Henri Georges Clouzot
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Henri-Georges Clouzot (; 20 November 1907 – 12 January 1977) was a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for his work in the
thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...
genre, having directed ''
The Wages of Fear ''The Wages of Fear'' (french: Le Salaire de la peur) is a 1953 French thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense el ...
'' and '' Les Diaboliques'', which are critically recognized as among the greatest films of the 1950s. He also directed documentary films, including ''
The Mystery of Picasso ''The Mystery of Picasso'' (french: Le mystère Picasso) is a 1956 French documentary film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. In it, the painter Pablo Picasso produces 20 drawings and paintings, at first using inks that bleed through the paper on ...
'', which was declared a national treasure by the government of France. Clouzot was an early fan of the cinema and, desiring a career as a writer, moved to Paris. He was later hired by producer
Adolphe Osso Adolphe Osso (1894–1961) was a French film producer. During the 1920s he was the head of the French branch of Paramount Pictures.Phillips p.42 Later he founded his own production company Les Films Osso. Selected filmography * '' The Secret of ...
to work in Berlin, writing French-language versions of German films. After being fired from UFA studio in
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 ...
due to his friendship with Jewish producers, Clouzot returned to France, where he spent years bedridden after contracting
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
. Upon recovering, he found work in
Nazi-occupied France The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...
as a screenwriter for the German-owned company
Continental Films Continental Films was a German-controlled French film production company. It stood as the sole authorized film production organization in Nazi-occupied France. Established in October 1940, it was entirely bankrolled by the German government, and ...
. At Continental, Clouzot wrote and directed films that were very popular. His second film ''
Le Corbeau ''Le Corbeau'' () is a 1943 French film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Pierre Fresnay, Micheline Francey and Pierre Larquey. The film is about a French town where a number of citizens receive anonymous letters containing libelou ...
'' drew controversy over its harsh look at provincial France, and he was fired from Continental before its release. As a result of his association with Continental, he was barred by the French government from filmmaking until 1947. After the ban was lifted, Clouzot reestablished his reputation and popularity in France during the late 1940s with successful films including ''
Quai des Orfèvres ''Quai des Orfèvres'' (; "Goldsmiths' Quay"; also known as ''Jenny Lamour'') is a 1947 French police procedural drama film based on the book ''Légitime défense'' by Stanislas-Andre Steeman. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot the film stars S ...
''. After the release of his comedy film '' Miquette'', Clouzot married Véra Gibson-Amado, who would star in his next three feature films. In the early and mid-1950s, Clouzot drew acclaim from international critics and audiences for ''
The Wages of Fear ''The Wages of Fear'' (french: Le Salaire de la peur) is a 1953 French thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense el ...
'' and '' Les Diaboliques''; both films would serve as source material for remakes decades later. After the release of '' La Vérité'', his wife Véra died of a heart attack, and Clouzot's career suffered due to depression, illness and new critical views of films from the
French New Wave French New Wave (french: La Nouvelle Vague) is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconocla ...
. Clouzot's career became less active in later years, limited to a few
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
documentaries A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...
and two feature films in the 1960s. He wrote several unused scripts in the 1970s and died in Paris in 1977.


Biography


Early years

Henri-Georges Clouzot was born in
Niort Niort (; Poitevin: ''Niàu''; oc, Niòrt; la, Novioritum) is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department, western France. It is the prefecture of Deux-Sèvres. The population of Niort is 58,707 (2017) and more than 177,000 people live in the u ...
,
Deux-Sèvres Deux-Sèvres () is a French department. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a population of 374,878 in 2019.
, to mother Suzanne Clouzot and father Georges Clouzout, a bookstore owner. He was the first of three children in a middle-class family.Henri-Georges Clouzot: The Enlightened Tyrant
(2004), ''The Criterion Collection'', New York City, accessed 16 August 2009. DVD. .
Clouzot showed talent by writing plays and playing piano recitals.Fiona Watson,
Henri-Georges Clouzot
" ''
Senses of Cinema ''Senses of Cinema'' is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, ''Senses of Cinema'' publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career ...
'', May 2005, issue 36.
Bocquet, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 8. His father's bookstore went bankrupt in 1922, and the family moved to
Brest Brest may refer to: Places *Brest, Belarus **Brest Region **Brest Airport **Brest Fortress *Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria *Břest, Czech Republic *Brest, France **Arrondissement of Brest **Brest Bretagne Airport ** Château de Brest *Brest, ...
where Georges Clouzout became an auctioneer.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 5. In Brest, Henri-Georges Clouzot went to Naval School, but was unable to become a Naval Cadet due to his
myopia Near-sightedness, also known as myopia and short-sightedness, is an eye disease where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurry while close objects appear normal. Other symptoms may include ...
.Hayward, ''Les diaboliques'', 1. At the age of 18, Clouzot left for Paris to study political science.Mayne, ''Le corbeau'', 21. Whilst living in Paris, he became friends with several magazine editors. His writing talents led him to theater and cinema as a playwright, lyricist and adaptor-screenwriter. The quality of his work led producer
Adolphe Osso Adolphe Osso (1894–1961) was a French film producer. During the 1920s he was the head of the French branch of Paramount Pictures.Phillips p.42 Later he founded his own production company Les Films Osso. Selected filmography * '' The Secret of ...
to hire him and send him to
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
to work in
Studio Babelsberg Babelsberg Film Studio (german: Filmstudio Babelsberg), located in Potsdam-Babelsberg outside Berlin, Germany, is the second oldest large-scale film studio in the world only preceded by the Danish Nordisk Film (est. 1906), producing films since ...
in Berlin, translating scripts for foreign-language films shot there.Hayward, ''Les diaboliques'', 2.


Career


Screenwriting career (1931–1942)

Throughout the 1930s Clouzot worked by writing and translating scripts, dialogue and occasionally lyrics for over twenty films.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 1. While living in Germany, he saw the films of
F. W. Murnau Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe; December 28, 1888March 11, 1931) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at t ...
and
Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...
and was deeply influenced by their
expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
style.Interview with Clouzot biographer Marc Godin
" ''The Criterion Collection'', New York City, accessed 16 August 2009. DVD. .
Clouzot made his first
short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
, ''La Terreur des Batignolles'', from a script by
Jacques de Baroncelli Jacques de Baroncelli (25 June 1881 – 12 January 1951) was a French film director best known for his silent films from 1915 to the late 1930s. He came from a Florence, Florentine family who had settled in Provence in the 15th century, occupying ...
, in 1931. The film is a 15-minute comedy with three actors. Film historian and critic
Claude Beylie Claude may refer to: __NOTOC__ People and fictional characters * Claude (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Claude (surname), a list of people * Claude Lorrain (c. 1600–1682), French landscape painter, draughtsman and etch ...
reported this short was "surprisingly well made with expressive use of shadows and lighting contrasts that Clouzot would exploit on the full-length features he would make years later". Clouzot's later wife, Inès de Gonzalez, said in 2004 that ''La Terreur des Batignolles'' added nothing to Clouzot's reputation. In Berlin, Clouzot saw several parades for
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
and was shocked at how oblivious he felt
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
was to what was happening in Germany. In 1934, Clouzot was fired from UFA Studios for his friendship with
Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
ish film producers such as Adolphe Osso and
Pierre Lazareff Pierre Lazareff (1907–1972) was a French newspaper editor and publisher. He was the son of a Russian Jewish emigrant, David Lazareff, and an Alsatian Jew, Marthe Helft. He was passionate about newspapers from his childhood, even running a fam ...
. In 1935, Clouzot was diagnosed with
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
and was sent first to
Haute-Savoie Haute-Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè d'Amont'' or ''Hiôta-Savouè''; en, Upper Savoy) or '; it, Alta Savoia. is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France, bordering both Switzerland and Italy. Its prefecture is ...
and then to
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, where he was bedridden for nearly five years in all. Clouzot's time in the
sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...
would be very influential on his career. While bedridden, Clouzot read constantly and learned the mechanics of storytelling to help improve his scripts. Clouzot also studied the fragile nature of the other people in the sanatorium. Clouzot had little money during this period, and was provided with financial and moral support by his family and friends. By the time Clouzot left the sanatorium and returned to Paris,
World War II 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 opposin ...
had broken out.Mayne, ''Le corbeau'', 22
French cinema French cinema consists of the film industry and its film productions, whether made within the nation of France or by French film production companies abroad. It is the oldest and largest precursor of national cinemas in Europe; with primary influ ...
had changed because many of the producers he had known had fled France to escape
Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
. Clouzot's health problems kept him from military service. In 1939, he met actor
Pierre Fresnay Pierre Fresnay (4 April 1897 – 9 January 1975) was a French stage and film actor. Biography Born Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach, he was encouraged by his uncle, actor Claude Garry, to pursue a career in theater and film. He joined the company a ...
, who was already an established film star in France. Clouzot wrote the script for Fresnay's only directorial feature ''Le Duel'', as well as two plays for him: ''On prend les mêmes'', which was performed in December 1940, and ''Comédie en trois actes'', which was performed in 1942. Despite writing scripts for films and plays, Clouzot was so poor that he resorted to trying to sell lyrics to French singer
Édith Piaf Édith Piaf (, , ; born Édith Giovanna Gassion, ; December 19, 1915– October 10, 1963) was a French singer, lyricist and actress. Noted as France's national chanteuse, she was one of the country's most widely known international stars. Pia ...
, who declined to purchase them.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 2. In
World War II 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 opposin ...
, after France was invaded by Germany and subsequently during the
German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...
, the German-operated film production company
Continental Films Continental Films was a German-controlled French film production company. It stood as the sole authorized film production organization in Nazi-occupied France. Established in October 1940, it was entirely bankrolled by the German government, and ...
was established in October 1940.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 30 Alfred Greven, the director of Continental, knew Clouzot from Berlin and offered him work to adapt stories of writer
Stanislas-André Steeman Stanislas-Andre Steeman ( Liège on 23 January 1908 – Menton on 15 December 1970) was a Belgian illustrator and French-language author. His family, originally of Flemish extraction, had long been settled in Liège. He wrote many mystery nove ...
. Clouzot felt uncomfortable working for the Germans, but was in desperate need of money and could not refuse Greven's offer. Clouzot's first film for Continental was the adaptation of Steeman's
mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...
novel ''Six hommes morts'' (''Six Dead Men''). Clouzot retitled the film ''Le Dernier des six'', having been influenced by actress
Suzy Delair Suzy Delair (born Suzette Pierrette Delaire; December 31, 1917 – March 15, 2020) was a French actress, dancer, singer, comedian and star of vaudeville. Early years Growing up in Montmartre, Delair was the daughter of a father who upholstered ...
while writing the script, allowing her to choose the name of the character she would play.


Early directorial work (1942–1947)

After the success of ''Le Dernier de six'', Clouzot was hired as the head of Continental's screenwriting division.Mayne, ''Le corbeau'', 1 Clouzot began work on his second Steeman adaptation, which he would also direct, titled ''
The Murderer Lives at Number 21 ''The Murderer Lives at Number 21'' (french: L'Assassin habite au 21) is a 1942 French comedy thriller film by director Henri-Georges Clouzot. Adapted by Belgian writer Stanislas-André Steeman and Clouzot from Steeman's 1939 book of the same ti ...
''. It starred Fresnay and Delair playing the same roles they had performed in ''Le Dernier de six''.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 35 Released in 1942, the film was popular with audiences and critics. Clouzot's next film was ''
Le Corbeau ''Le Corbeau'' () is a 1943 French film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Pierre Fresnay, Micheline Francey and Pierre Larquey. The film is about a French town where a number of citizens receive anonymous letters containing libelou ...
'' based on a true story about a woman who sent
poison pen letter A poison pen letter is a letter or note containing unpleasant, abusive, or malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or a third party. It is usually sent anonymously. In the term "poison pen" (or poisoned pen), the word poison is u ...
s in 1922.Bertrand Tavernier interview
" ''The Criterion Collection'', New York City (2002), accessed 16 August 2009. .
Grevin was against Clouzot making this film, stating that topic was "dangerous". ''Le Corbeau'' would be the last film that Fresnay and Clouzot would work together on. Clouzot had used all possible means to try to anger the actor during the filming, and after he quarreled with Fresnay's wife,
Yvonne Printemps Yvonne Printemps (; born Yvonne Wigniolle; 25 July 1894 – 19 January 1977) was a French singer and actress who achieved stardom on stage and screen in France and internationally. Printemps went on the stage in Paris at the age of 12, and ...
, Fresnay and Clouzot broke off their friendship. ''Le Corbeau'' was a great success in France, with nearly 250,000 people having seen it in the first months of its initial release.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 3. ''Le Corbeau'' was released in 1943 and generated controversy from the right-wing
Vichy regime Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
, the left-wing Resistance press and the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.Back cover for ''
Le Corbeau ''Le Corbeau'' () is a 1943 French film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Pierre Fresnay, Micheline Francey and Pierre Larquey. The film is about a French town where a number of citizens receive anonymous letters containing libelou ...
''
942 Year 942 ( CMXLII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – The Hungarians invade Al-Andalus (modern Spain) and besiege the fortress ...
The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinep ...
. New York City, 2004 (no. 227).
The Catholic Church considered the film "painful and hard, constantly morbid in its complexity".Mayne, ''Le corbeau'', 73 The Vichy press dubbed it the antithesis of the
Révolution nationale The ''Révolution nationale'' (, ''National Revolution'') was the official ideological program promoted by the Vichy regime (the “French State”) which had been established in July 1940 and led by Marshal Philippe Pétain. Pétain's regime wa ...
and demanded it be banned due to its immoral values.Lanzoni, ''French Cinema'', 123. The anti-Nazi resistance press considered it Nazi propaganda because of its negative portrayal of the French populace.Lanzoni, ''French Cinema'', 122. Two days before the release of ''Le Corbeau'', Continental films fired Clouzot. After the
liberation of France The liberation of France in the Second World War was accomplished through diplomacy, politics and the combined military efforts of the Allied Powers of World War II, Allied Powers, Free French forces in London and Africa, as well as the French R ...
, Clouzot and several other directors were tried in court for collaborating with the Germans. For his sentence, Clouzot was forbidden from going on set of any film or from using a film camera for the rest of his life. Clouzot received letters of support from filmmakers and artists
Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the su ...
,
René Clair René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...
,
Marcel Carné Marcel Albert Carné (; 18 August 1906 – 31 October 1996) was a French film director. A key figure in the poetic realism movement, Carné's best known films include '' Port of Shadows'' (1938), ''Le Jour Se Lève'' (1939), '' The Devil's Envoys ...
and
Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology), a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and litera ...
, who were against the ruling. Clouzot's sentence was later shortened from life to two years. There is no official document making note of any apology or appeal. During his two-year banishment from filming, Clouzot worked with one of his supporters, Jean-Paul Sartre, who had been one of the first people to defend ''Le Corbeau''.


Return to filmmaking and acclaim (1947–1960)

After Clouzot's ban was lifted, he reestablished his reputation and popularity during the late 1940s with films such as ''
Quai des Orfèvres ''Quai des Orfèvres'' (; "Goldsmiths' Quay"; also known as ''Jenny Lamour'') is a 1947 French police procedural drama film based on the book ''Légitime défense'' by Stanislas-Andre Steeman. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot the film stars S ...
'' and ''
Manon ''Manon'' () is an ''opéra comique'' in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel '' L'histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut'' by the Abbé Prévost. It was first ...
''.Bruce Eder,
Henri-Georges Clouzot: Overview
" ''
AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
'', accessed 16 August 2009.
For ''Quai des Orfèvres'', Clouzot asked the author Stanislas-André Steeman for a copy of his novel, ''Légitime défense'', to adapt into a film. Clouzot started writing the script before the novel arrived for him to read.Hayward, ''Les diaboliques'', 115. ''Quai des Orfèvres'' was released in 1947 and was the fourth most popular film in France, drawing 5.5 million spectators in that year. Clouzot directed and wrote two films that were released in 1949. For ''Manon'', he wanted to cast unknown actors. He scoured schools to find an actress for the lead role, and chose 17-year-old
Cécile Aubry Cécile Aubry (3 August 1928 – 19 July 2010) was a French film actress, author, television screenwriter and director. Life and career Born Anne-José Madeleine Henriette Bénard, Aubry began her career as a dancer. At age 20, she was sign ...
after viewing over 700 girls. ''Manon'' was released in 1948 and was watched by 3.4 million filmgoers in France as well as winning the
Golden Lion The Golden Lion ( it, Leone d'oro) is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguishe ...
at the
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...
. Clouzot directed and wrote the short film ''Le Retour de Jean'', which was part of the
anthology film An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...
''
Return to Life ''Return to Life'' (french: Retour à la vie) is a 1949 French drama portmanteau film in five parts directed by Georges Lampin, André Cayatte, Henri-Georges Clouzot and Jean Dréville (who directed the last two parts). It was entered into the ...
''.Hayward, ''Les diaboliques'', 116. ''Le Retour de Jean'' was influenced by the short period when Clouzot lived in Germany in the early 1930s and stars
Louis Jouvet Jules Eugène Louis Jouvet (24 December 1887 – 16 August 1951) was a French actor, theatre director and filmmaker. Early life Jouvet was born in Crozon. He had a stutter as a young man and originally trained as a pharmacist. He receive ...
as a survivor of a concentration camp who finds a wounded Nazi war criminal whom he interrogates and tortures. Clouzot's next film was the
comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
''
Miquette et Sa Mère Miquette may refer to: * '' Miquette et sa mere'', a 1906 play by Robert de Flers et Gaston Arman de Caillavet * ''Miquette'' (1934 film), a 1934 French comedy film * ''Miquette'' (1940 film), a French film directed by Jean Boyer * ''Miquette'' ...
'', which was a financial failure. During the film's production, Clouzot met Véra Gibson-Amado, whom he married on 15 January 1950. Clouzot and Véra took a film crew with them to Véra's homeland in Brazil for their honeymoon, where Clouzot made his first attempt at directing a
documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...
. The Brazilian government took issue with Clouzot filming the poverty of people in the
favela Favela () is an umbrella name for several types of working-class neighborhoods in Brazil. The term was first used in the Providência neighborhood in the center of Rio de Janeiro in the late 19th century, which was built by soldiers who had ...
s rather than the more picturesque parts of Brazil. The film was never finished because the costs became too high. Clouzot became fascinated with the region and wrote a book, ''Le cheval des dieux'', recounting his trip. Upon returning to France, he was offered a script written by
Georges Arnaud Henri Girard (16 July 1917 – 4 March 1987) was a French author who used the pseudonym Georges Arnaud. He was born in Montpellier. He was the author of the novel ''The Wages of Fear'' (french: Le Salaire de la peur). Biography Georges Arnau ...
, an expatriate living in
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
who had written about his own experiences there. Clouzot found it easy to imagine the setting of the script and was very anxious to film Arnaud's story. He started writing the film, ''The Wages of Fear'', with his brother, Jean Clouzot, who would collaborate with him on all his subsequent films under the name of Jérôme Geronimi. Production on ''The Wages of Fear'' lasted from 1951 to 1952.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 7. In order to gain as much independence as possible, Clouzot created his own production company called Véra Films, which he named after his wife. The sole female role in ''The Wages of Fear'' is played by Véra. Clouzot wrote the role specifically for his wife, as the character does not exist in the original novel. ''The Wages of Fear'' is about a South American town where a group of desperate men are offered money to drive trucks carrying
nitroglycerin Nitroglycerin (NG), (alternative spelling of nitroglycerine) also known as trinitroglycerin (TNG), nitro, glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), or 1,2,3-trinitroxypropane, is a dense, colorless, oily, explosive liquid most commonly produced by nitrating g ...
through rough terrain to put out an oil well fire. ''The Wages of Fear'' was the second most popular film in France in 1953 and was seen by nearly 7 million spectators. It won awards for Best Film and Best Actor (for
Charles Vanel Charles-Marie Vanel (21 August 1892 – 15 April 1989) was a French actor and director. During his 76-year film career, which began in 1912, he appeared in more than 200 films and worked with many prominent directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, ...
) at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. Clouzot's next big hit was ''Les Diaboliques'', whose screenplay he took away from director
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
. ''Les Diaboliques'' involves the story of a cruel headmaster who brutalizes his wife and his mistress. The two women murder him and dump his body in a swimming pool, but when the pool is drained, no corpse is found. In 1954, ''Les Diaboliques'' won the
Louis Delluc Prize The Louis Delluc Prize (french: Prix Louis-Delluc ) is a French film award presented annually since 1937. The award is bestowed to the Best Film and Best First Film of the year on the second week of each December. The jury is composed of 20 members, ...
and the
New York Film Critics Circle Award The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda Hale from the New York ''Daily News''. Its membership includes over 30 film critics from New York-based daily and weekly newspapers, magazi ...
for best foreign film.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 4. In this early and mid-1950s period, with the films ''The Wages of Fear'' and '' Les Diaboliques'', Clouzot came to be fully embraced by international critics and audiences. Both films were screened and reviewed in America as well as in France, and were rated among the best thrillers of the decade. In 1955, Clouzot directed the documentary ''
The Mystery of Picasso ''The Mystery of Picasso'' (french: Le mystère Picasso) is a 1956 French documentary film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. In it, the painter Pablo Picasso produces 20 drawings and paintings, at first using inks that bleed through the paper on ...
'', about the Spanish painter
Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
. The film follows Picasso drawing or painting 15 different works, all of which were intentionally destroyed following the film's production. Clouzot and Picasso were old acquaintances, having met when Clouzot was 14. ''The Mystery of Picasso'' won the
Jury Prize A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartial verdict (a finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Juries developed in England durin ...
at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
, but was a financial failure in France, being seen by only 37,000 filmgoers during its initial run in 1956.Hal Erickson,
The Mystery of Picasso: Overview
" ''
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'', accessed 17 August 2009.
In 1984, the film was declared a national treasure by the government of France. Clouzot's next feature film was ''
Les Espions ''Les Espions'' ("The Spies") is a 1957 French-Italian noir mystery film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Curd Jürgens, Peter Ustinov O. E. Hasse, Sam Jaffe, Paul Carpenter, Véra Clouzot, Martita Hunt and Gérard Séty,. The mu ...
'', which was released in 1957. ''Les Espions'' featured actors from around the world including Véra Clouzot,
Curd Jürgens Curd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens (13 December 191518 June 1982) was a German-Austrian stage and film actor. He was usually billed in English-speaking films as Curt Jurgens. He was well known for playing Ernst Udet in ''Des Teufels Gener ...
,
Sam Jaffe Shalom "Sam" Jaffe (March 10, 1891 – March 24, 1984) was an American actor, teacher, musician, and engineer. In 1951, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in '' The Asphalt Jungle'' (1950) and ap ...
and
Peter Ustinov Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov ; 16 April 192128 March 2004) was a British actor, filmmaker and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits ...
. ''Les Espions'' would be the last acting role for Clouzot's wife Véra, who had been suffering from severe heart problems since filming ''Les Diaboliques'' (incidentally, in that film she had also portrayed a frail woman suffering from heart disease). ''Les Espions'' is set in a rundown sanitarium that is taken over by international spies. One of the spies claims to have invented a nuclear explosive device which attracts the attention of the Russian and American counterspies. ''Les Espions'' was not released in the United States and was a financial failure in France. Clouzot later admitted that he only liked the first two-thirds of ''Les Espions''. Producer
Raoul Levy __NOTOC__ Raoul is a French variant of the male given name Ralph or Rudolph, and a cognate of Raul. Raoul may also refer to: Given name * Raoul Berger, American legal scholar * Raoul Bova, Italian actor * Radulphus Brito (Raoul le Breton, died ...
suggested Clouzot's next film should feature
Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...
as the lead actress. In response, Clouzot wrote the script for '' La Vérité''. Bardot plays Dominique Marceau, who is on trial for the murder of her former boyfriend Gilbert Tellier. As her trial progresses, the relationship between Dominique and Gilbert becomes more finely shaped. Bardot later described ''La Vérité'' as her favorite of all the films she worked on. Released in 1960, ''La Vérité'' was the second most popular film in France with 5.7 million spectators and was Bardot's highest-grossing film. The film was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
.The 33rd Academy Awards (1961) Nominees and Winners
" ''oscars.org'', accessed 29 October 2011.


Later career and failing health (1960–1977)

Although Clouzot's reputation had grown internationally, he lost notability in French cinema due to rise of the
French New Wave French New Wave (french: La Nouvelle Vague) is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconocla ...
. The New Wave directors refused to take Clouzot's thriller films seriously,Hayward, ''Les diaboliques'', 8. and expressed their displeasure publicly through articles and reviews in the film criticism publication, ''
Cahiers du cinéma ''Cahiers du Cinéma'' (, ) is a French film magazine co-founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca.Itzkoff, Dave (9 February 2009''Cahiers Du Cinéma Will Continue to Publish''The New York TimesMacnab, Ge ...
''. Clouzot took their criticism to heart, saying in the magazine ''
Lui ''Lui'' (; ) is a French adult-entertainment magazine created in November 1963 by Daniel Filipacchi, a fashion photographer turned publisher, Jacques Lanzmann, a jack of all trades turned novelist, and Frank Ténot, a press agent, pataphysic ...
'' that he didn't find his films ''Les Diaboliques'' and ''Miquette et Sa Mère '' important or interesting anymore. The next film he worked on was '' L'Enfer'', which was never completed. The film examines the sexual jealousy of a man towards his flirtatious wife, whose psychological state deforms everything with desire. Lead actor
Serge Reggiani Serge Reggiani (2 May 1922 – 23 July 2004) was an Italian-French actor and singer. He was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy and moved to France with his parents at the age of eight. After studying acting at the Conservatoire des arts cinématog ...
fell ill one week after shooting began and had to be replaced. Clouzot himself also became ill during production, which led doctors and insurance agents to order the production be stopped. Between 1965 and 1967, Clouzot filmed for French television five
documentaries A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...
of
Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born Heribert Ritter von Karajan; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, wit ...
conducting Verdi's ''Requiem'', Dvořák's ''New World'' Symphony, Schumann's 4th Symphony,
Beethoven's 5th Symphony The Symphony No. 5 in C minor of Ludwig van Beethoven, Op. 67, was written between 1804 and 1808. It is one of the best-known compositions in classical music and one of the most frequently played symphonies, and it is widely considered one of t ...
and Mozart's 5th Violin Concerto.Henri-Georges Clouzot (1907–1977)
(1 July 2008), ''Cinetom'', accessed 14 April 2010.
Hayward, ''Les diaboliques'', 117. After production finished on the documentaries, Clouzot was able to finance his final picture. Clouzot's return to work reassured the doctors and insurers, and he returned to the film studio to make his final film ''La Prisonnière''. The film began production in September 1967 and was halted when Clouzot fell ill and was hospitalized until April 1968. He began filming ''La Prisonnière'' again in August 1968. Clouzot incorporated stylistic elements of his aborted film ''L'enfer'' into ''La Prisonnière''. ''La Prisonnière'' is about a woman who is introduced to a photographer who takes masochistic submissive pictures of young women. The woman volunteers herself as a model for these pictures and is surprised at her own pleasure in the activity. After finishing ''La Prisonnière'', Clouzot's health grew worse. In the 1970s, he wrote a few more scripts without ever filming them, including a feature about
Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...
. He also planned to direct a
pornographic film Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, sex films, and 18+ films are films that present sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse and satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films present sexual fantasies and usually include eroticall ...
in 1974 for Francis Micheline, but the film was abandoned. Clouzot's health grew worse and he required open-heart surgery in November 1976. On 12 January 1977 Clouzot died in his apartment while listening to ''
The Damnation of Faust ''La damnation de Faust'' (English: ''The Damnation of Faust''), Op. 24 is a work for four solo voices, full seven-part chorus, large children's chorus and orchestra by the French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a "''légende dramatique'' ...
''. Clouzot is buried beside Véra in the
Montmartre Cemetery The Cemetery of Montmartre (french: link=no, Cimetière de Montmartre) is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France, that dates to the early 19th century. Officially known as the Cimetière du Nord, it is the third largest necropolis ...
.


Personal life

In the late-1930s, Clouzot went to a cabaret show featuring entertainers
Mistinguett Mistinguett (, born Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois; 5 April 1873 – 5 January 1956) was a French actress and singer. She was at one time the highest-paid female entertainer in the world. Early life The daughter of Antoine Bourgeois, a 31-year- ...
and
Suzy Delair Suzy Delair (born Suzette Pierrette Delaire; December 31, 1917 – March 15, 2020) was a French actress, dancer, singer, comedian and star of vaudeville. Early years Growing up in Montmartre, Delair was the daughter of a father who upholstered ...
at the Deus Anes Cabaret. Clouzot waited for Delair at the stage door and after meeting her, the two became a romantic couple for the next 12 years.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 6. Clouzot had Delair star in two of his films, ''The Murderer Lives at Number 21'' and ''Quai des Orfèvres''.Quai des Orfèvres: Cast
" ''
Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
'', accessed 17 August 2009.
L'Assassin Habite au 21: Cast
" ''
Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
'', accessed 17 August 2009.
Delair eventually left Clouzot after working with him on ''Quai des Orfèvres''. Clouzot met his first wife Vera Clouzot through actor
Léo Lapara Léo is a proper noun in French, meaning lion". Its etymological root lies in the Latin word Leo. Léo is used as a diminutive or variant of the names Léon, Léonard, Léonardon, Leonardo, Léonid, ''Léonor'', '' Léonore'', ''Eléonore'', ...
, who had minor parts in ''Le Retour de Jean'' and ''Quai des Orfèvres''. Véra met Clouzot after divorcing Lapara and while working as a continuity assistant on Clouzot's ''Miquette et Sa Mère''. Clouzot named his production company after Véra and had her star in all three films made by the company: ''The Wages of Fear'', ''Diabolique'' and ''Les Espions''. Véra also contributed to the script of ''La Vérité''.La Verité: Production credits
" ''
Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
'', accessed 17 August 2009.
Véra Clouzot died of a heart attack shortly after the filming of ''La Vérité''. Clouzot fell into a depression over her death. After her funeral, he moved to
Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austr ...
, but returned to France in December 1960. Clouzot met his second wife, Inès de Gonzalez, for the first time at a casting call for a film based on
Vladimir Nabokov Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (russian: link=no, Владимир Владимирович Набоков ; 2 July 1977), also known by the pen name Vladimir Sirin (), was a Russian-American novelist, poet, translator, and entomologist. Bo ...
's '' Laughter in the Dark''. In 1962, Clouzot met de Gonzalez again after she had returned from South America. In December 1963, Clouzot and Inès de Gonzalez married. In the 1960s, Clouzot converted to
Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
.


Style

With the exception of the comedy film ''Miquette et sa mère'', every directorial feature of Clouzot involves deception, betrayal and violent deaths.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 11. When basing screenplays on written work, Clouzot often changed the stories dramatically, using only key points of the original story. The author Stanislas-André Steeman, whom Clouzot worked with twice, said Clouzot would only "build something after having contemptuously demolished any resemblance to the original, purely for the ambition of effect".Hayward, ''Les diaboliques'', 3. When writing for his own features, Clouzot created characters that were usually corrupt and spineless, with the capacity for both good and evil within them. Clouzot was very demanding with his actors, and would often quarrel with them to get them in the mood he desired. Suzy Delair recalled that Clouzot slapped her, but said of it, "So what? He slapped others as well...He was tough but I'm not about to complain".Mayne, ''Le corbeau'', 28.Mayne, ''Le corbeau'', 29. Pierre Fresnay recalled that Clouzot "worked relentlessly, which made for a juicy spectacle...That's to say nothing for his taste of violence, which he never tried with me". When Clouzot worked with Brigitte Bardot, one scene required her character to drool and sleep. He offered her powerful sleeping pills, saying they were aspirin; this led to her stomach having to be pumped. Although he was harsh on his actors, he did not treat them fiercely off set. Delair recalled that off set there was an "innocence about him" that was not seen. Clouzot biographer Marc Godin suggested Clouzot's life provides clues to understanding his style as a filmmaker. Clouzot was viewed by many of his collaborators as a pessimist, short-tempered, and almost always angry. Brigitte Bardot described Clouzot as "a negative being, forever at odds with himself and the world around him". His outlook on life is reflected in his own films that focus on the darker side of humanity.


Legacy

Despite criticism following the arrival of the French New Wave, career retrospectives of Clouzot's work have been positive. Twenty years after his death, film critic Noël Herpe wrote in the French film journal '' Positif'' that "''Les Diaboliques'' (just like ''Les Espions'' and ''La Verite'') reveals a sterile and increasingly exaggerated urge to experiment with the powers of fiction".Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 9. Film historian Philipe Pilard wrote, "There is no doubt that if Clouzot had worked for Hollywood and applied the formulas of U.S. studios, today he would be lauded by the very critics who choose to ignore him". Clouzot today is generally known for his thriller films ''The Wages of Fear'' and ''Diabolique''. Clouzot's ability in the genre led to comparisons with
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 10. Clouzot respected Hitchcock's work, stating, "I admire him very much and am flattered when anyone compares a film of mine to his".Chandler, ''It's Only a Movie'', 239. Several of Clouzot's films have been remade since their original releases. Director
Otto Preminger Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...
adapted ''
Le Corbeau ''Le Corbeau'' () is a 1943 French film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Pierre Fresnay, Micheline Francey and Pierre Larquey. The film is about a French town where a number of citizens receive anonymous letters containing libelou ...
'' into his 1951 film '' The 13th Letter''.Lloyd, ''Henri-Georges Clouzot'', 176 In 1977, the year of Clouzot's death,
William Friedkin William "Billy" Friedkin (born August 29, 1935)Biskind, p. 200. is an American film and television director, producer and screenwriter closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in documentaries in t ...
directed a remake of ''The Wages of Fear'' called '' Sorcerer''. French director
Claude Chabrol Claude Henri Jean Chabrol (; 24 June 1930 – 12 September 2010) was a French film director and a member of the French New Wave (''nouvelle vague'') group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s. Like his colleagues an ...
adapted Clouzot's script for '' L'Enfer'' in 1994 for a film likewise titled '' L'Enfer''. In 1996, an American remake of ''Les Diaboliques'' was released under the title '' Diabolique'', starring
Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of various ...
.Mark Deming,
Diabolique: Overview
, ''
Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
'', accessed 20 August 2009.


Filmography

* '' L'assassin habite... au 21'' (''The Murderer Lives at Number 21'', 1942) * ''
Le corbeau ''Le Corbeau'' () is a 1943 French film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Pierre Fresnay, Micheline Francey and Pierre Larquey. The film is about a French town where a number of citizens receive anonymous letters containing libelou ...
'' (''The Raven'', 1943) * ''
Quai des orfèvres ''Quai des Orfèvres'' (; "Goldsmiths' Quay"; also known as ''Jenny Lamour'') is a 1947 French police procedural drama film based on the book ''Légitime défense'' by Stanislas-Andre Steeman. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot the film stars S ...
'' (''Goldsmiths' Quay'', 1947) * ''
Manon ''Manon'' () is an ''opéra comique'' in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel '' L'histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut'' by the Abbé Prévost. It was first ...
'' (1949) * ''
Miquette et sa mère Miquette may refer to: * '' Miquette et sa mere'', a 1906 play by Robert de Flers et Gaston Arman de Caillavet * ''Miquette'' (1934 film), a 1934 French comedy film * ''Miquette'' (1940 film), a French film directed by Jean Boyer * ''Miquette'' ...
'' (''Miquette'', 1950) * '' Le salaire de la peur'' (''The Wages of Fear'', 1953) * '' Les diaboliques'' (''Diabolique'', 1955) * '' Le mystère Picasso'' (''The Mystery of Picasso'', 1956) * ''
Les espions ''Les Espions'' ("The Spies") is a 1957 French-Italian noir mystery film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot and starring Curd Jürgens, Peter Ustinov O. E. Hasse, Sam Jaffe, Paul Carpenter, Véra Clouzot, Martita Hunt and Gérard Séty,. The mu ...
'' (''The Spies'', 1957) * '' La vérité'' (''The Truth'', 1960) * '' La prisonnière'' (''Woman in Chains'', 1968)


References


Notes


Bibliography

* Bocque, José-Louis and Marc Godin
''Henri-Georges Clouzot Cinéaste''
La Sirène, 1993. * Chandler, Charlotte
''It's Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock : A Personal Biography''
Hal Leonard Corporation Hal Leonard LLC (formerly Hal Leonard Corporation) is an American music publishing and distribution company founded in Winona, Minnesota, by Harold "Hal" Edstrom, his brother, Everett "Leonard" Edstrom, and fellow musician Roger Busdicker. Curre ...
, 2006. . * Hayward, Susan
''Les diaboliques''
University of Illinois Press, 2005. * Lanzoni, Rémi Fournier
''French Cinema: From its Beginnings to the Present''
Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004. . * Lloyd, Christopher. ''Henri-Georges Clouzot''. Manchester University Press, 2007. . * Mayne, Judith. ''Le corbeau: French film guides series''. I.B. Tauris, 2007. . * Singer, Barnett. ''Brigitte Bardot: A Biography''. McFarland, 2006.


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clouzot, Henri-Georges 1907 births 1977 deaths Burials at Montmartre Cemetery Edgar Award winners French Roman Catholics French film directors French male screenwriters 20th-century French screenwriters People from Niort Directors of Palme d'Or winners Directors of Golden Bear winners Directors of Golden Lion winners 20th-century French male writers