''Entente cordiale'' is a 1939 French drama film directed by

Marcel L'Herbier Marcel L'Herbier (; 23 April 1888 – 26 November 1979) was a French filmmaker who achieved prominence as an avant-garde theorist and imaginative practitioner with a series of silent films in the 1920s. His career as a director continued unti ...

and starring

Gaby Morlay Gaby Morlay (born Blanche Pauline Fumoleau; 8 June 1893 – 4 July 1964) was a film actress from France.

Victor Francen Victor Francen (born Victor Franssens, 5 August 1888 – 18 November 1977) was a Belgian-born actor with a long career in French cinema and in Hollywood. Biography Francen was born in 1888 in Tienen, the son of a chief of police. According ...

and Pierre Richard-Willm. The film depicts events between the Fashoda crisis in 1898 and the 1904 signing of the

Entente Cordiale The Entente Cordiale (; ) comprised a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic which saw a significant improvement in Anglo-French relations. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial de ...

creating an alliance between Britain and France and ending their historic rivalry. It was based on the book ''King Edward VII and His Times'' by André Maurois. It was made with an eye to its propaganda value, following the

Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It provided "cession to Germany ...

of September 1938 and in anticipation of the outbreak of a

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

which would test the bonds between Britain and France in a conflict with

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

Cast

Gaby Morlay Gaby Morlay (born Blanche Pauline Fumoleau; 8 June 1893 – 4 July 1964) was a film actress from France.

... La reine Victoria *

... Édouard VII * Pierre Richard-Willm ... Capitaine Charles Roussel *

André Lefaur André Lefaur (25 July 1879 – 5 December 1952) was a French film and theatre actor, notably working several times with director Sacha Guitry. Partial filmography * ''La Vénus d'Arles'' (1911) * ''L'homme qui assassina'' (1913) * ''Ainsi v ...

... Lord Clayton * Arlette Marchal ... La reine Alexandra *

Junie Astor Rolande Jeanne Risterucci (1911–1967), better known as Junie Astor, was a French actress. Selected filmography * ''Stradivarius'' (1935) * ''The Lower Depths'' (1936) * ''Women's Club'' (1936) * ''Excursion Train'' (1936) * ''27 Rue de la Paix ...

... Une actrice / An actress * Nita Raya ... Music Hall Star * Dorville ... Le cocher / Coachman * Carine Nelson ... Marjorie, une dame d'honneur *

Jean Périer Jean (Alexis) Périer (2 February 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French operatic baryton-martin and actor. Although he sang principally within the operetta repertoire, Périer did portray a number of opera roles; mostly within operas by Wolfgang ...

... Président Loubet * Marcelle Praince ... Lady Clayton *

Jacques Baumer Jacques Baumer (born Jacques Henri Nusbaumer; 12 April 1885 - 20 June 1951), was a French theatre director and comedian. Filmography * 1932: ' by Georges Lacombe * 1933: ''Étienne'' by Jean Tarride * 1936: ' by Max Glass and Marco de Gastyn ...

... Clémenceau * Jacques Grétillat ... Député Roussel * Bernard Lancret ... Jean Roussel *

Janine Darcey Janine Darcey (14 January 1917 – 1 October 1993) was a French film actress. She appeared in 60 films between 1936 and 1993. Partial filmography * ''La tendre ennemie'' (1936) - La cousine (uncredited) * '' Forty Little Mothers'' (1936) * ...

... Sylvia Clayton *

Jean Worms Jean Worms (1884–1943) was a French film actor who appeared in a mixture of leading and supporting roles. Worms played Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in the 1938 film ''Rasputin''.Kennedy-Karpat p.204 Partial filmography * ''L'auberge rouge'' (191 ...

...

Théophile Delcassé Théophile Delcassé (1 March 185222 February 1923) was a French politician who served as foreign minister from 1898 to 1905. He is best known for his hatred of Germany and efforts to secure alliances with Russia and Great Britain that became t ...

Jaque Catelain Jaque Catelain (9 February 1897 – 5 March 1965) was a French actor who came to prominence in silent films of the 1920s, and who continued acting in films and on stage until the 1950s. He also wrote and directed two silent films himself, and he ...

... Le prince consort *

Jean Toulout Jean Toulout (28 September 1887 – 23 October 1962) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1911 and 1959. Selected filmography * ''La Digue'' (1911) * '' The Mask of Horror'' (1912) * '' The Tenth Symphony'' ( ...

...

Lord Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times for a total of over thirteen y ...

André Roanne André Roanne (born André Albert Louis Rahou; 22 September 1896, in Paris – 4 September 1959, in Cannes) was a French actor. He began his career playing in short films, and acted in 91 films in total, most notably those of Fernandel. Most of h ...

...

Arthur Balfour Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, (, ; 25 July 184819 March 1930), also known as Lord Balfour, was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As foreign secretary in the ...

* Jean d'Yd ... Joë Chamberlain *

Louis Seigner Louis Seigner (23 June 1903 – 20 January 1991) was a French actor. He was born in Saint-Chef, Isère, France, the son of Louise (Monin) and Joseph Seigner, and died in Paris. He was the father of actress Françoise Seigner, with Marie Cazeaux, ...

... L'ambassadeur d'Allemagne *

Robert Pizani Robert Pizani (26 April 1896 – 17 June 1965) was a French stage and film actor whose 45-year career encompassed leading roles in numerous plays, revues and operettas as well as dozens of films. In operetta Pizani's roles in operetta and musica ...

...

Paul Cambon Pierre Paul Cambon (20 January 1843 – 29 May 1924) was a French diplomat and brother to Jules Cambon. Biography Cambon was born and died in Paris. He was called to the Parisian bar, and became private secretary to Jules Ferry in the ''préfe ...

Aimé Clariond Aimé Clariond (10 May 1894 – 31 December 1959) was a French stage and film actor. Clariond was born in Périgueux, Dordogne, France and died in Paris. Selected filmography * ''The Brothers Karamazov'' (1931) - Ivan Karamazoff * '' Amourous ...

... L'ambassadeur de Russie *

Abel Tarride Abel Tarride (1865–1951) was a French actor. He was the father of the actor Jacques Tarride and the director Jean Tarride. He played the role of Jules Maigret in the 1932 film '' The Yellow Dog'', directed by his son. Selected filmography * '' ...

... La maître d'hôtel * Sinoël ... Le concierge * Pierre Labry ... Un journaliste / A journalist *

Jean Galland Jean Galland (1887–1967) was a French film actor. Selected filmography * '' Fantômas'' (1932) * ''The Oil Sharks'' (1933) * ''The Barber of Seville'' (1933) * '' The Scandal'' (1934) * '' Princesse Tam Tam'' (1935) * ''Whirlpool of Desire'' (1 ...

... Général Kitchener * Liliane Lesaffre ... La fille du concierge * Suzanne Devoyod ... Une dame d'honneur * Ginette Gaubert ...

Jeanne Granier Jeanne Granier (31 March 1852 – 18 or 19 December 1939) was a French soprano, born and died in Paris, whose career was centred on the French capital.Gänzl K. Jeanne Granier. In: ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London and ...

Gabrielle Fontan Gabrielle Fontan (16 April 1873 – 8 September 1959) was a French film actress. She appeared in more than 120 films between 1927 and 1959. Selected filmography * '' Misdeal'' (1928) * '' The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard'' (1929) * '' The La ...

... Une dame de la Cour * Génia Vaury ... Mme de Lormes * Christiane Ribes ... Mme de Vaumoise

Production

''Entente Cordiale'' was the third in Marcel L'Herbier's series of "Chroniques filmées" (following '' La Tragédie impériale'' and ''

Adrienne Lecouvreur Adrienne Lecouvreur (5 April 1692 – 20 March 1730), born Adrienne Couvreur, was a French actress, considered by many as the greatest of her time. Born in Damery, she first appeared professionally on the stage in Lille. After her Paris debut ...

'', both in 1938) in which he dramatised historical subjects in a manner "very close to reality", albeit reluctantly combined with some romantic fiction. Filming took place at the Studios de Saint-Maurice (south-east of Paris) in January & February 1939, and it was ready for its gala première in April before representatives of the French and British governments.Marcel L'Herbier. ''La Tête qui tourne''. Paris: Belfond, 1979. p. 272.

References

External links

* 1939 films French historical films 1930s historical films Films set in 1904 Films directed by Marcel L'Herbier French black-and-white films Cultural depictions of Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener Cultural depictions of Queen Victoria on film 1930s French films {{1930s-France-film-stub