''The Possessors'' () is a 1958 French drama film directed by

Denys de La Patellière Denys de La Patellière (8 March 1921 in Nantes, France–21 July 2013) was a French film director and scriptwriter. He also directed Television series. of 92. Filmography as director * 1955 : '' Les Aristocrates'', with Pierre Fresnay * ...

, starring

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), '' La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ...

Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur, the latter a cousin of Albert Brasseur; his grandfather, Jules B ...

Bernard Blier Bernard Blier (11 January 1916 – 29 March 1989) was a French character actor. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where his father, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute, was posted at the time. Life and career His rotund features and ...

Jean Desailly Jean Desailly (24 August 1920 – 11 June 2008) was a French actor. He was a member of the Comédie-Française from 1942 to 1946, and later participated in about 90 movies. Life and career Desailly studied at the École nationale supérieure des ...

, Françoise Christophe and

Annie Ducaux Annie Ducaux (10 September 1908 – 31 December 1996) was a French actress, who appeared in 40 film and television productions between 1932 and 1980. Ducaux was a shareholder in the state theater Comédie-Française from 1948, and played in n ...

. It tells the story of a forceful tycoon wholly devoted to the business he has nurtured, at the expense of his family and above all his only son. The screenplay is based on the novel ''Les grandes familles'' by

Maurice Druon Maurice Druon (23 April 1918 – 14 April 2009) was a French novelist and a member of the Académie Française, of which he served as "Perpetual Secretary" (chairman) between 1985 and 1999. Life and career Born in Paris, France, Druon was the s ...

, which won the

Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year". The prize carries a symbolic reward o ...

in 1948. The film recorded 4,042,041 admissions in France. Gabin received the 1959

David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor The David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor ( it, David di Donatello per il miglior attore straniero) is a category in the David di Donatello Awards, described as "Italy’s answer to the Oscars". It was awarded by the Accademia del Cinema Itali ...

Plot

Noël Schoudler is the autocratic head of diversified family enterprises which include a bank, a newspaper and a sugar refinery. His only son François considers the whole set-up archaic and, while his father is on a business trip to the US, starts jazzing up the staid newspaper. On his return, the father is furious and decides to teach his son a lesson. He tells François that he can have the run-down sugar business, to manage as he pleases. Painfully lacking the necessary expertise, the young man launches into enthusiastic modernisation and expansion. It is rapidly brought home to him that he needs capital, which he will have to raise. When his father tells him he is on his own, he turns to their cousin Maublanc, a malicious playboy who for several reasons hates the Schoudlers. One immediate grievance is that he asked their newspaper to promote his latest mistress, an aspiring actress called Sylvaine, and was not only refused but Noël's devious assistant Lachaume (having just made Noël's niece pregnant) took over the young woman. Feigning helpfulness to François, Maublanc says he will arrange everything with his brokers, but in fact tells them to leak the news that the Schoudler empire has run out of capital. As this will depress the share price, his plan is to buy a controlling interest on the cheap. When the market price starts falling, François is in despair and Maublanc tells him that the only decent thing to do is to put a bullet through his head. Unfortunately, the impressionable young man does so. Noël then goes down to the stock exchange where, speaking to brokers, he reassures them that his businesses are sound. The share price soars and Maublanc's plot is foiled.

Cast

as Noël Schoudler *

as François Schoudler *

as Lucien Maublanc *

as Simon Lachaume * Françoise Christophe as Jacqueline Schoudler *

as Adèle Schoudler *

Louis Seigner Louis Seigner (23 June 1903 – 20 January 1991) was a French actor. He was born in Saint-Chef, Isère, France, the son of Louise (Monin) and Joseph Seigner, and died in Paris. He was the father of actress Françoise Seigner, with Marie Cazeaux, ...

as Raoul Leroy *

Jean Wall Jean Wall (1900–1959) was a French stage and film actor.Goble p. 306 He also directed two films. Partial filmography * ''La vagabonde'' (1932) - Le peintre Adolphe Taillandy * ''Chair ardente'' (1932) - Florent * ''The Beautiful Sailor'' (193 ...

as Pierre Leroy *

Julien Bertheau Julien Bertheau (19 June 1910 – 28 October 1995) was a French actor. Biography Born in Algiers, Algeria, before making his debut at the Comédie-Française on 18 December 1936, he worked as manager of the Theatre de la Porte Saint-Martin, th ...

as Lesquendieu's father *

Daniel Lecourtois Daniel Lecourtois (25 January 1902 – 16 January 1985) was a French film actor.Hayward p.250 He appeared in more than sixty films and television series during his career. In his later career he often played authority figures. Partial filmography ...

as Canet *

Aimé Clariond Aimé Clariond (10 May 1894 – 31 December 1959) was a French stage and film actor. Clariond was born in Périgueux, Dordogne, France and died in Paris. Selected filmography * ''The Brothers Karamazov'' (1931) - Ivan Karamazoff * '' Amourous ...

as Gérard de la Monnerie * Françoise Delbart as Isabelle de la Monnerie

References

External links

* 1958 drama films 1958 films Films based on French novels Films directed by Denys de La Patellière French drama films 1950s French-language films Films with screenplays by Michel Audiard 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub