Jean-Claude Brialy Movies
The son of a high-ranking French military officer, Jean-Claude Brialy was expected to following in his father's boot-steps upon completing his studies at Strasbourg University. Brialy was deflected from a lifetime in uniform through his blossoming friendship with aspiring filmmaker Philippe de Broca. Deciding to become an actor, Brialy appeared in some of the earliest short-subject projects of such future Nouvelle Vague directors as Jacques Rivette and Jean-Luc Godard. He made his first feature-film appearance in Jean Renoir's Paris Does Strange Things (1958). In collaboration with Claude Chabrol, Brialy starred in Chabrol's maiden directorial effort, Le Beau Serge, then originated the ubiquitous Chabrol protagonist Paul in Les Cousins. This particular role cemented Brialy's standard screen characterization: the impeccably mannered, implicitly decadent boulevardier. One of the busiest of the New Wave directors (especially during the years 1960 and 1961), Jean-Claude Brialy remained so even after launching his own prolific career with 1972's Eglantine.Brialy died of cancer in Paris, France on May 30, 2007. He was 74. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Francois Perier, Peter vanEyck, and Anouk Aimee star in this tense tale of five highly skilled thieves who all pool their resources in hopes of pulling off the perfect heist. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1957
Filmed in 1957 but not released in the U.S. until 1962, Girl in His Pocket was released to more liberal markets as Nude in His Pocket. Jean Marais plays Prof. Jerome, a researcher who is intrigued with the theory of suspended animation. With the help of his sexy assistant Monette (Agnes Laurent), the professor stumbles upon a formula that shrinks people and turns them into living statues. When the professor's wife suspects that her husband is carrying on a romance with Monette (she's right), the au naturel Monette hides herself by drinking the potion and secreting herself within the professor's pocket. There's a race to the rescue when the professor's wife places the "figurine" Monette on an ocean liner bound for parts unknown. Girl in His Pocket was based on "The Diminishing Draft", a short story by Waldemar Kaempfert, originally published way back in 1918. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Geneviève Page, (more)
The feature-film debut of famed director Louis Malle is an interesting, modern film noir with the classic theme of lovers plotting to kill the husband and make it look like suicide (reminiscent of The Postman Always Rings Twice). Jeanne Moreau, as Florence Carala, gives an astonishing performance, perverse but naive as she leads her young lover down a path that can only lead to doom for both of them. Malle and his cinematographer Henri Decae make extensive use of Paris at night, giving the film the feel of claustrophobia and desperation reminiscent of the classic noir films. The excellent score by Miles Davis adds to the entire effect of this mystery thriller. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, (more)
- 1957
Charlotte et Véronique, also known as Tous les garcons s'appellent Patrick, was one of five shorts Jean-Luc Godard made in collaboration with his Cahiers du Cinema cohorts in the late '50s and early '60s, prior to embarking on feature films. The script was written by Eric Rohmer and is a slight, but charming, story about two girlfriends (Nicole Berger and Anna Collette) who are seduced by lothario Patrick (Jean-Claude Brialy) over sidewalk café Cokes and on Tuileries park benches. When both Charlotte and Véronique arrive for the date, Patrick brings another woman. The story is told in a fairly straightforward style. Godard's early love of youthful frivolity, pop culture, and referential film geekery are in abundant evidence (the girls' apartment walls are decorated with film posters, they mimic their idols) and there are some tentative steps taken with visual and audio jump cuts. The short is available as a special feature on Criterion's release of A Woman is a Woman (Une femme est une femme), a Godard feature where Brialy plays one of the two male leads. ~ Michael Buening, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Brialy, Ann Colette, (more)
