Axel Gabriel Erik Mørch better known as Gabriel Axel (18 April 1918 – 9 February 2014)

Ronald Bergan Ronald Bergan (né Ginsberg, 2 November 1937 – 23 July 2020) was a South African-born British writer and historian. He was contributor to ''The Guardian'' (from 1989) and lecturer on film and other subjects as well as the author (or co-author) ...

br>Obituary: Gabriel Axel
''The Guardian'', 10 February 2014 was a Danish film director, actor, writer and producer, best known for ''

Babette's Feast ''Babette's Feast'' ( da, Babettes Gæstebud) is a 1987 Danish drama film directed by Gabriel Axel. The screenplay, written by Axel, was based on the 1958 story of the same name by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). It was produced by Just Betzer, ...

'' (1987), which he wrote and directed.

Biography

Born in

Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and approximately northwe ...

, Denmark, on 18 April 1918, Axel spent most of his childhood in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

in a wealthy Danish manufacturer's family. In 1935, at age 17 following the family's economic collapse, he moved to Denmark and trained as a

cabinet maker A cabinet is a case or cupboard with shelves and/or drawers for storing or displaying items. Some cabinets are stand alone while others are built in to a wall or are attached to it like a medicine cabinet. Cabinets are typically made of wood (so ...

. In 1942, Axel was admitted to the acting school at the

Royal Danish Theatre The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first s ...

in Copenhagen. After graduating in 1945, he returned to France where he spent five years on stage in Paris, including at the

Théâtre de l'Athénée The Théâtre de l'Athénée is a theatre at 7 rue Boudreau, in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Renovated in 1996 and classified a historical monument, the Athénée inherits an artistic tradition marked by the figure of Louis Jouvet who direc ...

under theatre director

Louis Jouvet Jules Eugène Louis Jouvet (24 December 1887 – 16 August 1951) was a French actor, theatre director and filmmaker. Early life Jouvet was born in Crozon. He had a stutter as a young man and originally trained as a pharmacist. He receive ...

. During the winter of 1948–1949 he produced

Ludvig Holberg Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg (3 December 1684 – 28 January 1754) was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian dual monarchy. He was influenced by Humanism, ...

's ''Diderich Menschenskraek'' (''Diderich the Terrible'') at

Théâtre de Paris The Théâtre de Paris is a theatre located at 15, rue Blanche in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. It includes a second smaller venue, the Petit Théâtre de Paris. History The first theatre on the site was built by the Duke of Richelieu in 1730 ...

. Axel returned to Denmark in 1950, and broke through as a stage director in the early 1950s. His productions included ''La tête des autres'' (''Other People's Heads'') by

Marcel Aymé Marcel Aymé (29 March 1902 – 14 October 1967) was a French novelist and playwright, who also wrote screenplays and works for children. Biography Marcel André Aymé was born in Joigny, in the Burgundy region of France, the youngest of si ...

, '' Le Cid'' by

Pierre Corneille Pierre Corneille (; 6 June 1606 – 1 October 1684) was a French tragedian. He is generally considered one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine. As a young man, he earned the valuable patron ...

, and '' Pour Lucrèce'' by

Jean Giraudoux Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (; 29 October 1882 – 31 January 1944) was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II. His ...

. Axel started directing for television in 1951, and, from 1951–1968, did some 48 television dramas. From 1955, Axel was a director at Nordisk Film. His debut feature, the social-realist drama '' Nothing But Trouble'' (1955), was highly praised, and the breakthrough came with the TV film '' A Woman Not Wanted'' in 1957. He went on to direct a string of lighter comedies and farces before making the epic Nordic saga '' The Red Mantle'' in 1967, which was selected for

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...

competition and won a Technical Prize (''Mention spéciale du grand prix technique'') at the

1967 Cannes Film Festival The 20th Cannes Film Festival was held from 27 April to 12 May 1967. The Grand Prix du Festival International du Film went to the '' Blowup'' by Michelangelo Antonioni. The festival opened with '' J'ai tué Raspoutine'', directed by Robert Hosse ...

. His other films include the popular comedy '' The Goldcabbage Family'' (1975) and its sequel, and a series of sexually oriented features including the campaigning ''

Det kære legetøj ''Det kære legetøj'' (The Dear Toy, also known as ''Danish Blue''), made in 1968 by director Gabriel Axel, is a Danish feature film advocating the legalizing of pornography. A campaigning film, it mixes interviews, reconstructions and fiction ...

'' (1968) which advocated the legalisation of

pornography in Denmark The first country in the world to legitimize pornography was Denmark in 1967. That year, the country legalized pornographic literature. Subsequently, on July 1, 1969, Denmark became the first nation in the world to legalize pictorial and audiovisu ...

. With some 16 feature films to his credits Axel returned to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

in 1977, where he directed several large projects for French television, culminating in 1985 with a historical five-episode series, ' (''Heaven's Pillars''). In 1987, Axel returned to Denmark to direct what had been his dream project for over 15 years, and is considered his masterpiece, an adaptation of

Karen Blixen Baroness Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke (born Dinesen; 17 April 1885 – 7 September 1962) was a Danish author who wrote works in Danish and English. She is also known under her pen names Isak Dinesen, used in English-speaking countrie ...

's ''

''. After screening at the Cannes Film Festival, the film won the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

at the

60th Academy Awards The 60th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on April 11, 1988, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PDT. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented ...

among others. His next films, the youth drama ''

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

'' (1989), the historical drama '' Prince of Jutland'' (1994), after the legend of Prince Amleth, and starring

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom ...

Gabriel Byrne Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, audiobook narrator, and author. His acting career began in the Focus Theatre before he joined London's Royal Court Theatre in 1979. Byrne's s ...

, and

Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, includin ...

, and '' Leïla'' (2001), a love story set in Morocco, failed to achieve the same international resonance. Alongside his directing career, Axel acted in a dozen Danish films, mostly in colourful supporting roles in popular comedies in the 1950s and 60s. He played the lead as the elegant charlatan

Marcel de Sade Marcel de Sade (born 1934 in Aalborg, Denmark) is the assumed name of Jørgen Vase Larsen, a criminal who passed himself off as a marquis during the 1960s. He was sentenced to jail for embezzlement from the oil company he worked. After his jailtime ...

in ''

The Reluctant Sadist ''The Reluctant Sadist'' (AKA ''I, a Nobleman''; da, Jeg - en marki, sv, Jag - en älskare) is a 1967 Danish/Swedish comedy film directed by Mac Ahlberg and Peer Guldbrandsen, and starring Gabriel Axel in the role of Marcel de Sade. Cast * Gab ...

'' (1967). Axel in 1995, was made a Knight of the French

National Order of Merit An order of merit is conferred by a state, government or royal family on an individual in recognition of military or civil merit. Order of merit may also refer to: * FIFA Order of Merit, for significant contribution to association football * PDC ...

, in 2000 Commander of the

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...

, and in 2003 was made Officer of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleo ...

. In 2003, Axel received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the

Copenhagen International Film Festival Copenhagen International Film Festival (CIFF) was a film festival held annually in Copenhagen, Denmark from 2003 to 2008. The main prize, the Golden Swan, was awarded for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Script and Best Cinem ...

. In 2012 he received the

Rungstedlund Award The Rungstedlund Award is an award of honor, founded by the Rungstedlund Foundation (''Rungstedlundfonden'') in 1991. The DKK 25,000 prize is annually handed to a person who has made a notable contribution in an area which interested Karen Blixe ...

. Axel died in his sleep on 9 February 2014 at the age of 95.

Selected filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Axel, Gabriel 1918 births 2014 deaths 20th-century Danish male actors Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Danish film directors Danish male screenwriters Directors of Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winners Filmmakers who won the Best Foreign Language Film BAFTA Award People from Aarhus Recipients of the Legion of Honour