''Monsieur Fabre'' (''Mr Fabre'') is a 90-minute black and white French film comedy from 1951, directed by Henri Diamant-Berger and produced by Diamant-Berger and

Walter Futter Walter Futter (January 2, 1900 – March 3, 1958) was a film producer and director in the United States. After an initial career cutting and editing films, Futter began writing and producing his own shorts and movies, often using footage he acquir ...

. It was on 35mm film, in 1,37:1 format, with monophonic sound. It was released in France on 5 July 1951.

Plot

It centres on the life of the entomologist

Jean-Henri Fabre Jean-Henri Casimir Fabre (21 December 1823 – 11 October 1915) was a French naturalist, entomologist, and author known for the lively style of his popular books on the lives of insects. Biography Fabre was born on 21 December 1823 in Saint-L ...

and his total devotion to studying insect behavior, travelling from Avignon to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 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), ma ...

, from Paris to his death in Sérignan. He is honoured by the French president Raymond Poincaré and his patience, obstinacy and knowledge are also recognised by

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

, the publisher

Charles Delagrave Charles Delagrave (17 January 1881 – 25 August 1952) was a Canadian notary and politician. Born in Quebec City, Quebec, Delagrave was educated at the Séminaire de Québec and the Université Laval before becoming a notary in 1903. He ...

and the philosopher John Stuart Mill. They reach their climax in his book, ''Souvenirs entomologiques''.

Crew

* Director : Henri Diamant-Berger * Screenplay : Henri Diamant-Berger and Jack Kirkland * Adaptation and dialogue : Henri Diamant-Berger and Jack Kirkland * Sets :

Robert Giordani Robert Giordani (1902-1981) was a French art director.Pirolini p.182 He designed the sets for more than eighty productions during his career. Selected filmography * ''Arlette and Love'' (1943) * ''Rooster Heart'' (1946) * '' The Three Cousins'' ...

* Costumes :

Rosine Delamare Denise Rosemonde "Rosine" Delamare (11 June 1911 – 17 March 2013) was a French costume designer. She was co-nominated for an Academy Award for her work on the film ''The Earrings of Madame de…'' (1953). Filmography Cinema *1942 : '' The ...

* Photography :

Claude Renoir Claude Renoir (December 4, 1913Some sources, such as Ginette Vincendeau's ''Encyclopedia of European Cinema'', London: Cassell/BFI, 1995, p.328 indicate 1914 as his year of birth – September 5, 1993) was a French cinematographer. He was the ...

and Horace Woodard * Sound : William-Robert Sivel * Film editing: Christian Gaudin * Music : Hubert d'Auriol * Producer:

Raymond Borderie Raymond Borderie (30 March 1897 – 12 July 1982) was a French film producer. He produced more than 30 films between 1934 and 1968. Selected filmography *''Les Misérables'' (1934) * '' The Ladies in the Green Hats'' (1937) * ''At Your Com ...

* Production : CICC, UGC, Films d'Art and Fidès * Production Director : Walter Rupp

Cast

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 ...

: Henri Fabre * Elina Labourdette : the Comtesse De Latour *

André Randall André Randall (9 December 1892 – 4 July 1974) was a French screen actor. He was born André Ayaïs in Bordeaux and died at Sainte-Foy-la-Grande. Filmography *1919: '' The Odds Against Her'' (directed by Alexander Butler) *1931: '' Mistigri'' ...

: John Stuart Mill *

Georges Tabet Georges Tabet (23 January 1905 – 28 February 1984) was a French Algerian actor, musician and screenwriter.Goble p.141 During the 1930s he appeared frequently alongside Jacques Pills. Selected filmography Actor * '' A Gentleman of the Ring'' ( ...

: the director at Avignon *

Olivier Hussenot Olivier Hussenot (10 September 1913 – 25 August 1978) was a French theatre and film actor. Career The actor appeared in French, Italian and American films. Selected filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hussenot, Oliv ...

: the 'doyen' at Avignon * Espanita Cortez :

Empress Eugénie An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (empr ...

Paul Bonifas Paul Bonifas (3 June 1902 – 9 November 1975) was a French actor, born in Paris. Career In the 1920s, while working for the French customs service, Bonifas took classes in acting at the Conservatoire de Paris in his spare time. He left wit ...

Victor Duruy Jean Victor Duruy (10 September 1811 – 25 November 1894) was a French historian and statesman. Life Duruy was born in Paris, the son of a factory worker, and at first intended for his father's trade. Having passed brilliantly through the Éc ...

* Jacques Emmanuel : Charles Delagrave *

Albert Culloz Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert ...

: Jules Fabre * France Descaut : Antonia Fabre * Hubert Noël : Antonia's lover * Catherine Culloz : Claire Fabre * Jean-Pierre Maurin (as J. P. Maurin) : Napoléon, Prince Imperial * Elisabeth Hardy : Marie Fabre * Pierre Bertin : Napoléon III * Solange Varenne : second woman *

Patrick Dewaere Patrick Dewaere (26 January 1947 – 16 July 1982) was a French film actor. Born in Saint-Brieuc, Côtes-d'Armor, he was the son of French actress Mado Maurin. Actor from a young age, his career lasted more than 21 years, until his suicide in ...

: ÉmileThen aged 4, this was his first film role.

Notes

1951 comedy-drama films 1950s biographical films French comedy-drama films French biographical films 1951 films Cultural depictions of Napoleon III French black-and-white films 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub