Sacha Guitry

  • Sacha Guitry & Fernand Rivers – Pasteur (1935)

    1931-1940DramaFernand RiversFranceSacha Guitry

    Synopsis :
    Some episodes in Pasteur’s life: the selflessness of the researcher when war is declared, Pastor rejected by members of the Academy of Medicine, Pasteur treats a child with rabies, Pasteur as a patient receives his doctor who asks him to stop his research, Pasteur celebrated at the Sorbonne by luminaries from around the world …Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry – La vie d’un honnête homme (1953)

    1951-1960ClassicsFranceSacha Guitry

    Plot: Through a combination of hard work and ruthlessness, Albert Ménard-Lacoste (Michel Simon) has become a wealthy businessman, although his austerity prevents him from being loved, even by his family. One day, he is confronted by his worst nightmare in the form of his estranged brother Alain, who is his polar opposite – an easy-going, penniless drifter. Albert’s first reaction is to dismiss Alain from his sight. But then he has a change of heart and drops in on the shabby lodgings where Alain is living. Albert is about to offer his brother a job when the latter suffers a fatal heart-attack. Immediately, the cunning businessman sees a way to make a fresh start and perhaps settle a few scores with his family. He swaps his clothes with Alain and assumes the dead man’s identity. Little by little, Albert’s eyes are opened to the shallowness of his erstwhile life and to the grotesque hypocrisies of his everyday existence… (filmsdefrance.com)Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry – Donne-moi tes yeux AKA My Last Mistress (1943)

    1941-1950DramaFranceRomanceSacha Guitry

    Synopsis
    François (Guitry) is a young sculptor who falls madly in love with his model Catherine (portrayed by Guitry’s real-life wive Genevieve). When his eyesight fails him, Bressoles begins to feel unworthy of Catherine…Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry – Le comédien AKA The Private Life of an Actor (1948)

    France1941-1950ComedySacha Guitry

    Synopsis
    The Private Life of an Actor was the English-language title bestowed upon Sacha Guitry’s first postwar feature, Le Comédien. The film recounts the life and loves of Guitry’s actor/father Lucien, with Guitry playing both himself and his dad. Most of the story takes place either on-stage or in the dressing room, satirically emphasizing the wide schism between an actor’s public and private life. Adding to the Pirandellian ambience of the project is Guitry’s wife, Catherine (Lana Marconi), cast as one of Lucien’s various mistresses.Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry & Frédéric Rossif – Ceux de chez nous (1952)

    Sacha Guitry1951-1960DocumentaryFranceFrédéric Rossif

    “I dreamed of a new encyclopedia … “. Sacha Guitry attended, “according to his tastes” the greatest personalities of his time. He filmed “in their attitudes the most familiar, whenever that was possible.” We see André Antoine, Sarah Bernhardt, Edgar Degas, Anatole France, Lucien Guitry, Octave Mirbeau, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir at his side with his young son Claude Renoir, Henri-Robert, Auguste Rodin, Edmond Rostand, Camille Saint-Saëns . The silent version of 1915 lasted 22 minutes. This finall version redesigned in 1952, lasts 44 minutes, with plans Guitry in his office, and that this comment, shot by Frederic Rossif.Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry – Le nouveau testament AKA Indiscretions (1936)

    1931-1940ClassicsComedyFranceSacha Guitry

    Based on Guitry’s own stage play about a sanctimonious fellow who eventually’s victimized by his own hypocrisy. Little effort’s made to “cinematize” the property, which’s filmed just as it was staged.Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry – Mon père avait raison (1936)

    1931-1940ClassicsComedyFranceSacha Guitry

    After being left for another man by his wife, Charles Bellanger raises his only son to fear and suspect women. Years later, such an education is bearing fruit.Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry – De Jeanne d’Arc à Philippe Pétain AKA From Joan of Arc to Philippe Petain AKA 1429-1942 (1944)

    1941-1950DocumentaryFranceSacha Guitry

    This film was shown in the movie theaters two months before the landing and afterward completely disappeared only to reappear in 1993. This is of course a propaganda movie .But not more than Stelli’s “Le Voile BLeu” .

    Beginning his movie with an evocation of Joan of Arc was not completely incongruous ; Guitry probably thought it was a sign from God ;1429: Joan’s odyssey begins ;birth of the Homeland ,1942: under the yoke of the Nazis ,but still proud of its past ,the country remembers .1429,1942 sinister anagram.Joan found since taken over by the far right wing .Read More »

  • Sacha Guitry – Ils étaient neuf célibataires AKA Nine Bachelors (1939)

    1931-1940ClassicsComedyFranceSacha Guitry

    Filmmaker Sacha Guitry’s only cinematic contribution for 1939 was Ils Etaient Neuf Celibataires, released stateside as There Were Nine Bachelors. Set sometime in the past, the story gets under way when a new law calls for the expulsion of certain foreigners from Paris. Among those slated for deportation is Polish stage star Elvire Popesco. Guitry plays an opportunist who offers to help Popesco remain in France in exchange for her help in a highly suspicious “lonely hearts” scam. Our so-called hero intends to marry off nine elderly bachelors with an equal number of female foreign aliens, so that the latter will be able to declare themselves as French citizens. Naturally, most of the financial proceeds of this venture are to remain in Guitry’s possession — not to mention any female “fringe benefits” picked up along the way.Read More »

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