Villers-Cotterêts is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France, France. It is notable as the signing-place in 1539 of the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts discontinuing the use of Latin in official French documents, and as the birthplace in 1802 of French novelist Alexandre Dumas père.
Jean-Alfred Villain-Marais, known professionally as Jean Marais, was a French actor, film director, theatre director, painter, sculptor, visual artist, writer and photographer. He performed in over 100 films and was the lover, muse and friend of acclaimed director Jean Cocteau. In 1996, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor for his contributions to French cinema.
Alexandre Michel Gérard Desplat is a French film composer and conductor. He has received numerous accolades throughout his career spanning over four decades, including, two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three César Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Grammy Awards. Desplat was made an Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite and a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres both in 2016.
Harry Baur was a French actor.
Rasputin is a 1938 French historical film directed by Marcel L'Herbier and starring Harry Baur, Marcelle Chantal and Pierre Richard-Willm. It depicts the rise and fall of the Russian mystic Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, the advisor to the Romanov royal family. It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art director Guy de Gastyne.
Departure is a 1931 French drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Jean Marchat, Simone Cerdan and Gaby Basset. It was based on a novel by Roland Dorgelès. It was shot at the Saint-Maurice Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jacques Colombier.
Speaking of Murder is a 1957 French crime film directed by Gilles Grangier and starring Jean Gabin. The original French title is Le rouge est mis, which means "the red light is on". The screenplay is based on a novel by Auguste Le Breton.
Samson is 1936 French drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Harry Baur, Gaby Morlay and André Lefaur. It was based on the 1908 play of the same title by Henri Bernstein, which had previously been made into three silent films. The film was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris, with sets designed by the art director Guy de Gastyne.
The Patriot is a 1938 French historical drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Harry Baur, Pierre Renoir and Suzy Prim. The film was based on a novel by Alfred Neumann which had previously been turned into a 1928 American silent film The Patriot starring Emil Jannings. It was made by the French subsidiary of the German company Tobis Film. The sets were designed by the Russian-born art director Alexandre Lochakoff.
Accused, Stand Up! is a 1930 French crime film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Gaby Morlay, Suzanne Delvé and Camille Bert. After the two female stars of a Parisian cabaret are seen arguing, one of them turns up dead. This leads to the arrest and trial of the other until the real culprit is caught.
Alexandre Mihalesco was a Romanian film actor who largely appeared in French productions.
Gaby Basset was a French film actress.
Paris is a 1937 French comedy drama film directed by Jean Choux and starring Harry Baur, Renée Saint-Cyr and Raymond Segard.
A Man's Neck is a 1933 French crime film directed by Julien Duvivier and starring Harry Baur, Valéry Inkijinoff, Gaston Jacquet and Gina Manès.It is an adaptation of the 1931 novel A Battle of Nerves by Georges Simenon, featuring the fictional detective Jules Maigret. It was the third film in cinema history to feature the Maigret character. It was remade in 1950 as The Man on the Eiffel Tower.
Nights of Princes is a 1930 French drama film directed by Marcel L'Herbier and starring Gina Manès, Jaque Catelain and Harry Nestor. It is an adaptation of the 1927 novel of the same title by Joseph Kessel. The story was remade as a 1938 film directed by Vladimir Strizhevsky.
Rothchild is a 1934 French comedy film directed by Marco de Gastyne and starring Harry Baur, Fred Pasquali and Paul Pauley. It was remade as a 1935 British film The Guv'nor starring George Arliss.
Gas-Oil is a 1955 French crime drama film directed by Gilles Grangier and starring Jean Gabin, Jeanne Moreau, Gaby Basset and Ginette Leclerc. It was shot at the Epinay Studios in Paris and on location at a variety of places. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jacques Colombier. It was one of a number of films portraying tough truck drivers made in the wake of the success of the 1953 film The Wages of Fear. It was the first of many films in which Gabin appeared in written by his fellow Parisian Michel Audiard.
Justin de Marseille is a 1935 French crime drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Antonin Berval, Pierre Larquey and Alexandre Rignault. It was shot at the Joinville Studios of Pathé-Natan in Paris and on location around Marseille. The film's sets were designed by the art director Lazare Meerson.
Facing Destiny is a 1940 French spy drama film directed by Henri Fescourt and starring Jules Berry, George Rigaud and Josseline Gaël. It is based on the 1938 novel of the same title by Charles Robert-Dumas. The film's sets were designed by the art director Claude Bouxin. It was produced and distributed during the Phoney War period.
The Exile's Song is a 1943 French musical drama film directed by André Hugon and starring Tino Rossi, Ginette Leclerc and Aimé Clariond. It was shot at the Cité Elgé Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art director Maurice Bernard. It was produced during the German Occupation of France.
