Christian-Jaque (byname of Christian Maudet; 4 September 1904 – 8 July 1994) was a French

filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

. From 1954 to 1959, he was married to actress

Martine Carol Martine Carol (born Marie-Louise Jeanne Nicolle Mourer; 16 May 1920 – 6 February 1967) was a French film actress. She frequently was cast as an elegant blonde seductress. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, she was the leading sex symbol and ...

, who starred in several of his films, including ''

Lucrèce Borgia ''Lucrèce Borgia'' (also known as ''Lucretia Borgia'' or ''Sins of the Borgias'') is a 1953 French drama film starring Martine Carol and Pedro Armendáriz. The film was directed by Christian-Jaque, who co-wrote screenplay with Cécil Saint-L ...

'' (1953), ''

Madame du Barry Jeanne Bécu, comtesse du Barry (; 28 August 1744 – 8 December 1793) was the last ''maîtresse-en-titre'' of King Louis XV of France. She was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution on accusations of treason—particularly being ...

'' (1954), and ''

Nana Nana, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana (chief) (died 1896), Mimbreño Ap ...

'' (1955). In 1961 he married Laurence Christo

Christian-Jaque's 1946 film ''

A Lover's Return ''A Lover's Return'' (, ) is a 1946 French drama film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Louis Jouvet, Gaby Morlay and François Périer. It was shot at the Cité Elgé in Paris and on location in Lyon. The film's sets were designed by t ...

'' was entered into the

1946 Cannes Film Festival The 1st annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 20 September to 5 October 1946. Twenty-one countries presented their films at the "First Cannes International Film Festival", which took place at the former Casino of Cannes. Only one year after t ...

. He won the Best Director award at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival for his popular swashbuckler ''

Fanfan la Tulipe ''Fanfan la Tulipe'' is a 1952 French comedy adventure film directed by Christian-Jaque. It has also been categorized under swashbuckler films. The film starred Gérard Philipe and Gina Lollobrigida. TIME magazine placed it on its ten-best ...

''. At the

2nd Berlin International Film Festival The 2nd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 12 to 25 June 1952. The Golden Bear was awarded to Swedish film '' One Summer of Happiness'' by the audience vote. The FIAPF prohibited the festival from awarding any official p ...

, he won the Silver Bear award for the same film. In 1959, he was a member of the jury at the

1st Moscow International Film Festival The 1st Moscow International Film Festival was held from 3 to 17 August 1959. The Grand Prix was awarded to the Soviet film '' Destiny of a Man'' directed by Sergei Bondarchuk. Jury * Sergei Gerasimov (USSR - President of the Jury) * Antonin B ...

. Christian-Jaque began his motion picture career in the 1920s as an art director and production designer. By the early 1930s, he had moved into screenwriting and directing. He continued working into the mid-1980s, though from 1970 on, most of his work was done for television. In 1979, he was a member of the jury at the

11th Moscow International Film Festival The 11th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 14 to 28 August 1979. The Golden Prizes were awarded to the Italian-French film ''Christ Stopped at Eboli (film), Christ Stopped at Eboli'' directed by Francesco Rosi, the Spanish film ''S ...

. Christian-Jaque was born 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 ...

. He died at

Boulogne-Billancourt Boulogne-Billancourt (; often colloquially called simply Boulogne, until 1924 Boulogne-sur-Seine, ) is a wealthy and prestigious Communes of France, commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France, located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris ...

in 1994.

Selected filmography

Director

* '' The Pont-Biquet Family'' (1935) * ''

Monsieur Personne ''Monsieur Personne'' is a 1936 French comedy mystery film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Jules Berry, Josseline Gaël and André Berley. It was based on the novel of the same title by Marcel Allain.Goble p.7 The film's sets were des ...

'' (1936) * '' School for Journalists'' (1936) * '' Josette'' (1937) * '' Francis the First'' (1937) * ''

In Venice, One Night ''In Venice, One Night'' (French: ''À Venise, une nuit'') is a 1937 French comedy film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Albert Préjean, Elvire Popesco and Roger Karl.Crisp p.409 It was made at the Cité Elgé studios in Paris. The film's ...

'' (1937) * '' The House Opposite'' (1937) * ''

Boys' School Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, same-sex education, same-gender education, and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in se ...

'' (1938) * ''

Rail Pirates ''Rail Pirates'' (French: ''Les pirates du rail'') is a 1938 French adventure film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Charles Vanel, Suzy Prim and Erich von Stroheim. It was shot at the Victorine Studios in Nice and on location in the Cama ...

'' (1938) * '' Ernest the Rebel'' (1938) * ''

First Ball ''First Ball'' (French: ''Premier bal'') is a 1941 French romantic comedy film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Marie Déa, Fernand Ledoux and Raymond Rouleau.Oscherwitz & Higgins p.309 It was shot at the Saint-Maurice Studios in Paris ...

'' (1941) * ''

Who Killed Santa Claus? ''Who Killed Santa Claus?'' () is a 1941 French comedy-drama mystery film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Harry Baur, Raymond Rouleau and Robert Le Vigan. This adaptation of Pierre Véry's 1934 novel of the same name was the first film p ...

'' (1941) * '' La Symphonie fantastique'' (1942) * ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...

'' (1942) * ''

Voyage Without Hope ''Voyage Without Hope'' (French: ''Voyage sans espoir'') is a 1943 French crime drama film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Simone Renant, Jean Marais and Paul Bernard. It is a remake of the 1931 film '' The Lovers of Midnight''. It was s ...

'' (1943) * ''

Boule de suif "Boule de Suif" (), translated variously as "Dumpling", "Butterball", "Ball of Fat", "Ball of Lard", or "Small Ball", is a short story by the late-19th-century French writer Guy de Maupassant, first published on 15/16 April 1880. It is arguabl ...

'' (1945) *'' The Bellman'' (1945) * ''

'' (1946) * ''

The Charterhouse of Parma ''The Charterhouse of Parma'' () is a novel by French writer Stendhal, published in 1839. Telling the story of an Italian nobleman in the Napoleonic era and later, it was admired by Balzac, Tolstoy, André Gide, Lampedusa, Henry James, and Er ...

'' (1948) * ''

Man to Men ''Man to Men'' (French: ''D'homme à hommes'') is a 1948 French-Swiss historical drama film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Jean-Louis Barrault, Bernard Blier and Hélène Perdrière. It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in Paris. ...

'' (1948) * '' Singoalla'' (1949) * ''

Lost Souvenirs ''Lost Souvenirs'' (French: ''Souvenirs perdus'') is a 1950 French drama film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Bernard Blier, Pierre Brasseur and Suzy Delair.Turk p.363 It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in Paris and on location aro ...

'' (1950) * ''Barbe-Bleue'' (1951) and German-language version ''

Bluebeard "Bluebeard" ( ) is a French Folklore, folktale, the most famous surviving version of which was written by Charles Perrault and first published by Barbin in Paris in 1697 in . The tale is about a wealthy man in the habit of murdering his wives an ...

'' (1951) * ''

Adorable Creatures ''Adorable Creatures'' (, ) is a 1952 romantic comedy film directed by Christian-Jaque. A French-Italian co-production, it stars Daniel Gélin, Antonella Lualdi, Danielle Darrieux and Martine Carol.Bandy p. 173 It was shot at the Billancourt Stu ...

'' (1952) * ''

'' (1953) * '' Destinées'' (1954) * ''

'' (1954) * ''

'' (1955) * ''

If All the Guys in the World ''If All the Guys in the World'' (original French title: ''Si tous les gars du monde'') is a 1956 French adventure film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring André Valmy, Jean Gaven, Marc Cassot, Georges Poujouly, Doudou Babet. Plot A ...

'' (1956) * ''

Nathalie Nathalie is a female given name. It is a variant of the name Natalie/ Natalia which is found in many languages, and is especially common in French and English-speaking countries. Notable people with the name include: * Nathalie (born 1979), Ital ...

'' (1957) * ''

The Law Is the Law ''The Law Is the Law'' (, ) is a 1958 French-Italian comedy film directed by Christian-Jaque. It was entered into the 8th Berlin International Film Festival. Plot In the village of Assola, divided into half by the French-Italian border, the Ne ...

'' (1958) * '' Babette Goes to War'' (1959) * ''

Love and the Frenchwoman ''Love and the Frenchwoman'' is the US title of a 1960 French anthology film originally entitled ''La française et l'amour''. It starred Jean-Paul Belmondo and Dany Robin. The movie was a big hit in France with admissions of 3,056,736.< ...

'' (segment "Le Divorce") (1960) * '' Madame'' (1961) * ''

Don't Tempt the Devil Don't, Dont, or DONT may refer to: Films * ''Don't'' (1925 film), a 1925 silent comedy film * ''Don't'' (1974 film), a 1974 film about the monarch butterfly * ''Don't'', a fake trailer from the film ''Grindhouse'' (2007) Songs * "Don't" (Bill ...

'' (1963) * ''

The Black Tulip ''The Black Tulip'' is a historical novel and a work of Romantic poetry written by Alexandre Dumas, père, and first published in 1850. Story The story begins in 1672, with a historic event: the lynching of the Dutch Grand Pensionary Johan de ...

'' (1964) * ''

Champagne for Savages Champagne (; ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, which demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

'' (1964) * ''

Le gentleman de Cocody ''Man from Cocody'' (French: ') is a French adventure film from 1965 set in Cocody, Ivory Coast. It was directed by Christian-Jaque, written by Christian-Jaque, , Jean Ferry and Jacques Emmanuel, starring Jean Marais. The film was known under t ...

'' (1965) * ''

The Dirty Game ''The Dirty Game'' (, , ) is a 1965 anthology spy film starring Henry Fonda, Vittorio Gassman, Bourvil and Robert Ryan. Robert Ryan as American General Bruce is the link between three different spy stories, helmed by different directors; origina ...

'' (1965) * '' The Second Twin'' (1966) * ''

Le Saint prend l'affût ''Le Saint prend l'affût'' () is a 1966 French comedy crime film. It was directed by Christian-Jaque, starring Jean Marais. It is an adaptation of Leslie Charteris's French-only novel ''Le Saint prend l'affût'' (1960), featuring his character T ...

'' (1966) * ''

Dead Run A point of sail is a sailing craft's direction of travel under sail in relation to the true wind direction over the surface. The principal points of sail roughly correspond to 45° segments of a circle, starting with 0° directly into the wind. ...

'' (1967) * ''

Emma Hamilton Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), known upon moving to London as Emma Hart, and upon marriage as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, becom ...

'' (1968) * '' The Legend of Frenchie King'' (1971) * ' (1975) * '' Parisian Life'' (1977)

Art director

* '' The Great Passion'' (1928) * ''

The Best Mistress ''The Best Mistress'' (French: ''La meilleure maîtresse'') is a 1929 French silent comedy film directed by René Hervil and starring Sandra Milovanoff, Félicien Tramel and Danièle Parola. https://www.unifrance.org/film/34470/la-meilleure-m ...

'' (1929) * '' The Wedding March'' (1929) * ''

Levy and Company ''Levy and Company'' (French: ''Lévy et Cie'') is a 1930 French comedy film directed by André Hugon starring Léon Belières, Charles Lamy and Alexandre Mihalesco .Hayward p.153 The film takes place on a liner which is sailing for New York. ...

'' (1930) * '' Tenderness'' (1930) * '' The Sandman'' (1932) * ''

The Levy Department Stores ''The Levy Department Stores'' (French: ''Les galeries Lévy et Cie'') is a 1932 French comedy film directed by André Hugon and starring Léon Belières, Charles Lamy and Alexandre Mihalesco.Rège p.511 It was the first of three sequels to the ...

'' (1932)

Actor

* ''

Southern Cross CRUX is a lightweight x86-64 Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users and delivered by a tar.gz-based package system with BSD-style initscripts. It is not based on any other Linux distribution. It also utilizes a ports system to ...

'' (1932)

References

External links

* * 1904 births 1994 deaths Film directors from Paris Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Knights of the Legion of Honour Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director winners César Honorary Award recipients Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery {{France-film-director-stub