film's various plot complications. Despite its Foreign Legion background, Bethsabee has next to no action, which must have made things difficult when the film was distributed to the U.S. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danielle Darrieux, Georges Marchal, (more)
- 1962
This routine drama set during World War II in Algeria is based on a true and tragic incident. A French garrison has been demoralized by the strength of the German forces in the region, so when the Allies land, it gives them some hope. They are put under orders to take and hold a bridge, allowing no one to cross it. When a German company wants to use the bridge (peacefully), a narrow-minded French captain gives the orders not to let the Germans through. At first, the Germans are put off by a series of tricks, but that cannot last forever. Sooner or later, if the captain's orders are followed, an ill-equipped and outnumbered French unit will find itself up against the superior strength of the German contingent. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dany Carrel, Paul Meurisse, (more)
- 1965
Walter Slezak plays a guide in a Vienna wax museum in this fantasy. When the tourists get to the figure of Chancellor Metternich, they are magically transported back in time to the Viennese Congress of 1814. The aristocrats are much more interested in parties and social affairs than the affairs of state, leading to a series of amorous escapades. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lilli Palmer, Curd Jürgens, (more)
The greatest film that Alfred Hitchcock never made, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Diabolique is set in a provincial boarding school run by headmaster Michel Delasalle (Paul Meurisse). A ruthless lothario, he becomes the target of a murder plot concocted by his long-suffering invalid wife Christina (Vera Clouzot, the director's own spouse) and his latest mistress, an icy teacher played by Simone Signoret. A dark, dank thriller with a much-imitated "shock" ending, Diabolique is a masterpiece of Grand Guignol suspense. The simple murder plot goes haywire, and Michel's corpse disappears, prompting strange rumors of his reappearance which grow more and more substantial as the film careens wildly towards its breathless conclusion. Later remade as a greatly inferior 1996 Hollywood feature with Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, (more)
- 1971
In this French comedy, Alain Delon is Simon, a young man who has entered the priesthood after learning of the death of his wife, Rita (Nathalie Delon). Problems abound when he discovers her among the living, and living as a hooker, no less. Paul Meurisse lends his dry humor to the proceedings as Simon's bishop, who is nostalgic for Medieval times when many questioned whether women had souls at all. Simon, released from his vows, must now rescue Rita from becoming a nun. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Meurisse, Natalie Delon, (more)
- 1963
Ruthless and for some viewers, also vulgar and unpleasant, this uneven comedy by Marcel Carne has a madhouse of characters of dubious morals going through equally questionable antics. Their objectives are primarily self-serving. A former gangster (Paul Meurisse) is interested only in keeping birds -- and his take from his last heist to help him go straight. In the same house is Lucie (Dany Saval) who is supporting her Italian lover by sleeping with the butcher. Meanwhile, the butcher's wife has her own lover -- his assistant. Then there is the female custodian who is helping out an old biddy only with the intentions of getting her hands on the woman's rumored stash of cash. A few other seamy characters wander in and out of cheap bars and brothels as the lives of all these people suddenly come together when the police show up to arrest the ex-gangster. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dany Saval, Paul Meurisse, (more)
- 1958
Echec au Porteur (Not Delivered) is a nail-biting suspense tale in the Hitchcock manner. The disgruntled protagonist decides to kill an old enemy with a bomb concealed in a football. The bomb is misdelivered, ending up in the hands of a young boy. The rest of the picture is a race against time as the boy innocently plays with his pigskin booby trap. Co-adapted by Noel Calaf from his own novel, Echec au Porteur boasts excellent performances from Jeanne Moreau, Serge Reggiani, Paul Meurisse and Gert Froebe; incredibly, Variety felt that the cast lacked "name value." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Serge Reggiani, Jeanne Moreau, (more)
- 1955
Fortune Carree (Square Fortune) was co-adapted by director Bernard Borderie from the novel by Joseph Kessel. Mexican film-favorite Pedro Armendariz plays Igricheff, an undisciplined soldier who opts for the life of a mercenary. Operating out of the North African desert, Igricheff offers his services to a French arms smuggler (Paul Meurisse). Betrayed by his "partner," Igricheff is left to face his fate alone, which he does with a philosophical shrug. A dash of feminine interest is provided by Anna-Marie Sandri as a native lovely whom Igricheff purchases during his journey across the desert. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pedro Armendáriz, Folco Lulli, (more)
- 1959
In this standard tale of a gold-hearted prostitute and her difficulties, Zizi Jeanmaire plays Guinguette, the former lady of the evening who has abandoned her profession for a better life. She finally has the means to open up a bar and dancehall away from the city but just when everything seems to be going well, trouble happens. Gangsters intrude on her life and although she should be happy because she's fallen in love with a great man, that is a rocky road too. The nubile, sixteen-year-old Maryse (Maria-Christina Gajoni) is determined to take Guinguette's love away from her. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zizi Jeanmaire, Jean Pascal, (more)
- 1946
Paul Meurisse, who made an excellent impression on international audiences with such previous films as Macadam, heads the cast of L'Inspecteur Sergil. Meurisse is cast as the titular police inspector, hot on the trail of a mysterious murderer. As it turns out, the star has to carry virtually the entire picture on his own shoulders; the supporting cast is unusually inadequate, with one or two of the actors downright inept. Even undiscriminating film fans tended to chuckle at the film's shortcomings. For the record, L'Inspecteur Sergil was based on a novel by Jacques Rey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Liliane Bert
- 1957
This French crime melodrama was released outside of Europe as Until the Last One. The film begins with a daring robbery, masterminded by a gang of clever thieves. Unfortunately, once the heist is a fait accompli, the crooks begin bickering with one another. Gradually, the crooks kill each other off until only two are left. The thrilling climax takes place in a gaudy travelling carnival. Enabling Jusqu'au Ernier to get good American bookings was the presence of leading lady Jeanne Moreau, here enticingly cast as a sideshow dancer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raymond Pellegrin, Jeanne Moreau, (more)
- 1955
L'Affair des Poisons is an unusual murder yarn, set during the reign of France's King Louis XIV. Danielle Darrieux stars as Mme. De Montespan, who is, to use the common 17th century euphemism, a "favorite" of the French monarch. When she is cast aside by His Majesty, Mme. De Montespan schemes to discredit her rival for Louis' affections. Conspiring with defrocked priest Guibourg (Paul Meurisse) and fortune teller La Voisin (Vivienne Romance), the "heroine" begins to poison a number of aristocrats close to the king, then plants evidence suggesting that her rival is responsible. The film accommodates any number of lurid (but historically accurate) sequences, including a harrowing torture-chamber episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danielle Darrieux, Viviane Romance, (more)
- 1948
The Red Angel is the name of a fancy French nightclub where most of this film's action transpires. The story concentrates on three individuals. Berval plays Tonio Beretta, who after a life of crime has decided to reform and go into the nightclub business. Paul Meurisse plays Pierre Mavignac, an escaped criminal who won't let Beretta forget his past. Tilda Thamar plays sexy chanteuse Rita Tyndar, who ungratefully dumps her benefactor Beretta in favor of the more exciting (and more dangerous) Pierre. It is giving nothing away to note that at least one of these three characters will be shot full of holes by film's end. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tilda Thamar, Paul Meurisse, (more)
- 1963
A flamboyant, scatterbrained divorced woman allows a pompous composer to use her home to finish his unfinished symphony. He becomes involved in a accidental murder in this dark comedy of errors. Maria Schell stars as the pleasure seeking woman whose heartstrings are played by Paul Meurisse as the egocentric, self proclaimed musical genius. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Schell, Paul Meurisse, (more)
- 1975
This sex comedy concerns the efforts of Julien (Paul Meurisse) to get his timid, "backward" 20-year-old son to take an interest in sex and get married. After a series of adventures with women (arranged by papa), Valentin (Bernard Menez) finally gets married to a woman who appears to be as shy as he is. Things get complicated when his father begins an affair with her. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Meurisse, Bernard Menez, (more)
- 1945
The title of this French action comedy translates as The Uncatchable Frederic. The Frederic of the title is a character created by novelist Renee St. Cyr. Determined to secure an interview, reporter Paul Meurisse pretends to be Frederic in the flesh, confounding and fascinating St. Cyr. Naturally, she falls in love with her come-to-life "hero," even after ascertaining Meurisse's true identity. The Pirandellian aspects of the film are a bit confusing, but the slapstick and farcical content of the story delighted French filmgoers in 1946. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Renée Saint-Cyr, Denise Grey, (more)
- 1962
In this comedic spy yarn, star Paul Meurisse scores with his witty, sophisticated interpretation of his character Dromard, a French secret agent distinguished by his use of a black monocle. In this adventure, several agents from many Western nations and Russia as well are all looking for some documents hidden by the Germans during World War II. Along with the documents is a supposed buried treasure, but it is a toss-up as to what matters the most -- the treasure, or getting rid of incriminating material in the documents themselves. The agents have caught on to the fact that one German most likely knows where the documents are hidden, and everyone goes after him. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Meurisse, Elga Andersen, (more)
- 1955
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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yvonne De Carlo, Georges Marchal, (more)
