''Under the Sky of Paris'' (French: ''Sous le ciel de Paris'') is a 1951 French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Julien Duvivier Julien Duvivier (; 8 October 1896 – 29 October 1967) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was prominent in French cinema in the years 1930–1960. Amongst his most original films, chiefly notable are '' La Bandera'', ''Pépé le Moko' ...

. It was shot at the

Billancourt Studios Billancourt Studios was a film studio in Paris which operated between 1922 and 1992. Located in Boulogne-Billancourt, it was one of the leading French studios. It was founded in the silent era by Henri Diamant-Berger. During the Second World War th ...

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. ...

and on location around the city. The film's sets were designed by the art director René Moulaert. The song of the same name, later recorded by

Édith Piaf Édith Piaf (, , ; born Édith Giovanna Gassion, ; December 19, 1915– October 10, 1963) was a French singer, lyricist and actress. Noted as France's national chanteuse, she was one of the country's most widely known international stars. Pi ...

and others, was written for this film by Hubert Giraud (music) and Jean Dréjac (lyrics). In the film it was sung by Jean Bretonnière.

Plot

Under the sky of Paris, during a day, we see large and small events that occur in the lives of several people whose fates will intertwine. A poor old lady, after searching in vain all day to feed her cats, receives an unexpected reward from a mother whose daughter she had found. A young girl, dreaming of love, refuses the advances of her childhood friend to be stabbed to death by a sadistic sculptor. The latter is shot by a policeman who accidentally injured a worker who was returning home after the successful conclusion of a strike. Rushed to hospital, the injured worker is saved through the first open-heart surgery performed by a young surgeon who has just failed his intern exam.

Cast

* Brigitte Auber as Denise Lambert *

Jean Brochard Jean Brochard (12 March 1893 – 17 June 1972) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1933 and 1966. Selected filmography * '' A Man's Neck'' (1933) - Petit rôle (uncredited) * ''Boubouroche'' (1933) * ''La ...

as Jules Hermenault *

René Blancard René Blancard (12 March 1897 – 5 November 1965) was a French film actor. He appeared in 80 films between 1922 and 1965. Selected filmography * ''The Mysteries of Paris'' (1922) - Bras-Rouge * ''Montmartre'' (1925) - Frédéric Charanço ...

as Le professeur Bertelin *

Paul Frankeur Paul Frankeur (29 June 1905 - 27 October 1974) was a French actor who appeared in films by Jacques Tati (''Jour de fête'') and Luis Buñuel (''The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'' and ''The Phantom of Liberty''). He was sometimes credited a ...

as Milou * Raymond Hermantier as Mathias, l'artiste *

Daniel Ivernel Daniel Ivernel (3 June 1920 – 11 November 1999) was a French film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1947 and 1981. Filmography References External links * 1920 births 1999 deaths French male film actors People from Versai ...

as Georges Forestier * Pierre Destailles as Michel * Jacques Clancy as Armand Mestre * Christiane Lénier as Marie-Thérèse *

Marie-France Marie-France is a French feminine given name. Notable people with the name include: * Marie-France (actress) (born 1943), French actress * Marie-France Bazzo, Canadian broadcaster * Marie-France Beaufils (born 1946), member of the Senate of Fran ...

as La petite Colette Malingret * Marcelle Praince as Madame Balthazar, la voyante *

Catherine Fonteney Catherine Fonteney (23 June 1879– 29 April 1966) was a French film actress.Goble p.386 Catherine Fonteney was born Marie Alexandrine Catherine Fontaine in Paris and died in Dijon. Selected filmography * '' Romain Kalbris'' (1923) * ''The Secr ...

as La dame des invalides * René Génin as Le cocher *

Georgette Anys Georgette Anys (15 July 1909 – 4 March 1993) was a French film and television actress. A character actress, she appeared mainly in French productions, but also some American films which were shot in Europe including Alfred Hitchcock's ''To Catc ...

as Madame Malingret * Jane Morlet as La contrôleuse des vieillards *

Serge Nadaud Serge Nadaud (May 14, 1906 – July 18, 1995) was a Russian Empire-born French stage and film actor. He was born Eugene Rabinowitch to a Jewish family in Bakhmut which was then part of the Russian Empire. Sometime after the Russian Revolution ...

as Le bijoutier * Guy Favières as Le malade * Georgius as Malingret *

Robert Favart Marc Robert Favart (9 February 1911 – 26 July 2003) was a French actor, married to Jenny Carré, daughter of Albert Carré. Filmography Cinema * 1938: ' (by Jean de Limur) *1939: ''Angelica'' or ''La rose de sang'' (by Jean Choux) *19 ...

as Maximilien * André Valmy as Le docteur Lucien Evrard * Maryse Paillet as Madame Milou * Nicolas Vogel as Un gréviste * Wanny as Mado, la prostituée * Nadine Basile as La stoppeuse * Colette Régis as L'infirmière-chef *

Louis Florencie Louis Florencie (4 December 1896 – 4 December 1951) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1927 and 1951. Selected filmography * ''Companion Wanted'' (1932) * ''Beauty Spot'' (1932) * '' Suzanne'' (1932) * '' N ...

as Le prêtre *

Rivers Cadet Rivers Cadet (1 March 1892 – 1 November 1968) was a French actor. Cadet was born Jean Maurice Large in Paris. He was the brother of Fernand Rivers. Selected filmography * ''Maurin of the Moors'' (1932) * '' The Ironmaster'' (1933) * '' Th ...

as Etienne Lambolle * Henri Coutet as Le délégué syndical * Michel Rob as Pirate, le jeune garçon * Sylvie as Mademoiselle Perrier

References

External links

* 1951 films 1950s French-language films Films directed by Julien Duvivier French drama films 1951 drama films Films set in Paris Films shot in Paris Films shot at Billancourt Studios French black-and-white films 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub