André Roanne Movies
- 1955
In this French crime drama, a young man gets revenge upon the criminals who caused his grandfather to kill himself. Unfortunately, the fellow doesn't realize how bad the criminals are. Fortunately, a kindly hooker, who does know the crooks, saves him from the same fate. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1946
Generally forgotten today, Macadam opened to good reviews and excellent business when it first came out in 1946. The film takes place in the "demimonde" of Paris' Montmartre district. The incomparable Francoise Rosay heads the cast in this atmospheric, melodramatic yarn about French gangsters, their mistresses, and various and assorted "ladies of the evening." Much of the critical attention was centered around Simone Signoret, in her first major screen role. In America, Macadam was released (in a heavily expurgated version!) as Back Streets of Paris. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Rosay, Paul Meurisse, (more)
- 1939
Entente Cordiale was adapted from Andre Maurois' Edward VII and his Times. Victor Francen heads the cast as Britain's Prince Edward, who after assuming the throne of England in 1910 strives to bring about a lasting peaceful coexistence between the United Kingdom and France. Both countries are treated with equal respect throughout the film, depicted as intelligent nations willing to avoid war at all costs, but not quite as willing to give up national pride; the infamous Fashoda Incident, which almost resulted in full-scale warfare between Britain and France, is the film's central issue. Scores of historical personages make fleeting cameo appearances, including Queen Victoria (played by Gaby Morlay), Lord Kitchener (Jean d'Yd), French president Loubet (Jean Perrier), Clemenceau (Jacques Baumer) and Lord Balfour (Andre Roanne). Not surprisingly, Entente Cordiale was produced and released at a time when France and England were seriously contemplating a united front against future Nazi incursions into Europe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gaby Morlay, Janine Darcey, (more)
- 1939
Filmed during the war, this little-known Fernandel vehicle finally attained an American release in 1951. The star plays Lavarede, an obnoxious braggart and spendthrift who falls heir to his uncle's fortune. But there's a condition to the will: in order to claim his uncle's millions, Lavarede must first spend three months travelling around the world with but five sous to his name. Reportedly, the film ran into censorship problems with the provisional German government. Whatever the case, existing prints of Les Cinq Sous de Lavarde are obviously incomplete, with co-star Josette Day's role sliced into near-nonexistence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Josette Day, Fernandel, (more)
- 1939
In this dark drama, the mysterious disappearance of several Parisian women cause the police to hire the roommate of the latest victim to go undercover, looking into strange newspaper ads seeking young single women, and meet all that placed the ads. She does so, but all of them are innocent. Then she meets a cabaret singer looking for a maid. He is so charming, that she soon falls in love and they plan to marry. Unfortunately, on the eve of their wedding, the man is arrested for the murders. He pleads innocence, but there is too much evidence to the contrary and his is given the death penalty. Meanwhile his lover remains determined to prove him innocent and capture the real killer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maurice Chevalier, Erich Von Stroheim, (more)
- 1938
In this espionage drama, the leader of a spy ring gets a dancer involved in his schemes. The dancer is the mistress of a British officer; at the spy's urging, she cons her lover into stealing secret documents. Unfortunately, the officer bungles the job and gets caught. He goes to prison, but eventually escapes and joins up with the spy. Later his conscience begins to awaken and he exposes the ring. Of the three, he is the only survivor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Viviane Romance, Yvette Lebon, (more)
- 1937
A real-life Parisian police detective is credited for the screenplay of Police Mondaine. The story focuses on a manhunt for Salviati, a notorious trafficker in narcotics played by Charles Vanel. The head crook already has plenty of problems on his mind, not least of which are the efforts by two-bit thug Scoppa (Jean-Louis Barrault) to encroach upon Salviati's operation. Calmly biding his time, police inspector Picard (Pierre Larquey) simply gathers clues and waits until the crooks fall out before moving in for the kill. The film's two directors had obviously seen quite a few American crime melodramas; one half-expects James Cagney to pop up and shout "Sacre bleu!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alice Field, Pierre Larquey, (more)
- 1932
The virtuous Nicole (Alice Cocea) is the wife of wealthy composer Lucien (Andre Roanne). Through an error made by a dressmaker, Nicole discovers that Lucien is leading a double life, keeping the sexy Chichette (Paulette Duvernet) as his mistress. In retaliation, Nicole kicks up her heels and begins fooling around with a reckless gigolo (Enrique de Rivero). When our heroine's hedonistic new lifestyle threatens the well-being of her son, a contrite Lucien returns home and promises never to stray again. Comedy relief is provided by Robert Goupil as Lucien's neurotic lyricist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alice Cocea, André Roanne, (more)
- 1932
Masterful French comic actor Tramel plays the title character in Cognasse. Based on a play, the story zeroes in on Cognasse, a starry-eyed communist workman in a huge French wallpaper factory. On the whim of the new owner Paul Faregot (Andre Roanne), Cognasse is put in charge of the factory. It doesn't take long for our hero's volatile left-leaning sympathies to evaporate when he discovers first-hand the seductive pleasures of capitalism. Once he's made a success of the factory and enriched himself, Cognasse forgets all about waving the Red banner. Cognasse was the final directorial effort by Louis Mercanton, who died shortly after filming was completed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Therese Dorny, Tramel, (more)
- 1931
Grain de Beaute (Beauty Spot) stars Simone Gerdan as the footloose wife of cabinet attache Roger Treville. Though she tries to remain loyal to her husband, Gerdan defies his orders to stay away from a fancy masked ball. While heavily disguised, she is wooed by young Roger Treville, who follows her home. Hoping to send Treville home happy without compromising herself, Gerdan asks her maid to don her costume and mask -- and that's when the fun begins. Previously filmed in a German-language version, Grain de Beaute ran into censorship problems in the U.S. for showing a husband and wife in bed together (Sacre bleu!). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simone Cerdan, Jeanne Fusier-Gir, (more)
- 1930
La Lettre is the French-language version of the 1929 American film The Letter. Based on the Somerset Maugham play of the same name, the French adaptation stars Marcelle Romee as Mrs. Leslie Bennett, the character played in the American version by legendary Broadway star Jeanne Eagels. After shooting down her lover George (Andre Roanne), Leslie tells her husband Phillipp (Gabriel Gabrio) and lawyer Mr. Joyce (Paul Capellani) that she was acting in self defense. As Leslie's trial proceeds, there is every indication that she will be acquitted -- until Joyce learns of an incriminating love letter written by Leslie to George, a letter now in the possession of George's Eurasian mistress Li-Ti (Princess Hoang Thi The). Risking arrest and disbarment Joyce convinces Phillip to purchase the letter for $10,000, keeping it from the eyes of the judge and jury. After being pronounced "not guilty," Leslie returns to her husband, tearfully promising to be a loyal and dutiful wife -- only to erupt in a sudden burst of hysteria, exclaiming "No! No! With all my heart, I still love the man I killed!" Filmed at Paramount's French facilities in Joinville, La Lettre is a scene-for-scene remake of The Letter, though in terms of acting and directorial technique, the two films were as different as night and day (in fact, the French version ran some nine minutes longer). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcelle Romee, Gabriel Gabrio, (more)
