''Dark Sunday'' (French: ''Sombre dimanche'') is a 1948 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-g ...

directed by

Jacqueline Audry Jacqueline Audry (25 September 1908 – 22 June 1977) was a French film director who began making films in post-World War II France and specialised in literary adaptations. She was the first commercially successful female director of post-war ...

and starring

Michèle Alfa Michèle Alfa (born Joséphine Blanche Alfreda Bassignot; August 20, 1911 – August 24, 1987) was a French stage and film actress. After appearing mainly in supporting roles during the 1930s she starred in a number of films during the 1940s. D ...

, Paul Bernard and Marcelle Derrien.Bessy & Chirat p.451 The film takes its name from the French title of the song "

Gloomy Sunday "Gloomy Sunday" ( Hungarian: ''Szomorú vasárnap''), also known as the "Hungarian Suicide Song", is a popular song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933. The original lyrics were titled "Vége a vilá ...

". The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Raymond Druart.

Synopsis

In pre-war France, a Hungarian immigrant musician is left so saddened when he is rejected by the woman he loves that he writes an incredibly gloomy piece of music. A

music publisher A music publisher is a type of publisher that specializes in distributing music. Music publishers originally published sheet music. When copyright became legally protected, music publishers started to play a role in the management of the intellect ...

is impressed with it and decides to promote using a marketing gimmick. He will get a woman to pretend to attempt suicide because she is so moved by the song.

Cast

as Michèle * Paul Bernard as Bob *

Jacques Dacqmine Jacques Dacqmine (1923–2010) was a French stage, film and television actor.Hayward p.242 He was married four times, including to the actress Odile Versois. Partial filmography * ''Premier rendez-vous'' (1941) - Un élève du collège (uncredi ...

as Jan Laszlo *

Marcel Dalio Marcel Dalio (born Marcel Benoit Blauschild; 23 November 1899 in Paris – 18 November 1983) was a French movie actor. He had major roles in two films directed by Jean Renoir, ''La Grande Illusion'' (1937) and ''The Rules of the Game'' (1939). ...

as Max - l'éditeur * Marcelle Derrien as Maria * Colette Mars as Colette - une chanteurse *

Charles Lemontier Charles Lemontier (1894–1965) was a French film actor.Aping p.76 Selected filmography * ''Street Without a Name'' (1934) * ''Judex'' (1934) * ''Crime and Punishment'' (1935) * '' Rigolboche'' (1936) * '' You Can't Fool Antoinette'' (1936) * '' ...

as Le commissaire de police *

Edmond Ardisson Edmond Ardisson (23 October 1904, in Marseille – 30 November 1983, in Jouarre Jouarre () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Jouarre Abbey It is the site of the Jouarre Abbey, a ...

as Le portier * Alfred Baillou as Toni *

Jean Debray Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...

as Un journaliste *

Jean-Jacques Dreux Jean-Jacques is a French name, equivalent to "John James" in English. Since the second half of 18th century, Jean Jacques Rousseau was widely known as Jean Jacques. Notable people bearing this name include: Given name * Jean-Jacques Annaud (born 19 ...

as Roger *

Annette Lajon Annette may refer to: Film and television * '' Walt Disney Presents: Annette'', 1950s television series * ''Annette'' (film), a 2021 musical film Other * Annette (given name), list of people with the name * Annette Island, Alaska * Tropical Storm ...

as Une chanteuse *

Palmyre Levasseur Palmyre Levasseur (24 December 1888 – 4 August 1963) was a French stage actor, stage and film actress.Aping p.234 Selected filmography * ''Culprit (1937 film), Culprit'' (1937) * ''Tricoche and Cacolet'' (1938) * ''The Mondesir Heir'' (1940) * ' ...

as La logeuse *

Julien Maffre Julien may refer to: People * Julien (given name) * Julien (surname) Music * ''Julien'' (opera), a 1913 poème lyrique by Gustave Charpentier * ''Julien'' (album), by Dalida, 1973 * "Julien" (song), by Carly Rae Jepsen, 2019 Places Un ...

as Un policier *

Renaud Mary Renaud Mary (31 July 1918 – 5 May 1977) was a French stage and film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern me ...

as César *

Gilbert Moreau Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters *Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South A ...

as Un photographe *

Georges Paulais Georges Paulais (16 September 1884 – 12 December 1967) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1910 and 1956. He was born in Guimps, Charente, France and died in Chabanais, Charente, France. Selected filmograph ...

as Le directeur *

Michel Seldow Michel may refer to: * Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name) * Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers) * Míchel (footballer, born 1963), S ...

as Le brocanteur *

Sylvain Sylvain is the French form of Silvanus. It may refer to: People *Sylvain Archambault, Canadian director *Sylvain Bied (1965–2011), French footballer and manager *Sylvain Cappell (born 1946), American mathematician *Sylvain Chavanel (born 1979) ...

as Un chanteur *

Roger Vincent Roger Vincent (1878–1959) was a French actor who acted in over 100 movies over five decades. Selected filmography * ''The Stairs Without End '' (1943) * ''The White Waltz'' (1943) * ''Her Final Role'' (1946) * '' The Murderer is Not Guilty'' ...

as Un monsieur * André Pasdoc as Un chanteur

References

Bibliography

* Bessy, Maurice & Chirat, Raymond. ''Histoire du cinéma français: encyclopédie des films, 1940–1950. Pygmalion, 1986

External links

* 1948 films 1948 drama films French drama films 1940s French-language films Films directed by Jacqueline Audry Films set in the 1930s 1940s French films {{1940s-France-film-stub de:Einsamer Sonntag fr:Sombre Dimanche (film)