Monsieur Vincent

Monsieur Vincent
Monsieur Vincent
	Cover of the Timeless Multimedia VHS edition
Directed by	Maurice Cloche
Written by	Jean Anouilh ; Jean Bernard-Luc
Produced by	George de la Grandiere
Starring	Pierre Fresnay ; Aimé Clariond
Cinematography	Claude Renoir
Edited by	Jean Feyte
Music by	Jean-Jacques Grünenwald
Distributed by	L'Alliance Générale de Distribution Cinématographique
Release date	5 November 1947;
Running time	114 minutes
Country	France
Language	French

Last updated November 28, 2025

Monsieur Vincent is a 1947 French historical drama film directed by Maurice Cloche, about Vincent de Paul. It received an honorary Academy Award in 1949 as the best foreign language film released in the United States in 1948. The Vatican placed it on their 1995 list of films.^[1] Pierre Fresnay played the titular role of Vincent, for which he won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. His performance was described in Sight and Sound as "one of the most perfect pieces of work to be seen for many years in any clime".^[2]

Plot

The film depicts the life of Vincent de Paul, the 17th-century priest and charity worker. It depicts his struggle to help the poor in the face of disasters, such as the Black Death. While ascending from a simple parish priest to a respected advisor to the nobility, he leverages his growing influence among the wealthy to promote the foundation of charitable institutions.

Cast

Pierre Fresnay as Vincent de Paul, priest
Aimé Clariond as Cardinal Richelieu
Jean Debucourt as Philippe-Emmanuel de Gondi, Count of Joigny
Lise Delamare as Françoise Marguerite de Silly, Madame de Gondi
Germaine Dermoz as Queen Anne of Austria
Gabrielle Dorziat as President Goussault
Pierre Dux as Chancellor Séguier
Yvonne Gaudeau as Louise de Marillac
Jean Carmet as Father Portail
Michel Bouquet as Tuberculosis sufferer
Gabrielle Fontan as The elder deaf woman of the presbytery of Châtillon
Robert Murzeau as Monsieur Besnier
Gabriel Gobin as A servant of Monsieur Besnier
Claude Nicot as A page of M. Besnier
Marcel Pérès as La Pogne, crippled former soldier
Francette Vernillat as The little girl
Georges Vitray as The Count of Châtillon
Véra Norman as Mademoiselle de Châtillon, the Count's daughter
Geneviève Morel as Marguerite Naseau
Ginette Gaubert as One of the lady benefactresses
Renée Thorel as One of the lady benefactresses
Marcel Vallée as The administrator of the hospices
Paul Demange as A sacristan with foundling children
Paul Faivre as A sacristan with foundling children
Guy Favières as A bastard beggar / Poor man near the fireplace
André Dumas as Cardinal Graziani
Jeanne Hardeyn as Madeleine, a sister of charity
Joëlle Janin as Jeanne, the young novice sister
Maurice Marceau as A poor man
Maximilienne as A devotee to the church
Marthe Mellot as The old woman who overeats
Alice Reichen as The landlady
Nicole Riche as The landlady's daughter
Jean Rougerie as A poor man
René Stern as An abbot with Madame de Gondi
Charles Gérard as A convict
Georges Cerf
Yvonne Claudie
Jean Favre-Bertin
Harry-Max
Robert Le Béal
Max Rogerys
Tony Taffin
Jean-Marc Tennberg
Victor Vina

Production

Guy Lefranc was assistant director on the movie.

Awards

1947: Pierre Fresnay wins Volpi Cup for Best Actor at Venice Film Festival
1947: The film wins the Grand prix of French Cinema ^[3]
1947: Nominated for Golden Lion for Maurice Cloche
1948: Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film
1949: Nominated for the British Academy Film Awards for best film
1949: Prize for the best film awarded by the Belgian film press
1950: Nominated at Golden Globes for Golden Globe Award for Promoting International Understanding ^[4]^[5]

References

↑ Greydanus, Steven. "The Vatican Film List" . Retrieved 26 May 2023.
↑ Rev. John A. V. Burke. "Religion and Films - Signs of a Renaissance", Sight_and_Sound , Vol 17 No 68, Winter 48/49, p. 176.
↑ Crisp, Colin (2015). "Grand Prix du Cinéma Français". French Cinema—A Critical Filmography: Volume 2, 1940–1958. Indiana University Press. p. 314. ISBN 9780253017024.. For more information see French Wikipedia page fr:Grand prix du cinéma français
↑ Hollywood Foreign Press Association. "Promoting International Understanding". www.goldenglobes.com. Hollywood Foreign Press Association . Retrieved 13 October 2019.. For more information see French Wikipedia page fr:Golden Globe de la meilleure promotion pour l'entente internationale
↑ Hollywood Foreign Press Association. "Monsieur Vincent". www.goldenglobes.com. Hollywood Foreign Press Association . Retrieved 13 October 2019.

External links

Monsieur Vincent at IMDb

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[1] Greydanus, Steven. "The Vatican Film List" . Retrieved 26 May 2023.

[2] Rev. John A. V. Burke. "Religion and Films - Signs of a Renaissance", Sight_and_Sound , Vol 17 No 68, Winter 48/49, p. 176.

[crisp15-3] Crisp, Colin (2015). "Grand Prix du Cinéma Français". French Cinema—A Critical Filmography: Volume 2, 1940–1958. Indiana University Press. p. 314. ISBN 9780253017024.. For more information see French Wikipedia page fr:Grand prix du cinéma français

[interunder-4] Hollywood Foreign Press Association. "Promoting International Understanding". www.goldenglobes.com. Hollywood Foreign Press Association . Retrieved 13 October 2019.. For more information see French Wikipedia page fr:Golden Globe de la meilleure promotion pour l'entente internationale

[mvatgg-5] Hollywood Foreign Press Association. "Monsieur Vincent". www.goldenglobes.com. Hollywood Foreign Press Association . Retrieved 13 October 2019.

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