Frank Villard Movies
French actor Frank Villard (born Francois Drouineau in Saint-Jean-d'Angely) frequently played leading roles in average-quality French films. Before becoming an actor, Villard was a painter. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1949
This French film version of Colette's best-selling novel Gigi predated both the 1950 stage adaptation and the 1958 Hollywood musical of the same name. Set in fin de siecle Paris, The story is the familiar one about 16-year-old Gigi (Daniele Delorme), a waif-like creature who is trained to become a Parisian courtesan by her worldly wise Aunt, Mme. Alvarez (Yvonne de Bray). The girl's first assignment is to serve as the "arm ornament" of wealthy playboy Gaston (Frank Villard), whose previous experiences with women have turned him into something of misogynist. When Gigi falls genuinely in love with Gaston, Mme. Alvarez is appalled: after all, true love is bad for business. Gaston is likewise taken aback by Gigi's devotion -- until he realizes with startling suddenness that he has fallen for her. Long unavailable in the U.S. due to the Oscar-winning MGM musical remake, Gigi happily resurfaced on American cable television in the mid-1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yvonne de Bray, Danièle Delorme, (more)
- 1962
Jackie Gleason plays Gigot, a lumbering but lovable mute Parisian derelict. Shunned by the "respectable" people around him, Gigot is beloved by the children. One of the kids, a little girl, is the melancholy daughter of an insensitive prostitute. Gigot befriends the lonely child and protects her against her wicked parent and the local constabulary. Gigot was heavily edited by 20th Century Fox prior to its release, and subsequently disowned by its director, Gene Kelly. Still, a few hilarious and genuinely poignant moments shine through in this Chaplinesque tour de force for Jackie Gleason, who not only starred but wrote the script and the musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Gleason, Katherine Kath, (more)
- 1956
In this thriller a French woman is arrested for the death of her cruel lover. She certainly had motive as the man was a real snake. She hides him from the Nazis during WW II; he gets her pregnant, betrays her, and has her sent to a concentration camp. Even though it seems obvious that she was the killer, the woman pleads innocent. Two reporters believe her and begin investigating the stabbing. They soon find themselves entangled in a ring of international counterfeiters. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1954
Arletty heads the cast of this first film version of Jean-Paul Sartre's existential theater piece No Exit. The scene is a tawdry hotel room in Limbo, where several damned souls are gathered. At first, the group fails to comprehend where they are or why they're there. When the horrible truth dawns upon them, they carp and snipe at one another, blaming everyone but themselves for their dismal fate. The Sartre original had only one setting and three characters. Pierre Laroche's screenplay unnecessarily "opens up" the play, adding four more characters and several sequences in the "real" world. A more successful (but no more faithful) version of No Exit was filmed in Argentina in 1962. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arletty, Gaby Sylvia, (more)
- 1950
The material is better than the execution in the French La Belle Image. The story concerns a plain-looking young man named Raoul (Frank Villard). Ignored by the "beautiful people," Raoul resigns himself to a lonely existence. After surviving an accident, however, his face is restructured by plastic surgery. The "new," handsomer Raoul suddenly finds himself a much-sought-after commodity--though, deep down inside, he still regards himself as inferior. Curiously, director Claude Heymann seems to believe that his story and characters will take care of themselves, without such frivolities as timing and pacing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Christophe, Frank Villard, (more)
- 1958
The legendary Spanish screen siren Sarita Montiel headlines this gentle romantic drama; she stars as Soledad, a beautiful yet humble violet seller whose life turns a fantastic corner when she meets and falls deeply in love with the wealthy suitor Fernando. Unfortunately, because he is the product of Madrid's upper crust, the reality of class differences soon checks in and he splits off from her. Yet Soledad aggressively pursues her own brand of success and establishes herself as a popular singer - effectively giving herself another chance with her old love. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 1953
La Voca del Silenzio (Voice of Silence) was the only Italian production of fabled German director G. W. Pabst. Based on a concept by neorealism specialist Cesar Zavattini (fleshed out by a team of =12= prominent writers, including Pabst himself and Jean Cocteau), the film follows a small group of very troubled men during a three-day spiritual sojourn. One is a politician, laden with guilt over his comportment during WW II. The second is a war veteran whose wife has "grown away" from him. The third is a writer of detective novels whose works might have inspired a real-life killing. The fourth is a thief who has come to the spiritual retreat to avoid capture. And the fifth is a candle merchant whose livelihood is threatened by modern technology. One of the few concessions to popular taste is a striptease sequence involving Rosanna Podesta. In keeping with the film's title, few words are spoken in La Voca del Silenzio; in this respect, the film is an intriguing throwback to Pabst's classic silent films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1951
La Cap De L'Esperance (The Cape of Hope) takes place in the criminal demi-monde of a French portside community. Faded beauty Myriam (Edwige Feuilliere) presides over a seedy waterfront dive. Myriam's kept man is shiftless young Pierre (Bernard Lajarrige), a petty thief planning a big-time robbery. Pierre in turn is romancing the daughter (Cosetta Greco) of safecracker Simon (Paolo Stoppa). The whole passing parade is cynically observed by crooked attorney Bob (Frank Villard), one of the masterminds of the robbery. There isn't a likeable or lovable character in the bunch, though Edwige Feuilliere manages to bring a soupcon of pathos to her stock role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edwige Feuillère, Frank Villard, (more)
- 1961
This somewhat verbose, standard comic thriller involves one sharp gangster nicknamed Le Dabe (Jean Gabin) pitted against three others as they work on a counterfeiting operation. Le Dabe has just been cooling his heels in the hot tropics and has now resurfaced in France where he hooks up with the counterfeiting trio. Together, they print out millions in fake Dutch guilders, but along the way, the three friends scheme to double-cross Le Dabe as soon as their operation is completed. They obviously underestimate the man. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Gabin, Martine Carol, (more)
- 1962
Gentle Art of Murder is comprised of a trio of short crime tales: "The Spider's Web," "The Fenyrou Case" and "The Mask." An international all-star cast appears in these filmed playlets, wherein each perfect murder turns out to be less than perfect. The stories are linked by "bookend" scenes in which an aspiring wife murderer goes to a movie house and watches the three cautionary tales unreel. Nearly three hours long, Gentle Art of Murder holds both the audience--and the would-be killer--in thrall. The film's original title was Crime Does Not Pay, though it bears no relation to the MGM short-subjects series of the same name. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edwige Feuillère, Pierre Brasseur, (more)
