Max Morise (5 April 1900 – 29 October 1973) was a French artist, writer and actor, associated with the
Surrealist
Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
movement in Paris from 1924 to 1929. He was friends with
Robert Desnos
Robert Desnos (; 4 July 1900 – 8 June 1945) was a French poet who played a key role in the Surrealist movement of his day.
Biography
Robert Desnos was born in Paris on 4 July 1900, the son of a licensed dealer in game and poultry at the '' H ...
and
Roger Vitrac Roger Vitrac (; 17 November 1899 – 22 January 1952) was a French surrealist playwright and poet.
Early life
Roger Vitrac was born in Pinsac on 17 November 1899, before his family moved to Paris in 1910.:527 As a young man, he was influenced by ...
before they joined the Surrealist movement. He contributed articles to ''La Revolution Surrealiste'' and took part in a series of round table discussions held by the group, regarding the nature of sex. He also participated in several
Surrealist games, most famously the "
exquisite corpse
Exquisite corpse (from the original French term ', literally exquisite cadaver), is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule (e.g. ...
".
André Breton
André Robert Breton (; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') o ...
quotes Morise twice in the first ''
Surrealist Manifesto
Four Surrealist Manifestos are known to exist. The first two manifesto
A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. A manifesto usually ...
''; after saying "We do not have any talent", Breton provides a quote by Vitrac and
Paul Éluard
Paul Éluard (), born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel (; 14 December 1895 – 18 November 1952), was a French poet and one of the founders of the Surrealist movement.
In 1916, he chose the name Paul Éluard, a matronymic borrowed from his maternal ...
, then says "Ask Max Morise" and provides this quote:
Later, Breton includes this quote: "The color of a woman's stockings is not necessarily in the likeness of her eyes, which led a philosopher who it is pointless to mention, to say: 'Cephalopods have more reasons to hate progress than do quadrupeds.'"
[''Investigating Sex - Surrealist Discussions 1928-1932''. Edited by Jose Pierre. Translated by Malcolm Imire. Verso, 1992. ]
Morise also acted in several films including ''Ciboulette'' (1933), ''
Le Crime de Monsieur Lange
''The Crime of Monsieur Lange'' (; French: ''Le Crime de Monsieur Lange'') is a 1936 film directed by Jean Renoir about a publishing cooperative. Imbued with the spirit of the communist/socialist Popular Front, which would score a major political ...
'' (1936), and ''
Drôle de drame
''Bizarre, Bizarre'' (french: Drôle de drame) is a 1937 French comedy film directed by Marcel Carné. It is based on the 1912 novel '' His First Offence'' by J. Storer Clouston.
Plot
At a meeting in London, Bishop Soper denounces scandalous l ...
'' (1937).
References
1900 births
1973 deaths
French surrealist writers
French male writers
20th-century French male writers
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