Pierre Chenal
Encyclopedia
Pierre Chenal was a French director and screenwriter who flourished in the 1930s, and was best known for film noir
thrillers such as the 1937 film L’Alibi, where he worked with Erich von Stroheim
and Louis Jouvet
. In 1939 he made Le Dernier Tournant
, the first of many film treatments of James M. Cain
's celebrated novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice
.
Chenel was Jewish and was forced to flee occupied France for South America in 1942. He made a number of films while living in Argentina
and more in France after the war; but his post-war work never achieved the success and popularity of his pre-war efforts.
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
thrillers such as the 1937 film L’Alibi, where he worked with Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim was an Austrian-born film star of the silent era, subsequently noted as an auteur for his directorial work.-Background:...
and Louis Jouvet
Louis Jouvet
Louis Jouvet was a renowned French actor, director, and theatre director.- Life :Overcoming speech impediments and sometimes paralyzing stage fright as a young man, Jouvet's first important association was with Jacques Copeau's Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier, beginning in 1913...
. In 1939 he made Le Dernier Tournant
Le Dernier tournant
Le Dernier tournant is a 1939 French drama film directed by Pierre Chenal, written by Charles Spaak and Henri Torrès, based on novel "The Postman Always Rings Twice" by James M...
, the first of many film treatments of James M. Cain
James M. Cain
James Mallahan Cain was an American author and journalist. Although Cain himself vehemently opposed labeling, he is usually associated with the hardboiled school of American crime fiction and seen as one of the creators of the roman noir...
's celebrated novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice
The Postman Always Rings Twice
The Postman Always Rings Twice is a 1934 crime novel by James M. Cain.The novel was quite successful and notorious upon publication, and is regarded as one of the more important crime novels of the 20th century...
.
Chenel was Jewish and was forced to flee occupied France for South America in 1942. He made a number of films while living in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and more in France after the war; but his post-war work never achieved the success and popularity of his pre-war efforts.
Filmography
- 1970 : Les belles au bois dormantes (as Dave Young)
- 1963 : The Murderer Knows the Score
- 1960 : The Night They Killed Rasputin
- 1959 : Beast at Bay
- 1958 : Dangerous Games
- 1958 : Sinners of Paris
- 1956 : Section des disparus
- 1954 : Confession at Dawn
- 1952 : El ídolo
- 1951 : Native SonNative Son (1951 film)Native Son is a 1951 black-and-white Argentine film directed by the French filmmaker Pierre Chenal. It is based on the novel of the same name by controversial American author Richard Wright who also starred in the film.-Cast:...
- 1948 : Scandals of Clochemerle
- 1946 : Devil and the Angel
- 1946 : Viaje sin regresoViaje sin regresoViaje sin regreso is a 1946 Argentine black-and-white film written by Hugo Mac Dougall and directed by Pierre Chenal.-Cast:* Eloy Álvarez * Guillermo Battaglia * Sebastián Chiola * Francisco de Paula * Fausto Fornoni* Mercedes Gisper...
- 1945 : Se abre el abismo
- 1944 : The Corpse Breaks a Date
- 1943 : A Real Man
- 1939 : Le Dernier TournantLe Dernier tournantLe Dernier tournant is a 1939 French drama film directed by Pierre Chenal, written by Charles Spaak and Henri Torrès, based on novel "The Postman Always Rings Twice" by James M...
- 1938 : The Lafarge Case
- 1937 : The Alibi
- 1937 : Il fu Mattia Pascal
- 1937 : Feu Mathias Pascal
- 1936 : Les mutinés de l'Elseneur
- 1935 : Crime and Punishment
- 1934 : Street Without a Name
- 1933 : Fat Man's Worries
External links
- Pierre Chenal at the TCM Movie DatabaseTurner Classic MoviesTurner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...