''Beating Heart'' (French: ''Battement de coeur'') is a 1940 French

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Henri Decoin Henri Decoin (18 March 1890 – 4 July 1969) was a French film director and screenwriter, who directed more than 50 films between 1933 and 1964. He was also a swimmer who won the national title in 1911 and held the national record in the 500 ...

and starring

Danielle Darrieux Danielle Yvonne Marie Antoinette Darrieux (; 1 May 1917 – 17 October 2017) was a French actress of stage, television and film, as well as a singer and dancer. Beginning in 1931, she appeared in more than 110 films. She was one of France's g ...

, Claude Dauphin and André Luguet. It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. The film' sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Léon Barsacq Léon Barsacq (18 October 1906 – 23 December 1969) was a Russian-born and naturalized French production designer, art director and set decorator. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film '' The ...

and Jean Perrier. It was inspired by the 1939 Italian film '' Heartbeat''. The film was remade in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

as '' Heartbeat'' in 1946 starring

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

and

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was an Anglo-South African actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume drama ...

. Affron & Affron p.318

Synopsis

It tells the story of a young woman escaping from reform school who tries to steal a foreign ambassador's watch but ends up falling in love with him.

Cast

as Arlette * Claude Dauphin as Pierre de Rougemont * André Luguet as Le comte d'Argay - l'ambassadeur * Junie Astor as La comtesse Florence d'Argay - l'ambassadrice *

Charles Dechamps Charles Dechamps (13 September 1882 – 25 September 1959) was a French stage and film actor. He married the comedian Fernande Albany on 19 November 1925. He died in 1959, and was buried at cimetière du Père-Lachaise. Filmography * 1909: ...

as Le baron Dvorak * Sylvain Itkine as Le premier voleur * Pierre Feuillère as Le second voleur * Jean Hébey as Ponthus *

Julien Carette Julien Henri Carette (23 December 1897 – 20 July 1966) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1964. Selected filmography * '' American Love'' (1931) - Lepape * ''Seul'' (1932) - Michel * '' Fun in the Ba ...

as Yves Calubert *

Jean Tissier Jean Tissier (1896–1973) was a French stage, film and television actor.Goble p.440 A prolific actor, he had more than two hundred fifty appearances on screen during his career. He was married to the actress Georgette Tissier. Selected filmogr ...

as Roland Médeville *

Saturnin Fabre Saturnin Fabre (; 4 April 1884 – 4 October 1961) was a French film actor. Selected filmography * ''La rafale'' (1920) - comte de Bréchebel * ''Mademoiselle de La Seiglière'' (1921) * '' The Road Is Fine'' (1930) - Le professeur Pique * ...

as Monsieur Aristide * Roland Armontel as Firmin *

Marguerite de Morlaye Marguerite de Morlaye (29 January 1870, Saint-Mandé –18 September 1957, Paris) was a French actress. Selected filmography * '' My Priest Among the Rich'' (1925) * ''Martyr'' (1927) * '' A Foolish Maiden'' (1929) * '' The Wonderful Day'' (1932) ...

as La dame au bal * Dora Doll as La secrétaire * Jean Joffre as Le maire *

Marcelle Monthil Marcelle Monthil (8 June 1892 – 8 November 1950) was a French film actress. Born Marcelle Madeleine Montalenti in the Principality of Monaco, she died in Paris. Selected filmography * ''Love Songs'' (1930) * '' When Love Is Over'' (1931) * ...

as Madame Aristide *

Geneviève Morel Geneviève Morel (1916–1989) was a French stage and film actress.Bessy & Chirat p.233 Selected filmography * '' Beating Heart'' (1940) − Marinette − une élève (uncredited) * ''Sarajevo'' (1940) − (uncredited) * '' Madame Sans−Gêne' ...

as Marinette - une élève * André Nicolle as L'inspecteur * Robert Ozanne as L'adjoint au maire * Sylvain as Le témoin de Roland

References

Bibliography

External links

*
''Battement de coeur''
at filmsdefrance.com

at cinema-francais.fr 1940 films French black-and-white films 1940s French-language films French comedy-drama films 1940 comedy-drama films 1940s French films Films set in Paris Films directed by Henri Decoin Films shot at Billancourt Studios Films scored by Paul Misraki {{1940s-France-film-stub