Marcel Carné
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Marcel Albert Carné (; 18 August 1906 – 31 October 1996) was a French
film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...
. A key figure in the
poetic realism Poetic realism was a film movement in France of the 1930s. More a tendency than a movement, poetic realism is not strongly unified like Soviet montage or French Impressionism but were individuals who created this lyrical style. Its leading filmm ...
movement, Carné's best known films include '' Port of Shadows'' (1938), ''
Le Jour Se Lève ''Le jour se lève'' (, "The day rises"; also known as ''Daybreak'') is a 1939 French film directed by Marcel Carné and written by Jacques Prévert, based on a story by Jacques Viot. It is considered one of the principal examples of the French ...
'' (1939), '' The Devil's Envoys'' (1942) and '' Children of Paradise'' (1945), the last of which has been cited as one of the
greatest films of all time This is a list of films considered the best in national and international surveys of critics and the public. Some surveys focus on all films, while others focus on a particular genre or country. Voting systems differ, and some surveys suffer ...
.


Biography

Born 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. S ...
,
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 ...
, the son of a cabinet maker whose wife died when their son was five, Carné began his career as a film critic, becoming editor of the weekly publication, ''Hebdo-Films'', and working for ''Cinémagazine'' and ''Cinémonde'' between 1929 and 1933.Richard Roud "Marcel Carné and Jacques Prevert" in Roud ''Cinema: A Critical Dictionary: Volume One, Aldrich to King'', London: Secker & Warburg, 1980, p.189-92, 189, 191 In the same period he worked in
silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
as a camera assistant with director
Jacques Feyder Jacques Feyder (; 21 July 1885 – 24 May 1948) was a Belgian actor, screenwriter and film director who worked principally in France, but also in the US, Britain and Germany. He was a director of silent films during the 1920s, and in the 1930 ...
. By age 25, Carné had already directed his first short film, ''Nogent, Eldorado du dimanche'' (1929). He assisted Feyder (and
René Clair René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...
) on several films through to '' La kermesse héroïque'' (1935). Feyder accepted an invitation to work in England for
Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)Knight Without Armour ''Knight Without Armour'' (styled as ''Knight Without Armor'' in some releases) is a 1937 British historical drama film starring Marlene Dietrich and Robert Donat. It was directed by Jacques Feyder and produced by Alexander Korda from a screenp ...
'' (1937), but made it possible for Carné to take over his project, ''
Jenny Jenny may refer to: * Jenny (given name), a popular feminine name and list of real and fictional people * Jenny (surname), a family name Animals * Jenny (donkey), a female donkey * Jenny (gorilla), the oldest gorilla in captivity at the time of ...
'' (1936), as its director. The film marked the beginning of a successful collaboration with
surrealist Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
poet and screenwriter
Jacques Prévert Jacques Prévert (; 4 February 1900 – 11 April 1977) was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. His best-regarded films formed part of the poetic realist moveme ...
. This collaborative relationship lasted for more than a dozen years, during which Carné and Prévert created their best remembered films. Together, they were involved in the
poetic realism Poetic realism was a film movement in France of the 1930s. More a tendency than a movement, poetic realism is not strongly unified like Soviet montage or French Impressionism but were individuals who created this lyrical style. Its leading filmm ...
film movement of fatalistic tragedies; Ginette Vincendeau said that "the movement’s greatest classics are probably Marcel Carné’s ''
Le Quai des brumes ''Port of Shadows'' (french: Le Quai des brumes , "The dock of mists") is a 1938 French film directed by Marcel Carné. An example of poetic realism, it stars Jean Gabin, Michel Simon and Michèle Morgan. The screenplay was written by Jacques Pr ...
'' in 1938 and ''
Le Jour Se Lève ''Le jour se lève'' (, "The day rises"; also known as ''Daybreak'') is a 1939 French film directed by Marcel Carné and written by Jacques Prévert, based on a story by Jacques Viot. It is considered one of the principal examples of the French ...
'' in 1939." Under the
German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...
of France during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Carné worked in the Vichy zone where he subverted the regime's attempts to control art; several of his team were Jewish, including
Joseph Kosma Joseph Kosma (22 October 19057 August 1969) was a Hungarian-French composer. Biography Kosma was born József Kozma in Budapest, where his parents taught stenography and typing. He had a brother, Ákos. A maternal relative was the photographe ...
and set designer
Alexandre Trauner Alexandre Trauner (born Sándor Trau; 3 August 1906 in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary – 5 December 1993 in Omonville-la-Petite, France) was a Hungarian film production designer. After studying painting at Hungarian University of Fin ...
. Under difficult conditions they made Carné's most highly regarded film '' Les Enfants du paradis'' (''Children of Paradise'', 1945) released after the Liberation of France. In the late 1990s, the film was voted "Best French Film of the Century" in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals. Post war, he and Prévert followed this triumph with what at the time was the most expensive production ever undertaken in the history of French film. But the result, titled ''
Les Portes de la nuit ''Gates of the Night'' (french: Les Portes de la nuit) is a 1946 French film that was directed by Marcel Carné. It starred Serge Reggiani and Yves Montand. The script was written by Carné's long-time collaborator Jacques Prévert. The film made ...
'', was panned by the critics and a
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...
failure and was their last completed film. By the 1950s, Carné's reputation was in eclipse. The critics of ''
Cahiers du cinéma ''Cahiers du Cinéma'' (, ) is a French film magazine co-founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca.Itzkoff, Dave (9 February 2009''Cahiers Du Cinéma Will Continue to Publish''The New York TimesMacnab, Ge ...
'', who became the film makers of the New Wave, dismissed him and placed his films' merits solely with Prévert.Gilbert Adair and Mike Goodridg
Obituary: Marcel Carné
''The Independent'', 1 November 1996
Other than his 1958 hit '' Les Tricheurs'', Carné's postwar films met with only uneven success and many were greeted by an almost unrelenting negative criticism from the press and within members of the film industry. In 1958, Carné was the Head of the Jury at the
6th Berlin International Film Festival The 6th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 22 June to 3 July 1956. The FIAPF granted the festival the "A status" during this year, which was previously only reserved for Cannes and Venice. The awards for the first time, we ...
. His 1971 film ''
Law Breakers ''Law Breakers'' (french: Les Assassins de l'ordre) is a 1971 French drama film starring Jacques Brel, directed by Marcel Carné. It was entered into the 7th Moscow International Film Festival. Based on a real-life incident, an idealistic a ...
'' was entered into the
7th Moscow International Film Festival The 7th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 20 July to 3 August 1971. The Golden Prizes were awarded to the Italian film '' Confessions of a Police Captain'' directed by Damiano Damiani, the Japanese film ''Live Today, Die Tomorrow! ...
. Carné made his last film in 1976. Carné was openly
homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
. Several of his later films contain references to male homosexuality or
bisexuality Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whic ...
. His one-time partner was Roland Lesaffre who appeared in many of his films.
Edward Baron Turk Edward Baron Turk (born September 29, 1946) is a multiple prize-winning American author, arts critic, and educator. He has held professorial positions at Yale University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia University (Schoo ...
has published a biography of Carné entitled ''Child of Paradise: Marcel Carné and the Golden Age of French Cinema''. Marcel Carné died in 1996 in
Clamart Clamart () is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. The town is divided into two parts, separated by a forest: ''bas Clamart'', the historical centre, and ''petit Clamart'' with urbaniz ...
,
Hauts-de-Seine Hauts-de-Seine (; ) is a Departments of France, département in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region, Northern France. It covers Paris's western inner Banlieue, suburbs. It is bordered by Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne to the e ...
, and was buried in the
Cimetière Saint-Vincent Saint-Vincent Cemetery (french: Cimetière Saint-Vincent) is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. History Saint-Vincent Cemetery was opened on January 5, 1831. It was Montmartres second cemetery, built after the Cimetière du Calvai ...
in
Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...
.


Filmography as director

*''Nogent, Eldorado du dimanche'' (1929, documentary short) *''
Jenny Jenny may refer to: * Jenny (given name), a popular feminine name and list of real and fictional people * Jenny (surname), a family name Animals * Jenny (donkey), a female donkey * Jenny (gorilla), the oldest gorilla in captivity at the time of ...
'' (1936) *''
Drôle de drame ''Bizarre, Bizarre'' (french: Drôle de drame) is a 1937 French comedy film directed by Marcel Carné. It is based on the 1912 novel '' His First Offence'' by J. Storer Clouston. Plot At a meeting in London, Bishop Soper denounces scandalous l ...
'' (1937) *''
Le Quai des brumes ''Port of Shadows'' (french: Le Quai des brumes , "The dock of mists") is a 1938 French film directed by Marcel Carné. An example of poetic realism, it stars Jean Gabin, Michel Simon and Michèle Morgan. The screenplay was written by Jacques Pr ...
'' (1938) *''
Hôtel du Nord ''Hôtel du Nord'' is a 1938 French drama film directed by Marcel Carné that stars Arletty, Louis Jouvet, Annabella, and Jean-Pierre Aumont. It tells the story of two couples in Paris, one being a prostitute and her pimp and the other two you ...
'' (1938) *''
Le jour se lève ''Le jour se lève'' (, "The day rises"; also known as ''Daybreak'') is a 1939 French film directed by Marcel Carné and written by Jacques Prévert, based on a story by Jacques Viot. It is considered one of the principal examples of the French ...
'' (1939) *'' Les Visiteurs du soir'' (1942) *'' Les Enfants du paradis'' (1945) *''
Les Portes de la nuit ''Gates of the Night'' (french: Les Portes de la nuit) is a 1946 French film that was directed by Marcel Carné. It starred Serge Reggiani and Yves Montand. The script was written by Carné's long-time collaborator Jacques Prévert. The film made ...
'' (1946) *'' La Fleur de l'âge'' (1947) *'' La Marie du port'' (1950) *'' Juliette ou La clef des songes'' (1951) *''
Thérèse Raquin ''Thérèse Raquin'' is an 1868 novel by French writer Émile Zola, first published in serial form in the literary magazine ''L'Artiste'' in 1867. It was Zola's third novel, though the first to earn wide fame. The novel's adultery and murder ...
'' (1953) *''
L'Air de Paris ''The Air of Paris'' (French: ''L'air de Paris'') is a 1954 French-Italian drama film directed by Marcel Carné and starring Jean Gabin, Arletty and Roland Lesaffre. Gabin won the Volpi Cup at the 1954 Venice International Film Festival. It w ...
'' (1954) *'' Le Pays d'où je viens'' (1956) *'' Les tricheurs'' (1958) *'' Terrain vague'' (1960) *'' Du mouron pour les petits oiseaux'' (1963) *'' Trois chambres à Manhattan'' (1965) * ''
The Young Wolves ''The Young Wolves'' (French: ''Les jeunes loups'') is a 1968 French-Italian drama film directed by Marcel Carné and starring Christian Hay, Haydée Politoff and Yves Beneyton.Turk p.443 The film's sets were designed by the art director Rino Mo ...
'' (1968) *''
Les Assassins de l'ordre ''Law Breakers'' (french: Les Assassins de l'ordre) is a 1971 French drama film starring Jacques Brel, directed by Marcel Carné. It was entered into the 7th Moscow International Film Festival. Based on a real-life incident, an idealistic and ...
'' (1971) *'' La Merveilleuse visite'' (1974) *'' La Bible'' (1977, documentary)


References


External links

*
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?

Marcel Carne a tribute website


{{DEFAULTSORT:Carne, Marcel 1906 births 1996 deaths European Film Awards winners (people) LGBT film directors French gay writers Film directors from Paris Recipients of the Praemium Imperiale César Honorary Award recipients LGBT screenwriters French screenwriters 20th-century LGBT people