French Movies

L'Avare is a 1980 French comedy film written and directed by Louis de Funès and Jean Girault, and starring de Funès. It is an adaptation of Molière's famous comedy L'Avare (The Miser). Audio in French with English and Italian subtitles (click on CC for subtitles). The elderly Harpagon lives a frugal life, even though he has amassed a fortune, which he has buried in his garden. The old man is ruthlessly stingy and, to increase his fortune, plans to marry his daughter Élise to a rich man, while he himself marries a wealthy heiress. His daughter is in love with another young man (Valère, the steward of the house), while the woman he intends to marry is already loved by his son Cléante. Neither dare admit their romantic situation to their father. The film is very faithful to the original work, except for some details added by de Funès (such as his imitation of Donald Duck in court or his escape from the woman who asks him for money in church during the offertory). According to his friend and colleague Michel Galabru, de Funès was strongly inspired by some of his mother's attitudes in playing the role of Harpagon. The Miser is a lighthearted film adaptation of Molière's famous comedy. While remaining faithful to the original, the film still manages to shine with originality and humor. Louis de Funès doesn't just play the miserly Harpagon—he becomes Harpagon, incarnating him down to his tattered socks. "In a performance of unsurpassed brilliance, de Funès's performance is both wildly entertaining and unmistakably poignant. It reminds us that Harpagon isn't evil—he's actually just a very, very sad figure, deserving of our pity rather than our contempt." Between tyrannizing his children and flogging his servants, Harpagon is a tragic figure, unloved by humanity and driven by an obsessive love of money. De Funès manages to bring out this unhappy side of the character while never abandoning his frenetic, hateful behavior. Indeed, his grotesque and surreal interpretation of the petty Harpagon remains one of the best of his life. Cast & Characters: Louis de Funès: Harpagon Franck Cabot-David: Cléante Hervé Bellon: Valère Michel Galabru: Maître Jacques Georges Audoubert: Anselme Claude Gensac: Frosine Claire Dupray: Élise, Miser's daughter Anne Caudry: Marianne, Cléante's girlfriend Bernard Menez: La Flèche, Cléante's valet Henri Génès: the commissioner Michel Modo: la Merluche, Harpagon's attendant Guy Grosso: Brindavoine, Harpagon's attendant Max Montavon: Maître Simon Micheline Bourday: Dame Claude, the housemaid Madeleine Barbulée: Marianne's mother

Léon Morin, Priest (French: Léon Morin, prêtre) is a 1961 French drama film directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. Audio in French with English subtitles (Click on CC for subtitles). It was adapted by Melville from Béatrix Beck's novel The Passionate Heart (French: Léon Morin, prêtre), which won the Prix Goncourt in 1952. Set during WWII in Occupied France, the film stars Emmanuelle Riva as a jaded, lapsed Catholic mother and widow of a Jewish husband, who finds herself falling in love with a young, altruistic priest, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo. For his work in the film, Belmondo was nominated for the BAFTA Film Award for Best Foreign Actor. At the 1961 Venice Film Festival, the film won the “Award of the City of Venice” and was nominated for the Golden Lion. Although less widely known internationally than Jean-Pierre Melville’s crime films, Léon Morin, Priest has been recognized as a significant work in his exploration of resistance and moral conflict. Brody situated it within Melville’s broader “cinema of resistance,” linking it to later works such as Army of Shadows. Cast & Characters: Jean-Paul Belmondo as Léon Morin Emmanuelle Riva as Barny Irène Tunc as Christine Sangredin Nicole Mirel as Sabine Levy Gisèle Grimm as Lucienne Marco Behar as Edelman Monique Bertho as Marion Monique Hennessy as Arlette Cédric Grant as American Soldier George Lambert as American Soldier Chantal, Patricia, & Marielle Gozzi as France at different ages Gérard Buhr (who had previously been in Melville's Bob le Flambeur) has a small part as a German soldier named Gunther, and Howard Vernon (who starred in Melville's Le Silence de la Mer and had a supporting role in Bob le Flambeur) can briefly be seen as a German colonel.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (in French Notre-Dame de Paris) is a 1956 French-Italian CinemaScope drama film version of Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, directed by Jean Delannoy and produced by Raymond Hakim and Robert Hakim. Audio in French with English subtitles (click on CC for subtitles). It stars American actor Anthony Quinn and Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida. The film is the first version of the novel to be made in color. The film is one of the few adaptations to use Victor Hugo's original ending; although Esmeralda is killed by a stray arrow rather than hanged. Esmeralda's last words were: "Life is wonderful" ("C'est beau, la vie"). Cast & Characters: Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda Anthony Quinn as Quasimodo Jean Danet as Phoebus de Chateaupers Alain Cuny as Claude Frollo Robert Hirsch as Pierre Gringoire Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys Philippe Clay as Clopin Trouillefou Maurice Sarfati as Jehan Frollo Jean Tissier as King Louis XI Valentine Tessier as Aloyse de Gondelaurier Jacques Hilling as Maitre Charmolue Jacques Dufilho as Guillaume Rousseau Roger Blin as Mathias Hungadi Spicali Marianne Oswald as La Falourdel Roland Bailly as The Hangman Piéral as The Dwarf Camille Guérini as The President Damia as The Beggar Robert Lombard as Jacques Coppenole Albert Rémy as Jupiter Hubert de Lapparent as Guillaume de Harancourt Boris Vian as Cardinal Charles of Bourbon Georges Douking as A Thief Paul Bonifas as Master Lecornu Madeleine Barbulée as Madame Outarde Albert Michel as Night Watchman Daniel Emilfork as Andry le Rouge

The Mysteries of Paris (French: Les Mystères de Paris) is a French - Italian film directed by André Hunebelle and released in 1962. Audio in French with subtitles in English and Italian (click on CC for subtitles) The film follows Rodolphe de Sambreuil and his mistress Irène, who occupy prominent positions in high society during the reign of Louis-Philippe. Rodolphe, a man of great integrity, is responsible for the death of a worker and wants to help the widow, who is searching for her daughter Marie, who has mysteriously disappeared. The film is loosely adapted from the novel of the same name by Eugène Sue. Contrary to what the title might suggest, the film was shot in Rouen. More than three-quarters of the exterior scenes of the film, in alleyways in the heart of old Rouen which perfectly evoke the Paris of the July Monarchy, in particular in the districts of Pomme d'Or and Saint-Nicaise, before their destruction to make way for modern buildings in the mid-1970s, and in particular the small rue Pitry. Other filming locations: the banks of the Seine in the Saint-Paul district of Paris. The sequence taking place in the Catacombs of Paris was filmed in the Nucourt Quarries. Jean Marais refused to use a stunt double out of honesty towards the audience. Cast & Characters: Jean Marais as Rodolphe de Sambreuil, lover of Irène Raymond Pellegrin as Baron de Lansignac, the enemy of Rodolphe Jill Haworth as Marie Godin Dany Robin as Irène Pierre Mondy as Chourineur Georges Chamarat as Jérôme Foulon Noël Roquevert as Mr. Pipelet, the concierge Jean Le Poulain as The Teacher Renée Gardès as the Owl Alain Decock as the young person Fanfan Morel Robert Dalban as the boss of the inn of the Destructives Paulette Dubost as Mrs Pipelet, the concierge Benoîte Lab as Louise Morel, the woman of the suit Gabriel Gobin as Mr. Morel, the suit Madeleine Barbulée as Mrs Godin Maria Meriko as Mrs Georges Charles Bouillaud as Mr. Godin Raoul Billerey as Amédée Guy Delorme as policeman Jacques Sablon

Le Miracle des loups (English: The Miracle of the Wolves), aka Blood on his Sword, is a French / Italian swashbuckler film from 1961, directed by André Hunebelle, written by Henry Dupuy-Mazuel, starring Jean Marais. Audio in French with English subtitles (click on CC for subtitles). The scenario was based on a novel by Maria Luisa Linarès. The film was known under the title "Im Zeichen der Lilie" (West Germany), "Blood on His Sword" or "The Miracle of the Wolves" (USA). Numerous scenes were filmed at the Cité de Carcassonne. In the 15th century France, only one honest knight stands up on protection of a young noblewoman when she finds herself trapped in enmity between a king and a treacherous nobility. Cast & Characters: Jean Marais : Robert de Neuville Rosanna Schiaffino (VF : Claire Guibert) : Jeanne de Beauvais Jean-Louis Barrault : Louis XI Roger Hanin : Charles le Téméraire Guy Delorme: Le comte Jean de Sénac Annie Anderson: Catherine du Tillais ou Marguerite Louis Arbessier: Le comte d'Hesselin Jean Marchat: L'archevêque Raoul Billerey : Jérôme Pierre Palfray : Mathieu Georges Lycan : Sire de Gavray Bernard Musson : Un évêque Paul Préboist : A baladin

Les Misérables is a 1934 French film adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name. Scripted and directed by Raymond Bernard, it stars Harry Baur as Jean Valjean, Charles Vanel as Javert, and Josseline Gaël as Cosette. Audio in French with English subtitles. It is considered by critics to be the greatest adaptation of the novel, due to its in-depth development of the themes and characters, in comparison with most shorter adaptations. The film is, for the most part, faithful to the original novel, however, there are some differences. Les Misérables is a breathtaking tour de force, unfolding with the depth and detail of its source. Featuring stunning art direction and cinematography and unforgettable performances by the exquisite Harry Baur (who died tragically during World War II), as Jean Valjean, and the legendary Charles Vanel, as Inspector Javert, Les misérables is one of the triumphs of French filmmaking. This is the Pathé version, which carried out a new restoration of the film in 2013, totaling 289 minutes. Cast & Characters: Harry Baur as Jean Valjean/Mayor Madeleine/ Mr. Champmathieu Charles Vanel as Javert Florelle as Fantine Josseline Gaël as Cosette Gaby Triquet as Cosette (child) Jean Servais as Marius Orane Demazis as Éponine Gilberte Savary as Éponine (child) Lucien Nat as Montparnasse Charles Dullin as Thénardier Marguerite Moreno as Madame Thénardier Émile Genevois as Gavroche Robert Vidalin as Enjolras Henry Krauss as Monseigneur Myriel Denise Mellot as Azelma Jacqueline Fermez as Azelma (child) Cailloux as Mabeuf Ginette d'Yd as Sister Simplice Pierre Piérade as Bamatabois Charlotte Barbier-Krauss as Toussaint Roland Armontel as Félix Tholomyès Part 2: https://rumble.com/v723yyc-les-misrables-film-1934-eng-sub-the-thnardiers-part-2.html

Part 3: https://rumble.com/v724060-les-misrables-film-1934-eng-sub-liberty-dear-liberty-part-3.html

Bonus Material: https://rumble.com/v7242wm-raymond-bernard-on-les-misrables-eng-sub.html

Wooden Crosses (French: Les Croix de Bois) is a 1932 French anti-war film by Raymond Bernard based upon the autobiography of the same name written by Roland Dorgelès. Audio in French with English subtitles (click on CC for the subtitles). The film is set some time after the Great Retreat, where the British Expeditionary Force and the French 5th Army fought a fighting retreat to the Marne. The events follow Gilbert Demachy, a young French law student, who enlisted in the French army some time after 2 August 1914, and the infantry squad he joins. The producer, Bernard Natan, himself a veteran of the First World War and a Croix de Guerre recipient, wished to make those watching the film "hate and despise war". He was given free rein to use Pathé's new sound department to create recordings of explosions and gunshots, something he referred to as "the reconstitution of the sonic ambience of the battles". A large amount of the film was filmed in Mont Cornillet on the outskirts of Reims in Champagne, where Raymond Bernard said they "simply had to redig the trenches, traces of which were still in evidence." He used detectors from the army to search for and remove unexploded munitions due to the risk of the fake shells used in filming setting them off. They were then detonated in specially dug pits behind the cameras while lines were being delivered. The battles were described as "vibrant and convincing", with Bernard insisting that every actor have some form of combat experience. One such example is Pierre Blanchar, who was a victim of a gas attack in Verdun in 1916. Although Wooden Crosses was well received in France, it did not receive much attention outside of Europe aside from an American film named The Road to Glory, which was a loose remake of Wooden Crosses released in 1936. There were reports that Wooden Crosses caused veterans to commit suicide due to its accuracy, with one such report occurring as late as 1962 after its first TV screening. Cast & Characters: Pierre Blanchar as Gilbert Demachy Gabriel Gabrio as Sulphart Charles Vanel as Caporal Breval Raymond Aimos as Soldat Fouillard Antonin Artaud as Vieublé Paul Azaïs as Broucke René Bergeron as Hamel Raymond Cordy as Vairon Marcel Delaitre as Sergent Berthier Jean Galland as Capitaine Cruchet Pierre Labry as Bouffioux Geo Laby as Belin Jean-François Martial as Lemoine René Montis as Lieutenant Morache Marc Valbel as Maroux

The Supper (French: Le Souper) is a 1992 French period drama film directed by Édouard Molinaro. Audio in French with English subtitles (click on CC for subtitles). Based on a stage play by Jean-Claude Brisville, the film imagines the negotiations over supper about a new government for France after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and who will get the top jobs. After the abdication and exile of Napoléon Bonaparte following the Battle of Waterloo, Paris is occupied by English and Prussian troops and the people are restless. On 6 July 1815 Joseph Fouché, head of the provisional government, is invited to a late night supper at the town house of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, former minister of foreign affairs. Cast & Characters: Claude Brasseur - Fouché Claude Rich - Talleyrand Michel Piccoli – the voice of Chateaubriand Alexandra Vandernoot - Duchess of Dino Stéphane Jobert - Carême Ticky Holgado – Jacques, a servant Yann Collette – Jean, a servant