Raimu Movies
French actor Raimu (sometimes billed as Jules Raimu) was on-stage from the age of 15, performing at "coffee concerts" and appearing as a supernumerary in casino shows in his native Toulon. After several years' ascendency in music halls and regional shows, Raimu was "discovered" for the legitimate stage in 1916 by writer/director Sacha Guitry. Throughout the 1920s, Raimu was a leading light of the Parisian theater scene, alternating between classic comedy roles, modern-dress fare, and well-received appearances at the Cigale and the Folies Bergere. In 1929, Raimu was cast in what was considered his finest role to date, the philosophical Marseilles tavern keeper Cesar in Marcel Pagnol's Marius. When time came to commit Marius to film in 1931, it was a "given" that Raimu would re-create his roles. An unhappy fling at moviemaking some 20 years earlier had made him reluctant to stand before the cameras, but Raimu agreed to make his talkie debut in Le Blanc et le Noir (1931), directed by old mentor Sacha Guitry. After this pleasant experience, Raimu, as enthusiastic as a schoolboy, agreed to appear in Marius (1931); he would go on to repeat his Cesar characterization in the two remaining entries in Pagnol's "Marseilles Trilogy," Fanny (1932) and Cesar (1935). Though little known in America outside the big cities that could support "art" cinema houses, Raimu was regarded by the rest of the world as one of France's greatest actors; some observers, notably Orson Welles, considered him the greatest. In 1943, Raimu took a three-year sabbatical from filmmaking when he was invited to join La Comedie Francaise, where he excelled in the plays of Moliere. At war's end, Raimu made one last film, The Eternal Husband (1946), before his death at age 63. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 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)
- 1937
Originally titled Les Perles de Couronne, this Sacha Guitry historical extravaganza stars both Guitry and his wife Jacqueline Delubac. The plotline hinges on four valuable pearls, which pass from hand to hand over a period of several centuries, from the time of Britain's Henry VIII to the present. All of this is offered in flashback form, as a group of modern-day treasure hunters try to locate three of the missing pearls by tracing them back to their previous owners. Guitry shows up as King Francis I, Barras and Napoleon III, in addition to his contemporary persona of Jean Martin; Debulac is seen as Mary Queen of Scots and Empress Josephine. There isn't a scintilla of historical accuracy in the film, nor did Guitry have the slightest intention of including any; his sole purpose was to entertain the audience and serve up a superbly ironic denoument. The supporting cast is a polyglot of French, English and Italian actors, each speaking in his or her own language. The screenplay for Pearls of the Crown was cowritten by Guitry and another immensely talented filmmaker, Christian-Jaque. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sacha Guitry, Jacqueline Delubac, (more)
- 1936
Filmed two years before the Nazi takeover of France, The King (Le Roi) made its way to the U.S. in 1941. Victor Francen plays the title character, a playboy regent who goes out for a night on the town during a visit to Paris. In the course of the evening's revelry, Francen enjoys a brief fling with gorgeous Gaby Morlay -- who happens to be the mistress of the king's host, cabinet minister Raimu. Though enraged at being cuckolded, Raimu tries to honor the usual proprieties of protocol and class distinctions, with amusing results. Like many late-1930s films, The King was obviously inspired by the pre-abdication shenanigans of the Prince of Wales. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gaby Morlay, Elvire Popesco, (more)
- 1936
Secret de Polichinelle roughly translates as Open Secret. The "secret" in question is an illegitimate child, the offspring of young-and-foolish Henri (Bernard Lacret). The baby is adopted by its grandparents, Monsieur and Madame Jouvenol (Raimu and Francoise Rosay). At first taking charge of the child because it is their duty, the Jouvenols come to love the little nipper as if he were their own son. At this point, the film threatens to drown in a morass of sentiment, but the actors and the director manage to stem the bathos with some first-rate comedy vignettes revolving around the care and feeding of the bouncing baby boy. Charles Spaak adapted the screenplay from a stage piece by Pierre Wolff. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Rosay, Janine Crispin, (more)
- 1935
The final film in Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles trilogy (following Marius and Fanny), this drama follows Cesariot (Andre Fouche), an 18-year-old who has recently been led to believe that his father, Honore (Fernand Charpin), is not really his father at all. Honore dies without telling Cesariot about his true parentage, but after the funeral, his mother Fanny (Orane Demazis) breaks the news that Cesar (Raimu), who he had always been told was his godfather, is in fact his grandfather. Cesariot asks Cesar for the truth; the old man tells him that his real dad is Marius (Pierre Fresnay), an auto mechanic, and tells him how to find the garage where Marius works. Cesariot sets out to meet Marius, but when he stops by the garage, Marius isn't in. His boss, Fernand (Doumel), decides to have some fun and tells Cesariot that Marius is a notorious outlaw; the boy buys it hook, line, and sinker and returns home heartbroken. When Marius finds out what happened, he realizes that he must find the boy and see if the damage can still be repaired. While any of the three films in Pagnol's trilogy can be enjoyed separately, Cesar in particular is best appreciated when seen alongside the other two films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, (more)
- 1934
Marcel Pagnol was responsible for this film adaptation of Alphonse Daudet's novel Tartarin. The incomparable Raimu plays the title character, an irrepressible blabbermouth whose tall tales constantly get him into trouble, especially with the nobility. Charpin co-stars as Tartarin's best friend and severest critic, who fights a losing battle to curb his pal's verbal excesses. For the purposes of this film, Raimu adopted a Southern French dialect, which some of his fans found a bit slow and lugubrious. It hardly mattered in the U.S, where most prints of Tartarin de Tarascon were dubbed into English. The film was remade by director Francis Blanche in 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Milly Mathis, Jenny Hélia, (more)
- 1932
In this sequel to Marcel Pagnol's Marius, which picks up roughly where the first film left off, sailor Marius (Pierre Fresney) has left for the sea, while his girlfriend Fanny (Orane Demazis) is pregnant with his child. Through she still loves Marius, Fanny bows to the pleas of her parents and agrees to marry Panisse (Fernand Charpin), an elderly sail maker, so that her baby will have a name and a father at home. Marius' father Cesar (Raimu) tries to keep Fanny's marriage and the child that Marius fathered a secret from him, but to no avail; when Marius learns of Fanny's predicament, he comes home as quickly as possible. While Marius and Fanny want to reconcile, Fanny's parents will hear nothing of it, and Panisse refuses to give Fanny up, declaring that while he is not the biological father of the child, the baby is his son in every other sense. With a heavy heart, Cesar advises his son to return to the life of the sea, and a heartbroken Marius follows his father's advice. Pagnol concluded his "Marseilles Trilogy" three years later with Cesar. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, (more)
- 1932
Every so often, director Maurice Tourneur recharged his creative batteries with such trifles as Gaietes de L'Escadron. The title translates as Fun in the Barracks -- and yes, it is a military comedy. Based on the popular stage play by Georges Courteline, the story centers upon the relationship between easygoing cavalry captain Raimu and obstreperous non-commissioned officer Camus. Eventually, the pompous Camus is made to look like an idiot in front of the General, much to the delight of the long-suffering conscripts under his command. The remarkably stellar supporting cast includes Fernandel as a dimwitted enlistee and Jean Gabin as a habitual slacker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Roussell, Mady Berry, (more)
- 1932
La Petite Chocolatiere (The Chocolate Girl) was based on a popular play by Paul Gavault. Jacqueline Francell plays the title character, the daughter of wealthy candy manufacturer Andre Dubosc. When her car breaks down in front of the home of government clerk Pierre Bertin, Francell is forced by circumstances to spend the night with Bertin's blue-collar family. Initially resistant at first, our heroine falls in love with Bertin, with a little assistance from the hero's best friend, eccentric artist Raimu. The film represents one of the earliest screen appearances by movie "bombshell" Simone Simon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raimu, Simone Simon, (more)
- 1931
Set in provincial France sometime in the 1870s, Mam'zelle Nitouche is put in motion by Celestin-Floridor (Raimu), the music master of a convent who secretly doubles as the composer of popular operettas. When our hero sneaks off to the city to witness the premiere of his latest effort, he is followed by convent-bred Nitouche (Janie Marese). Conveniently, the star of the show walks out in a temperamental huff, whereupon Nitouche is pressed into service to sing for the crowd, scoring an enormous hit. The trick now is to sneak back into the convent without alerting the authorities -- a trick that must be pulled off not only by Nitouche but by the sheepish Celestin-Floridor. Tragically, Janie Marese, who so charmingly played the title role in Mam'zelle Nitouche, was killed in an auto accident not long before the film's premiere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raimu
- 1931
Sacha Guitry wrote the play on which Le Blanc et le Noir was based, but it was Hollywood-trained Robert Florey who officially handled the directorial reins. While vacationing in the mountains, child-hating Raimu leaves his wife Suzanne Dantes alone in their hotel room while he dallies with the local maidens. Feeling neglected, Dantes accepts the invitation of her neighbor, a celebrated tenor, for a nocturnal rendezvous. She enters the tenor's darkened room, whereupon she enjoys an evening of purple passion with a man whom she assumes is her host. Nine months later, however, Dantes gives birth to a black child -- her lover of the evening had been the tenor's capricious servant! The flustered Raimu scurries about trying to set things right, and in so doing finds out that he genuinely loves children -- whereupon he declares he'd like to become a daddy himself (one can only imagine that Dantes by this time has developed quite a headache). Though racy and risque, Le Blanc et le Noir remains firmly within the bounds of good taste. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1931
In this touching romance, the first in Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles trilogy (the other two being Fanny and Cesar, Pierre Fresnay stars as Marius, a young man tending bar who dreams of a life at sea. Because he so desires to become a sailor, he cannot commit to marriage even though he loves Fanny (Orane Demazis). When the rich Honore Panisse (Charpin) proposes to Fanny, Marius becomes enraged, but still refuses to ask for her hand. At the bar, Fanny confesses her love for him and tells Marius she has rejected Honore's proposal. Marius admits his love for her as well and they retire to a back room to make love. When Marius is told a spot has opened up on a departing ship, he declines to sign on, not wanting to leave Fanny, but he still refuses to marry her. Fanny overhears the conversation, and not wanting to hold Marius back from the life at sea he so desires, tells Marius she has changed her mind and accepted Honore's proposal. Heartbroken, Marius rushes to pack and catch the departing ship. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, (more)
