''The Beautiful Image'' (French: ''La belle image'') is a 1951 French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

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 ...

and starring

Frank Villard Frank Villard (24 March 1917 – 19 September 1980) was a French film actor.Goble p.121 He was born François Drouineau in Saint-Jean-d'Angély. Selected filmography * ''The Last of the Six'' (1941) - Un homme (uncredited) * ''Cartacalha, reine ...

Françoise Christophe Françoise Christophe (1923–2012) was a French film actor, film and television actress.Goble p.201 Partial filmography * ''Premier rendez-vous'' (1941) - Une pensionnaire de l'orphelinat (uncredited) * ''Mariage d'amour'' (1942) - La secrétai ...

and

Pierre Larquey Pierre Larquey (10 July 1884 – 17 April 1962) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1913 and 1962. Born in Cénac, Gironde, France, he died in Maisons-Laffitte at the age of 77. Selected filmography * ''Patr ...

.Frey p.78 The film's sets were designed by the art director

Robert Hubert Robert Hubert (c. 1640 – 27 October 1666) was a watchmaker from Rouen, France, who was executed following his false confession of starting the Great Fire of London. Great Fire of London Between 2 and 6 September 1666, a major fire broke ou ...

. It was based on the 1941 novel of the same title by

Marcel Aymé Marcel Aymé (29 March 1902 – 14 October 1967) was a French novelist and playwright, who also wrote screenplays and works for children. Biography Marcel André Aymé was born in Joigny, in the Burgundy region of France, the youngest of si ...

Synopsis

The face of a modest, quiet man unexpectedly changes one day into a handsome, vigorous one. He becomes a swaggering womaniser who none of his former acquaintances recognise. He even seduces his own wife in his new personae.

Cast

as Raoul Cérusier / Roland Colbert *

as Renée Cérusier *

as L'oncle Antonin *

Suzanne Flon Suzanne Flon (28 January 1918 – 15 June 2005) was a French stage, film, and television actress. She won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her performance in the 1961 film '' Thou Shalt Not Kill''. Flon also received two César Awards and two ...

as Lucienne Chenal * Robert Dalban as Julien Gauthier *

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 ...

as La Sarrazine *

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 ...

as Le commissaire * Arlette Merry as La concierge *

Gilberte Géniat Gilberte Géniat (February 17, 1916 – June 28, 1986) was a French film actress.Chiesi p.122 Selected filmography * ''Hélène'' (1936) * ''The Citadel of Silence'' (1937) - Catherine * '' Mademoiselle ma mère'' (1937) - Louise, la bonne * ''L ...

as Annette, la bonne *

Made Siamé Made Siamé (1885–1974) was a French stage and film actress.Goble p.229 Selected filmography * ''Youth'' (1933) * '' The House on the Dune'' (1934) * ''The Mysteries of Paris'' (1935) * '' The Secret of Polichinelle'' (1936) * '' The Alibi'' ...

as Mlle Lagorce *

René Clermont René Clermont (14 November 1921 – 24 October 1994) was a French stage and film actor as well as a playwright. Theatre Comedian *1933: ''Trois pour 100'' by Roger Ferdinand, directed by Gabriel Signoret, Théâtre Antoine as Barbouin * ...

as L'homme aux cochons d'Inde *

Paul Faivre Paul Faivre (3 March 1886 – 5 March 1973) was a French actor. Selected filmography * '' The House Opposite'' (1937) * ''Behind the Facade'' (1939) * '' Vidocq'' (1939) * '' Annette and the Blonde Woman'' (1942) * '' The Count of Monte Cri ...

as L'employé du bureau B.C.B. * Ariane Murator as L'employée du bureau B.C.B. *

Roland Armontel Roland Armontel (21 December 1901 – 15 March 1980) was a French actor. Born Auguste Louis Magnin in Vimoutiers, Orne, France, he died in Paris. Selected filmography * ''Fun in the Barracks'' (1932) * '' Let's Touch Wood'' (1933) * ''Les M ...

as Le pharmacien *

Jacques Beauvais Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...

as Le maître d'hôtel *

Paul Bisciglia Paul Antoine Alphonse Bisciglia (30 July 1928 – 18 April 2010) was a French film actor. Career Throughout his acting career, Bisciglia appeared in more than one hundred feature films. He made his debut in the 1950 film ''Trois télégram ...

Louis Bugette Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...

as Le chauffeur de taxi *

Claude Castaing 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 ...

Jean-Jacques Duverger Jean-Jacques is a French name, equivalent to "John James" in English. Since the second half of 18th century, Jean Jacques Rousseau was widely known as Jean Jacques. Notable people bearing this name include: Given name * Jean-Jacques Annaud (born 19 ...

as Jacquot *

Gilbert Edard Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

Lucien Guervil Lucien is a male given name. It is the French form of Luciano or Latin ''Lucianus'', patronymic of Lucius. Lucien, Saint Lucien, or Saint-Lucien may also refer to: People Given name * Lucien of Beauvais, Christian saint *Lucien, a band member ...

as L'inspecteur * Harry-Max * Gilbert Sauval as Le clochard * Titys as Un employé

References

Bibliography

* Frey, Hugo. ''Louis Malle''. Manchester University Press, 2004.

External links

* 1951 films 1951 drama films French drama films 1950s French-language films Films based on French novels Films based on works by Marcel Aymé Films directed by Claude Heymann French black-and-white films Gaumont Film Company films 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub