Marcel Aymé (29 March 1902 – 14 October 1967) was a French

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire to ...

and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, who also wrote screenplays and works for children.

Biography

Marcel André Aymé was born in

Joigny Joigny () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yonne Departments of France, department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. It is located on the banks of the river Yonne (river), Yonne. History The current city, originally kno ...

, in the

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...

region of France, the youngest of six children. His father, Joseph, was a

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

, and his mother, Emma Monamy, died when he was two years old, after the family had moved to

Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 ...

. Marcel was sent to live with his maternal grandparents in the village of Villers-Robert, a place where he would spend the next eight years, and which would serve as the model for the fictitious village of Claquebue in what is perhaps the most well-known of his novels, ''

La Jument verte ''The Green Mare'' () is a humorous novel by French language, French writer Marcel Aymé first published by Gallimard in 1933. Aymé probably wrote ''La Jument verte'' during 1932 and early 1933. The novel was published to great success in June ...

''. In 1906 Marcel entered the local primary school. Because his grandfather was a staunch

anti-clerical Anti-clericalism is opposition to religious authority, typically in social or political matters. Historical anti-clericalism has mainly been opposed to the influence of Roman Catholicism. Anti-clericalism is related to secularism, which seeks to ...

republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, he was looked down upon by his classmates, many of whose parents held more traditional views. Accordingly, Marcel was not

baptized Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...

before reaching the age of eight, nearly two years after the death of his grandfather in 1908. Orphaned once more when his grandmother died two years later, he briefly lived with other family members before moving to

Dole Dole may refer to: Places * Dole, Ceredigion, Wales * Dole, Idrija, Slovenia * Dole, Jura, France ** Arrondissement of Dole * Dole (Kladanj), a village at the entity line of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina-Republika Srpska * Dole, Ljubušk ...

, a small town of the Franche-Comte region, to stay with an aunt and attend the Collège de l'Arc, where he demonstrated more ability in mathematics than in literature. His years at school there were an unpleasant experience he would never look back on fondly. Despite ongoing issues with his health that had begun when he was a child, Aymé was able to perform his military service, which began in 1919, as part of an

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

unit in the occupied Rhineland. In 1923 he moved to Paris where he worked unsuccessfully at a bank, an insurance company, and as a journalist. Though he failed in his career as a reporter, his stint at the newspaper allowed him to discover his love of writing. His first published novel was ''Brûlebois'' (1926), and in 1929 his ''La Table aux crevés'' won the

Prix Renaudot The Prix Théophraste-Renaudot or Prix Renaudot () is a French literary award. History The prize was created in 1926 by ten art critics awaiting the results of deliberation of the jury of the Prix Goncourt. While not officially related to the ...

. After the great success of his novel ''La Jument verte'' (1933), translated into English as ''The Green Mare'', he concentrated mostly on writing and published children's stories, novels, and collections of stories. In 1935 he also started writing movie scripts. In theater, Marcel Aymé found success with his plays ''Lucienne et le boucher, Clérambard'' (1949), a farce, and ''Tête des autres'' (1952), which criticized the death penalty. He died in 1967 and was buried in the

Cimetière Saint-Vincent Saint-Vincent Cemetery (french: Cimetière Saint-Vincent) is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. History Saint-Vincent Cemetery was opened on January 5, 1831. It was Montmartres second cemetery, built after the Cimetière du Calvai ...

in the

Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...

Quarter of

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

Work

One of Aymé's most famous short stories is ''

Le passe-muraille ''The passer-through-walls'' (french: Le Passe-muraille), translated as ''The Man Who Walked through Walls'', ''The Walker-through-Walls'' or ''The Man who Could Walk through Walls'', is a short story published by Marcel Aymé in 1941.Michel Lecu ...

'' or "The Walker-Through-Walls". At the age of 42, Dutilleul suddenly discovers that he has "the remarkable gift of being able to pass through walls with perfect ease". What begins as a novelty that gives him pleasure ends up pushing Dutilleul toward ever more sinister pursuits.

Legacy

Visitors to Paris can see a monument in his honor at Place Marcel-Aymé, in the Montmartre Quarter. The statue is based upon his short story "Le passe-muraille" ("The Walker through Walls").

Bibliography

Novels

*1926 ''Brûlebois'' *1927 ''Aller Retour'' *1928 ''Les Jumeaux du diable'' *1929 ''

La Table aux crevés ''The Hollow Field'' () is a 1929 novel by the French writer Marcel Aymé. It tells the story of the rivalry between two farming villages, Cantagrel and Cessigney, which is triggered after a failed attempt at tobacco smuggling. An English translat ...

'' (translated as ''The Hollow Field'') *1930 ''La Rue sans nom'' *1931 ''Le Vaurien'' *1933 ''

'' (translated as ''The Green Mare'') *1935 ''

Maison basse ''The House of Men'' (''Maison basse'') is a novel by French writer Marcel Aymé that tells the story of a group of tenants living in a large, modern, and soulless Parisian building that faces a small detached house that presents itself, by con ...

'' (translated as ''The House of Men'') *1936 ''

Le Moulin de la Sourdine ''Le Moulin de la Sourdine'' (1936), translated as ''The Secret Stream'', is a novel by French writer Marcel Aymé. Plot In a small provincial French town (based on Dole, where the author grew up), a notary in the grip of his sexual fantasies sa ...

'' (translated as ''The Secret Stream'') *1937 ''Gustalin'' *1939 ''Le Bœuf clandestine'' *1941 '' La Belle image'' (variously translated as ''The Second Face'', ''The Grand Seduction'', and ''Beautiful Image'') *1941 '' Travelingue'' (novel translated as ''The Miraculous Barber'') *1943 '' La Vouivre'' (translated as ''The Fable and the Flesh'') *1946 '' Le Chemin des écoliers'' (novel translated as ''The Transient Hour'') *1948 ''

Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. Its name is a reference to the Greek god of the sky, Uranus (mythology), Uranus (Caelus), who, according to Greek mythology, was the great-grandfather of Ares (Mars (mythology), Mars), grandfather ...

'' (novel translated as ''The Barkeep of Blémont'') *1960 '' Les Tiroirs de l'inconnu'' (novel translated as ''The Conscience of Love'')

Short story collections

French

*1932 ''Le Puits aux images'' (contains, in addition to the title story, "La Retraite de Russie," "Les Mauvaises Fièvres," "Noblesse," "A et B," "Pastorale," "Les Clochards," "L'Individu," "Au clair de la lune," "La Lanterne," "Enfants perdus") *1934 ''Le Nain'' (contains, in addition to the title story, "La Canne," "La Liste," "Deux victimes," "Rue Saint-Sulpice," "Bonne vie et mœurs," "L'Affaire Touffard," "Le Mariage de César," "Trois faits divers," "L'Armure," "Sporting," "La Clé sous le paillasson," "Le Dernier") *1934-1946 '' Les Contes du chat perché'' (translated as ''The Magic Pictures'' and ''The Wonderful Farm'') *1938 ''Derrière chez Martin'' (contains "Le Romancier Martin," "Je suis renvoyé," "L'Élève Martin," "Le Temps mort," Le Cocu nombreux," "L'Âme de Martin," "Rue de l'Évangile," "Conte de Noël," "La Statue") *1943 ''Le Passe-muraille'' (contains, in addition to the title story, "Les Sabines," "La Carte," "Le Décret," "Le Proverbe," "Légende poldève," "Le Percepteur d'épouses," "Les Bottes de sept lieues," "L'Huissier," "En attendant") *1947 ''Le Vin de Paris'' (contains, in addition to the title story, "L’Indifférent," " La Traversée de Paris," "La Grâce," "Dermuche," "La Fosse aux péchés," "Le Faux Policier," "La Bonne Peinture") *1950 ''Les Bottes de sept lieues'' *1950 ''En arrière'' (contains, in addition to the title story, "Oscar et Erick," "Fiançailles," "Rechute," "Avenue Junot," "Les Chiens de notre vie," "Conte du milieu," "Josse," "La Vamp et le Normalien," "Le Mendiant") *1967 ''Enjambées'' (first posthumous collection contains seven stories, all of which appeared earlier except for "La Fabrique") *1987 ''La fille du shérif''

English

*1958 ''Across Paris and Other Stories'' *1961 ''The Proverb and Other Stories'' (contains, in addition to the title story, "Three News Items," "Knate," "The Retreat from Moscow," "Josse," "Backwards," "The Boy Martin," "The Life-Ration," "The Bogus Policeman," "Couldn't-Care-Less," "La Bonne Peinture," "The Last") *1972 ''The Walker-through-walls and Other Stories'' *2012 ''The Man Who Walked through Walls'' (contains, in addition to the title story, "Sabine Women," "Tickets on Time," "The Problem of Summertime," "The Proverb," "Poldevian Legend," "The Wife Collector," "The Seven-League Boots," "The Bailiff," "While Waiting")

Plays

* 1948 ''Lucienne et le boucher'' (''Lucienne and the Butcher'') * 1950 '' Clérambard'' translated by

Norman Denny Norman George Denny (1901–1982), also known under the pseudonyms Norman Dale and Bruce Norman, was an English writer and translator. He was born in Kent, later living for two years in Mexico City where his father was a mining engineer, before ...

* 1951 ''Vogue la galère'' (adapted into a a film in 1973) * 1952 ''La tête des autres'' (''Other People's Heads'') * 1954 ''Les quatre vérités'' * 1954 ''Les sorcières de Salem'' (''The Salem Witches'', adapted from ''

The Crucible ''The Crucible'' is a 1953 play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692–93. Miller wrote the play as a ...

'' by

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), ''Death of a Salesman'' ( ...

) * 1955 ''Les oiseaux de lune'' ('' The Moon Birds'') * 1957 ''La mouche bleue'' (''The Blue Fly'') * 1957 ''Vu du pont'' * 1961 ''Louisiane'' * 1961 ''Les Maxibules'' (''The Maxibules'') * 1963 ''La consommation'' * 1963 ''Le placard'' (''The Wall Cupboard'') * 1965 ''La nuit de l'iguane'' (''The Night of the Iguana'', adapted from ''

The Night of the Iguana ''The Night of the Iguana'' is a stage play written by American author Tennessee Williams. It is based on his 1948 short story. In 1959, Williams staged it as a one-act play, and over the next two years he developed it into a full-length play, p ...

'' by

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

) * 1966 ''La convention Belzébir'' (''The Belzébir Convention'') * 1967 ''Le minotaure''

Screenwriter

* ''

Crime and Punishment ''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...

'' (dir.

Pierre Chenal Pierre Chenal (; 5 December 1904 – 23 December 1990) was a French director and screenwriter who flourished in the 1930s. He was married to Czech-born French film actress Florence Marly from 1937 to 1955. Work Chenal was best known for film no ...

, 1935) * ''

The Green Domino ''The Green Domino'' (french: Le Domino vert) is a 1935 French/German drama film directed by Henri Decoin and Herbert Selpin, based on play by Erich Ebermayer. It tells the story of a rich heiress who falls in love with an art critic after his w ...

'' (dir.

Herbert Selpin Herbert Selpin (29 May 1904 – 1 August 1942) was a German film director and screenwriter of light entertainment during the 1930s and 1940s. He is best known for his final film, the partly suppressed ''Titanic (1943 film), Titanic'', during the ...

and Henri Decoin, 1935) * ''

Les mutinés de l'Elseneur ''The Mutiny of the Elsinore'' (French: ''Les mutinés de l'Elseneur'') is a 1936 French action film directed by Pierre Chenal and starring Jean Murat, Winna Winifried and André Berley. A journalist takes command of a ship after the crew mutin ...

'' (dir.

, 1936) * ' (dir.

Louis Daquin Louis Daquin (20 May 1908 – 2 October 1980) was a French film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed 14 films between 1938 and 1963. He also appeared in 11 films between 1937 and 1979. Selected filmography * '' The Man from Nowher ...

, 1941) * ' (dir.

Maurice Gleize Maurice Gleize (1898–1974) was a French screenwriter and film director.Hayward p.201 Selected filmography Director * '' The Red Night'' (1923) * '' Madonna of the Sleeping Cars'' (1928) * '' A Hen on a Wall'' (1936) * ''Coral Reefs A co ...

, 1941) * '' Strange Inheritance'' (dir.

, 1943) * ' (dir.

, 1943) * ''

Papa, Mama, the Maid and I ''Papa, Mama, the Maid and I'' (french: Papa, maman, la bonne et moi) is a French comedy film from 1954, directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois, written by Marcel Aymé, starring Robert Lamoureux and Louis de Funès. Cast * Robert Lamoureux : Robert ...

'' (dir.

Jean-Paul Le Chanois Jean-Paul Étienne Dreyfus, better known as Jean-Paul Le Chanois (25 October 1909 – 8 July 1985), was a French film director, screenwriter and actor. His film '' ...Sans laisser d'adresse'' won the Golden Bear (Comedies) award at the 1st ...

, 1954) * ''

Papa, maman, ma femme et moi ''Papa, maman, ma femme et moi'' french: Papa, Mama, My Woman and Me, is a French comedy film from 1955, directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois, written by Marcel Aymé, starring Robert Lamoureux and Louis de Funès. The film is known under the titl ...

'' (dir.

, 1955) * '' Your Money or Your Life'' (dir.

Jean-Pierre Mocky Jean-Pierre Mocky (6 July 1929 – 8 August 2019), pseudonym of Jean-Paul Adam Mokiejewski, was a French film director, actor, screenwriter and producer. Life and career Mocky was born in Nice, France to Polish immigrant parents, Jeanne Zylinska ...

, 1966)

Filmography

* ''

Street Without a Name ''Street Without a Name'' (French: ''La Rue sans nom'') is a 1934 French drama film directed by Pierre Chenal and starring Constant Rémy, Gabriel Gabrio and Paule Andral. It is based on the 1930 novel '' La Rue sans nom'' by Marcel Aymé.Goble p.9 ...

'', directed by

(1934, based on the novel '' La Rue sans nom'') * '' Mr. Peek-a-Boo'', directed by Jean Boyer (1951, based on the short story ''

The passer-through-walls ''The passer-through-walls'' (french: Le Passe-muraille), translated as ''The Man Who Walked through Walls'', ''The Walker-through-Walls'' or ''The Man who Could Walk through Walls'', is a short story published by Marcel Aymé in 1941.Michel Lecu ...

'') * ''

The Beautiful Image ''The Beautiful Image'' (French: ''La belle image'') is a 1951 French drama film directed by Claude Heymann and starring Frank Villard, Françoise Christophe and Pierre Larquey.Frey p.78 The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert Hu ...

'', directed by

Claude Heymann Claude Heymann (13 November 1907 – 13 April 1994) was a French screenwriter and film director.Frey p.78 Selected filmography * '' American Love'' (1931) * '' Idylle au Caire'' (1933) * ''The Brighton Twins'' (1936) * ''Paris-New York'' (1 ...

(1951, based on the novel ''La Belle image'') * ', directed by

Henri Verneuil Henri Verneuil (; born Ashot Malakian; 15 October 1920 – 11 January 2002) was a French-Armenian playwright and filmmaker, who made a successful career in France. He was nominated for Oscar and Palme d'Or awards, and won Locarno International Fi ...

(1951, based on the novel '' The Hollow Field'') * '' La Traversée de Paris'', directed by

Claude Autant-Lara Claude Autant-Lara (; 5 August 1901 – 5 February 2000) was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Biography Born at Luzarches in Val-d'Oise, Autant-Lara was educated in France and at London's Mill Hill Sc ...

(1956, based on the short story ''Traversée de Paris'') * ''

Way of Youth ''Le chemin des écoliers'' is a 1959 French film starring Alain Delon. It is based on the novel ''The Transient Hour'' by Marcel Aymé. Plot Cast * Alain Delon : Antoine Michaud * Bourvil : Charles Michaud, Antoine's father * Paulette Dubost ...

'', directed by

Michel Boisrond Michel Jacques Boisrond (9 October 1921, Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais – 10 November 2002, La Celle-Saint-Cloud) was a French film director and screenwriter. His work spanned five decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s. Career A former apprentice ...

(1959, based on the novel ''Le Chemin des écoliers'') * ''

The Man Who Walked Through the Wall ''The Man Who Walked Through the Wall'' () is a 1959 West German comedy film directed by Ladislao Vajda, starring Heinz Rühmann and Nicole Courcel. It was shot at the Bavaria Studios in Munich. The film is based on the novella '' The Man Who Walk ...

'', directed by

Ladislao Vajda Ladislao Vajda (born Weisz László; 18 August 1906, Budapest – 25 March 1965, Barcelona) was a Hungarian-Spanish film director who made films in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy and West Germany. Biography He was born in Budapest, ...

(West Germany, 1959, based on the short story ''

'') * ''

The Green Mare ''The Green Mare'' () is a humorous novel by French writer Marcel Aymé first published by Gallimard in 1933. Aymé probably wrote ''La Jument verte'' during 1932 and early 1933. The novel was published to great success in June 1933, but provo ...

'', directed by

(1959, based on the novel ''

'') * ', directed by (1961, TV film, based on the short story ''Le Nain'') * ', directed by

Philippe Agostini Philippe Agostini was a French cinematographer, director and screenwriter born 11 August 1910 in Paris (France), died 20 October 2001. He was married to Odette Joyeux until the end of her life. Biography Founder of École Louis-Lumière (sit ...

(1967, TV film, based on the short story ''La Bonne Peinture'') * ', directed by Jacques Pierre (1969, TV film, based on the novel ''Le Boeuf clandestin'') * '' Clérambard'', directed by

Yves Robert Yves Robert (19 June 1920 – 10 May 2002) was a French actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. Life and career Robert was born in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, France. In his teens, he went to Paris to pursue a career in acting, starting with ...

(1969, based on the play ''Clérambard'') * ''

Vogue la galère ''Vogue la galère'' is a 1973 French film directed by Raymond Rouleau. It is based on the play ''Vogue la galère'' by Marcel Aymé Cast * Claude Dauphin - Le capitaine * Robert Hossein - Simon * Henry Czarniak - Hardouin * Gérard Lartigau ...

'', directed by

Raymond Rouleau Raymond Rouleau (4 June 1904 – 11 December 1981) was a Belgian actor and film director. He appeared in more than 40 films between 1928 and 1979. He also directed 22 films between 1932 and 1981. Rouleau studied at the Royal Conservatory of B ...

(1973, based on the play ''Vogue la galère'') * ', directed by

Pierre Tchernia Pierre Tcherniakowski (29 January 1928 – 8 October 2016), better known as Pierre Tchernia, was a French cinema and television producer, screenwriter, presenter, animator and actor. In France he was known as ''"Magic" Tchernia'' and ''Monsieur Ci ...

(1977, TV film, based on the short story ''

'') * ', directed by

(1979, TV film, based on the short story ''La Grâce'') * ', directed by

Georges Wilson Georges Wilson (16 October 1921 – 3 February 2010) was a French film and television actor. He was the father of French actor Lambert Wilson. Biography Wilson was born in Champigny-sur-Marne, Seine (now Val-de-Marne) as the illegitimate s ...

(1989, based on the novel ''La Vouivre'') * ''

'', directed by

Claude Berri Claude Berri (; 1 July 1934 – 12 January 2009) was a French film director, writer, producer, actor and distributor. Early life Born Claude Beri Langmann in Paris, Berri was the son of Jewish immigrant parents. His mother, Beila (née Bercu), w ...

(1990, based on the novel ''

'') * ', directed by (1990, TV film, based on the short story ''Les Bottes de sept lieues'') * ', directed by

(1991, TV film, based on the short story ''L'Huissier'') * '' The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish'', directed by

Ben Lewin Ben Lewin (born 1946) is an Australian director. Early life and education Ben Lewin was born in Poland. As a child, he emigrated with his family to Melbourne, Australia. At the age of six, he contracted polio which has caused him to use cru ...

(1991, based on the short story ''Rue Saint-Sulpice'') * ', directed by (2002, based on the short story ''Le Temps mort'') * ', directed by (2013, TV film, based on the novel ''Le Boeuf clandestin'') * ', directed by (2016, TV film, based on the short story ''

'')

References

External links

SAMA: Société des Amis de Marcel Aymé (in French)
*
Author page
at Pushkin Press
Le roman selon les romanciers: bibliographie critique de l'Université McGill (French)
Inventory and analysis of Marcel Aymé's non-novelistic writings about the novel * Link to severa

including ''The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls'' or ''Le Passe-Muraille''

(personal web site) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ayme, Marcel 1902 births 1967 deaths People from Joigny French children's writers French humorists French fantasy writers Writers from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 20th-century French novelists 20th-century French male writers French male novelists French dramatists and playwrights French male screenwriters 20th-century French screenwriters People of Montmartre Légion d'honneur refusals Prix Blumenthal Prix Renaudot winners

Biography

Work

Legacy

Bibliography

Novels

Short story collections

French

English

Plays

Screenwriter

Filmography

See also

References

External links