''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. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

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 (film), La Bandera'', ...

. 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.Szczepanik & Vonderau p.141 It was founded in the silent era by Henri Diamant-Berger. Dur ...

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 ...

and on location around the city. The film's 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 ...

René Moulaert René Moulaert (1901–1965) was a Belgian art director who worked on designing stage (theatre), stage and film sets.Thys p.316 Selected filmography * ''The Marriage of Mademoiselle Beulemans (1932 film), The Marriage of Mademoiselle Beulemans'' ...

. The song of the same name, later recorded by

Édith Piaf Édith Giovanna Gassion (19 December 1915 – 10 October 1963), known as Édith Piaf (), was a French singer and lyricist best known for performing songs in the cabaret and modern chanson genres. She is widely regarded as France's greatest popu ...

and others, was written for this film by

Hubert Giraud Hubert Yves Adrian Giraud (3 March 1920 – 16 January 2016) was a French composer and lyricist. Career Giraud began his career playing the harmonica with Django Reinhardt's jazz group, the Quintette du Hot Club de France. In 1941, he was recr ...

(music) and

Jean Dréjac Jean Dréjac, stage name of Jean André Jacques Brun (3 June 1921, in Grenoble – 11 August 2003, in Paris) was a French singer and composer. He is noted for writing the songs " Ah! Le petit vin blanc", " Sous le ciel de Paris" and "La Chansonne ...

(lyrics). In the film it was sung by

Jean Bretonnière Jean Bretonnière (; 22 October 1924 – 13 March 2001) was a French actor and singer.Goble p.36 He was married to the actress Geneviève Kervine. Selected filmography * '' Under the Sky of Paris'' (1951) * '' The Green Glove'' (1952) * ''It Ha ...

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 Brigitte Auber (; born Marie-Claire Cahen de Labzac , 27 April 1925) is a French actress who has worked on stage, film and television in Europe. Career Marie-Claire Cahen de Labzac was born in Paris on 27 April 1925.

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) * '' ...

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 Char ...

as Le professeur Bertelin *

Paul Frankeur Paul Frankeur (29 June 1905 – 27 October 1974) was a French actor who had a successful Hollywood career and appeared in films by Jacques Tati'','' such as ''Jour de fête'' and Luis Buñuel, including ''The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'' ...

as Milou *

Raymond Hermantier Raymond Hermantier (13 January 1924 – 11 February 2005) was a French actor, born in Lyon, France as Raymond Maroutian. Raymond Hermantier aspired to become an actor from the age of 17, but his training was interrupted by World War II, during w ...

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 Actors from Versai ...

as Georges Forestier *

Pierre Destailles Pierre Destailles (1909–1990) was a French film, stage and television actor. He was also a noted lyricist.Cenciarelli p.249 Selected filmography * '' Dropped from Heaven'' (1946) * '' The Spice of Life'' (1948) * '' Mission in Tangier'' (1949) ...

as Michel *

Jacques Clancy Jacques Clancy (17 May 1920 - 19 May 2012) was a French actor, sociétaire of the Comédie-Française. Filmography * 1938 : ''Carrefour'' by Kurt Bernhardt * 1945 : '' A Friend Will Come Tonight'' by Raymond Bernard - ''Jacques Leroy'' * ...

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 Alvarez, French actress * Marie-France Banc (1876–1965), French nun, Righteous among the Na ...

as La petite Colette Malingret *

Marcelle Praince Marcelle Praince (9 June 1882 – 26 October 1969) was a French actress. Praince was born Célestine Cardi in Vigeois, Corrèze, France and died in Maisons-Laffitte, Yvelines. Praince acted in dozens of films and appeared in stage product ...

as Madame Balthazar, la voyante * Catherine Fonteney as La dame des invalides *

René Génin René Génin (25 January 1890 – 24 October 1967) was a French stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1931 and 1965. Selected filmography * ''Vertigo'' (1935) * '' The Mutiny of the Elsinore'' (1936) * '' The Bri ...

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 Cat ...

as Madame Malingret * Jane Morlet as La contrôleuse des vieillards * Serge Nadaud as Le bijoutier *

Guy Favières Guy Favières (June 1, 1876- March 30, 1963) was an actor in France who had theatrical roles and appeared in numerous films. He performed in ''Lilac Time'' and ''Sleeping Partners'' and was part of a show that toured the United States with Sarah ...

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 Film *1938 in the movies, 1938: ''The City of Lights'' (by Jean de Limur) *1939 in the movies, 1939: ...

as Maximilien *

André Valmy André Valmy (8 October 1919 – 18 November 2015) was a French film actor. He was born André Antoine Marius Dugenet in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1940 and 2001. He is also known in France to ...

as Le docteur Lucien Evrard * Maryse Paillet as Madame Milou *

Nicolas Vogel Nicolas Vogel (born in Paris, France, May 27, 1925 - died in Paris September 17, 2006) was an actor and comedian who was featured in numerous films and television shows in the 1960s and 1970s, including '' The Man from Chicago'' (1963), '' Le Gitan ...

as Un gréviste * Wanny as Mado, la prostituée *

Nadine Basile Nadine Basile (1931–2017) was a French stage, film and television actress.Goble p.140 She was awarded the Prix Suzanne Bianchetti in 1952. She was married to the actor Jean Martinelli. Selected filmography * '' The Sinners'' (1949) * '' Under t ...

as La stoppeuse *

Colette Régis Colette Régis (1893–1978) was a French film actress.Hayward p.280 Selected filmography * ''Rasputin'' (1938) - Une religieuse (uncredited) * '' Three Waltzes'' (1938) - Sarah Bernhardt * (1938) - Victoire Pecqueux * '' Three from St Cyr'' ...

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 * '' Make a Living'' (1931) * '' Companion Wanted'' (1932) * '' Beauty Spot'' (1932 ...

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 at Billancourt Studios French black-and-white films 1950s French films Films scored by Jean Wiener {{1950s-France-film-stub