Jean Aurenche
Encyclopedia
Jean Aurenche was a French screenwriter. During his career, he wrote 80 films for directors such as René Clément, Bertrand Tavernier
, Marcel Carné
, Jean Delannoy
, Sidney Lumet or Claude Autant Lara. He is often associated with the screenwriter Pierre Bost with whom he had a fertile partnership from 1940 to 1975.
who helped him publish several of his short stories in the famous "NRF".
In 1933, Jean Aurenche co-directed two short documentaries with Pierre Charbonnier : "Pirates du Rhône " and Bracos de Sologne". He later co-wrote the short film Monsieur Cordon with director Pierre Prever. He soon turned to screewriting, writing or co-writing several films like
L'affaire du Courrier de Lyon (1936) by Maurice Lehmann and Claude Autant-Lara, L'affaire Lafarge or, more famously, Hôtel du Nord that he co-wrote with Marcel Carné and Henri Jeanson.
wrote an article in Les Cahiers du Cinema harshly criticizing the work of Jean Aurenche & Pierre Bost. The writing team progressively went out of fashion and barely worked during the 1960s as their favorite collaborators (Autant-Lara, Clément, Dleannoy) grew older and retired. In 1970, young filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier
(who was a fan of their work), asked them to write with him an adaptation of 'L'Horloger d'Everton (a Georges Simenon novel) for his first feature film. The film, titled L'Horloger de Saint Paul was a great succes, both public and critical. Aurenche and Tavernier quickly became close collaborators, even after Pierre Bost's death in 1975. They went on to write three more films together and even co-directed a documentary about surrealist writer Philippe Soupaul. In 1975, Jean Aurenche and Bertrand Tavernier reworked an outline written in 1951 by Aurenche & Bost. This became the film le Juge et l'Assassin which garnered great reviews when it was released in 1976.
During the 80s, Jean Aurenche kept on working with several directors like Robert Enrico (De Guerre Lasse), Bertrand Tavernier (The Jim Thomson adapted Coup de Torchon and L'Étoile du Nord
de Pierre Granier-Deferre. He died in 1992 in Bandol. He was 89.
En 2010, French cinema channel Cine Cinema broadcasted a 52 minutes documentary about the life and work of Jean Aurenche, which also available in DVD. Titled Jean Aurenche, écrivain de cinéma, this film was directed by Alexandre Hilaire and Yacine Badday. It features some of Jean Aurenche collaborators like Jean-Pierre Mocky, Alain Riou or Bertrand Tavernier. It also features Jean Aurenche through footage of a 1970 interview.
Bertrand Tavernier
Bertrand Tavernier is a French director, screenwriter, actor, and producer.-Life and career:Tavernier was born in Lyon, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. Tavernier wanted to become a filmmaker since the age of thirteen...
, Marcel Carné
Marcel Carné
-Biography:Born in Paris, France, the son of a cabinet maker whose wife died when their son was five, Carné began his career as a film critic, becoming editor of the weekly publication, Hebdo-Films, and working for Cinémagazine and Cinémonde between 1929 and 1933. In the same period he worked in...
, Jean Delannoy
Jean Delannoy
Jean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...
, Sidney Lumet or Claude Autant Lara. He is often associated with the screenwriter Pierre Bost with whom he had a fertile partnership from 1940 to 1975.
The Early Years
In the 1920s and 1930s, Jean Aurenche was friends with some members of the surrealist groups. His sister Marie-Berth was the wife of Max Ernst and Max Ernest soon became friend with Jean Aurenche. Later, he even appeared in some film commercials directed by Jean Aurenche (for the "Nicolas" Wine, the "Barbes" stores and so on...). Jean Aurenche was also a close friend of Jean CocteauJean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
who helped him publish several of his short stories in the famous "NRF".
In 1933, Jean Aurenche co-directed two short documentaries with Pierre Charbonnier : "Pirates du Rhône " and Bracos de Sologne". He later co-wrote the short film Monsieur Cordon with director Pierre Prever. He soon turned to screewriting, writing or co-writing several films like
L'affaire du Courrier de Lyon (1936) by Maurice Lehmann and Claude Autant-Lara, L'affaire Lafarge or, more famously, Hôtel du Nord that he co-wrote with Marcel Carné and Henri Jeanson.
Aurenchébost
In 1942, starting with Douce (directed by Autant-Lara), Aurenche formed a longstanding partnership with Pierre Bost. Their method of writing together initially worked as such : Jean Aurenche wrote the treatment of the screenplay (sometimes based on a novel) and Pierre Bost then expanded this outline and wrote the dialogue. But soon, both of them wrote all the script together without any clear division of the writing. Together, Aurenche & Bost wrote several great success of this time period, often associated with director Claude Autant-Lara : le Diable au corps (1945), l'Auberge rouge (1951), le Rouge et le Noir (1954), la Traversée de Paris (1956). Meanwhile, Aurenche & Bost started a fertile collaboration with Jean Delannoy, writing for him La Symphonie Pastorale (1947) which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Festival of 1947. During this time, they also worked with René Clément (Au-delà des grilles, Jeux interdits and Gervaise). The film Jeux Interdits won the Academy Award on the Best Foreign Film in 1952 and soon became a classic. All these critic and commercial triumph contributed to make of Aurenche one of the most revered screenwriters of his time.The Later Years
In 1954, future filmmaker François TruffautFrançois Truffaut
François Roland Truffaut was an influential film critic and filmmaker and one of the founders of the French New Wave. In a film career lasting over a quarter of a century, he remains an icon of the French film industry. He was also a screenwriter, producer, and actor working on over twenty-five...
wrote an article in Les Cahiers du Cinema harshly criticizing the work of Jean Aurenche & Pierre Bost. The writing team progressively went out of fashion and barely worked during the 1960s as their favorite collaborators (Autant-Lara, Clément, Dleannoy) grew older and retired. In 1970, young filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier
Bertrand Tavernier
Bertrand Tavernier is a French director, screenwriter, actor, and producer.-Life and career:Tavernier was born in Lyon, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. Tavernier wanted to become a filmmaker since the age of thirteen...
(who was a fan of their work), asked them to write with him an adaptation of 'L'Horloger d'Everton (a Georges Simenon novel) for his first feature film. The film, titled L'Horloger de Saint Paul was a great succes, both public and critical. Aurenche and Tavernier quickly became close collaborators, even after Pierre Bost's death in 1975. They went on to write three more films together and even co-directed a documentary about surrealist writer Philippe Soupaul. In 1975, Jean Aurenche and Bertrand Tavernier reworked an outline written in 1951 by Aurenche & Bost. This became the film le Juge et l'Assassin which garnered great reviews when it was released in 1976.
During the 80s, Jean Aurenche kept on working with several directors like Robert Enrico (De Guerre Lasse), Bertrand Tavernier (The Jim Thomson adapted Coup de Torchon and L'Étoile du Nord
L'étoile du nord (film)
L'etoile du nord is a 1982 French film based on a novel by Georges Simenon, starring Simone Signoret, Philippe Noiret, Fanny Cottençon and Julie Jézéquel...
de Pierre Granier-Deferre. He died in 1992 in Bandol. He was 89.
Hommages
Soon after his death, a compilation of interviews with Jean Aurenche was published. Named La Suite à l'écran (To be continued on the screen), this book co-wrote by French journalist Alain Riou contained insights andinformations about most of Jean Aurenche's screenplays and collaborators. Later, almost ten years after his death, Bertrand Tavernier co-wrote and directed a film about the life of Jean Aurenche and Jean Devaivre (a French assistant director) during World War II. The film, named Laissez Passer was starring Jacques Gamblin (as Jean Devaivre) and Denis Podalydès (as Jean Aurenche).En 2010, French cinema channel Cine Cinema broadcasted a 52 minutes documentary about the life and work of Jean Aurenche, which also available in DVD. Titled Jean Aurenche, écrivain de cinéma, this film was directed by Alexandre Hilaire and Yacine Badday. It features some of Jean Aurenche collaborators like Jean-Pierre Mocky, Alain Riou or Bertrand Tavernier. It also features Jean Aurenche through footage of a 1970 interview.
Filmography
- 1933 : Monsieur Cordon directed by Pierre Prévert
- 1937 : Les Dégourdis de la 11e directed by Christian-JaqueChristian-JaqueChristian-Jaque was a French filmmaker. He was married to actress Martine Carol from 1954 to 1959.Christian-Jaque was born at Paris....
- 1937 : Vous n'avez rien à déclarer ? directed by Léo JoannonLéo JoannonLéo Joannon was a French writer and film director. Born in Aix-en-Provence, Joannon was originally a law student who became a novelist and journalist before entering the film industry in the 1920s as a cameraman....
- 1937 : L'Affaire du courrier de Lyon de Maurice Lehmann et Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
- 1938 : L'Affaire Lafarge directed by Pierre ChenalPierre ChenalPierre 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...
: histoire - 1938 : Le Ruisseau directed by Maurice Lehmann : adaptation
- 1938 : Hôtel du NordHôtel du NordHôtel du Nord is a 1938 French drama film directed by Marcel Carné and starring Annabella.- Cast :* Annabella - Renée* Jean-Pierre Aumont - Pierre* Louis Jouvet - Monsieur Edmond* Arletty - Raymonde* Paulette Dubost - Ginette* Andrex - Kenel...
directed by Marcel CarnéMarcel Carné-Biography:Born in Paris, France, the son of a cabinet maker whose wife died when their son was five, Carné began his career as a film critic, becoming editor of the weekly publication, Hebdo-Films, and working for Cinémagazine and Cinémonde between 1929 and 1933. In the same period he worked in...
: adaptation - 1939 : La Tradition de minuit
- 1940 : Cavalcade d'amour
- 1940 : L'Émigrante directed by Léo JoannonLéo JoannonLéo Joannon was a French writer and film director. Born in Aix-en-Provence, Joannon was originally a law student who became a novelist and journalist before entering the film industry in the 1920s as a cameraman....
: histoire - 1940 : L'Héritier des Mondésir d'Albert Valentin : histoire
- 1941 : Madame Sans-Gêne directed by Roger Richebé : adaptation
- 1942 : Le Moussaillon:
- 1942 : Romance à trois directed by Roger Richebé : adaptation
- 1942 : Le Mariage de Chiffon directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
: adaptation - 1942 : Défense d'aimer
- 1942 : Huit Hommes dans un château: adaptation
- 1942 : Lettres d'amours
- 1943 : L'Épouvantail : histoire
- 1943 : Domino de Roger Richebé
- 1943 : Douce directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
- 1943 : Adrien directed by FernandelFernandelFernand Joseph Désiré Contandin , better known as Fernandel, was a French actor and singer. Born in Marseille, France, he was a comedy star who first gained popularity in French vaudeville, operettas, and music-hall revues...
- 1944 : Le Voleur de paratonnerres: sur une idée de
- 1944 : Le Voyageur sans bagage de Jean AnouilhJean AnouilhJean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1943 play Antigone, an adaptation of Sophocles' Classical drama, that was seen as an attack on Marshal Pétain's...
- 1944 : Les Petites du quai aux fleurs de Marc AllégretMarc AllégretMarc Allégret was a French screenwriter and film director.Born in Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, he was the elder brother of Yves Allégret. Marc was educated to be a lawyer. Allégret became André Gide's lover when he was fifteen and Gide was forty-seven...
: scénario - 1946 : Sylvie et le fantômeSylvie et le fantômeSylvie et le fantôme is a 1946 French film directed by Claude Autant-Lara.-Plot:Sylvie is fascinated by the portrait of long dead Alain de Francigny and she is upset when her father, Baron Eduard, is forced to sell the painting. The Baron hires an actor to appear as Alain's ghost on the eve of...
by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:... - 1946 : Les J3 : adaptation
- 1946 : La Symphonie pastorale directed by Jean DelannoyJean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...
- 1947 : Le Diable au corps directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
- 1947 : Les Amants du pont Saint-JeanLes Amants du pont Saint-JeanLes Amants du pont Saint-Jean is a 1947 French film directed by Henri Decoin. It was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Nadine Alari - Augusta* Odette Barencey - Amélie* Pauline Carton - Tante Marguerite* Marc Cassot - Pilou...
d'Henri DecoinHenri DecoinHenri Decoin was a French film director and screenwriter. He directed 50 films between 1933 and 1964. He was also a swimmer who competed for France in the men's 400 metre freestyle event at the 1908 Summer Olympics and the water polo tournament at the 1912 Summer Olympics.-Selected filmography:*... - 1949 : Au-delà des grilles ou Trois jours d'amour (Le Mura di Malapaga) - (Les Murs de Malapaga) by René Clément
- 1949 : Occupe-toi d'Amélie by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
- 1950 : Dieu a besoin des hommesDieu a besoin des hommesDieu a besoin des hommes is a 1950 French drama film directed by Jean Delannoy. At the 1st Berlin International Film Festival it won the Special Prize for an Excellent Film Achievement.-Cast:* Antoine Balpêtré - Le père Gourvennec, un pêcheur...
by Jean DelannoyJean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France... - 1951 : Gibier de potence de Roger Richebé : scénario
- 1951 : L'Auberge rouge de Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
: scénario, adaptation and dialogues - 1952 : Les 7 péchés capitaux : segments La Luxure de Yves AllégretYves AllégretYves Allégret was a French film director in the film noir genre.He is noted as having been the husband of actress Simone Signoret between the years 1944–1949.-Selected filmography:...
, L'Orgueil de Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
et Huitième pêché de Georges Lacombe : scénario - 1952 : Jeux interdits de René Clément : scénario, dialogue
- 1953 : Les Orgueilleux d'Yves AllégretYves AllégretYves Allégret was a French film director in the film noir genre.He is noted as having been the husband of actress Simone Signoret between the years 1944–1949.-Selected filmography:...
- 1954 : Le Blé en herbeLe Blé en herbeLe Blé en herbe is the title of a novel written by French writer Colette in 1923.The book was written during the vacation of the writer on her property Roz-Ven in Saint-Coulomb, between Saint-Malo and Cancale.-Plot summary:...
de Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:... - 1954 : Destinées (segment Jeanne) directed by Jean DelannoyJean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...
- 1954 : Mam'zelle NitoucheMam'zelle NitoucheMam'zelle Nitouche is a vaudeville-opérette by Hervé. The libretto was by Henri Meilhac and Albert Millaud.-Performance history:It was first performed at the Théâtre des Variétés, Paris on 26 January 1883.- Roles :-Synopsis:...
d'Yves AllégretYves AllégretYves Allégret was a French film director in the film noir genre.He is noted as having been the husband of actress Simone Signoret between the years 1944–1949.-Selected filmography:... - 1954 : Le Rouge et le Noir directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
- 1955 : Chiens perdus sans collier de Jean DelannoyJean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...
: histoire et scénario - 1956 : Gervaise directed by René Clément
- 1956 : La Traversée de ParisLa Traversée de Paris (film)La Traversée de Paris , is a French comedy drama film from 1956, directed by Claude Autant-Lara, written by Marcel Aymé, starring Jean Gabin, Bourvil and Louis de Funès...
directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
: dialogue et scénario - 1956 : Notre Dame de Paris directed by Jean DelannoyJean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...
- 1958 : En cas de malheur de Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
: scénario - 1958 : Le Joueur directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
- 1959 : La Femme et le Pantin directed by Julien DuvivierJulien DuvivierJulien Duvivier was a French film director. He was prominent in French cinema in the years 1930-1960...
- 1959 : Le Chemin des écoliers directed by Michel BoisrondMichel BoisrondMichel Jacques Boisrond was a French film director and writer...
- 1959 : La Jument verte directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
- 1965 : Le Journal d'une femme en blancLe Journal d'une femme en blancLe Journal d'une femme en blanc is a 1965 Italian film, derected by Claude Autant-Lara, written by Jean Aurenche and André Soubiran.-Cast:* Marie-José Nat : Claude Sauvage* Claude Gensac : Mlle Viralleau* Jean Valmont : Pascal...
: adaptation - 1966 : Paris brûle-t-il ? by René Clément
- 1967 : Le Plus Vieux Métier du monde - one segment - directed by Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
et Philippe de BrocaPhilippe de BrocaPhilippe de Broca was a French film director.Born Philippe Claude Alex de Broca de Ferrussac in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, the son of a photographer of noble origins. de Broca was a cinephile from an early age, and he studied at the l'École technique de photographie et de cinématographie... - 1969 : Les Patates de Claude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-LaraClaude Autant-Lara , was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament .-Biography:...
: scenario - 1974 : L'Horloger de Saint-Paul directed by Bertrand TavernierBertrand TavernierBertrand Tavernier is a French director, screenwriter, actor, and producer.-Life and career:Tavernier was born in Lyon, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. Tavernier wanted to become a filmmaker since the age of thirteen...
: scénario - 1975 : Que la fête commenceQue la fête commenceQue la fête commence... is a 1975 French film directed by Bertrand Tavernier and starring Philippe Noiret...
directed by Bertrand TavernierBertrand TavernierBertrand Tavernier is a French director, screenwriter, actor, and producer.-Life and career:Tavernier was born in Lyon, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. Tavernier wanted to become a filmmaker since the age of thirteen...
: scénario - 1976 : Le Juge et l'Assassin directed by Bertrand TavernierBertrand TavernierBertrand Tavernier is a French director, screenwriter, actor, and producer.-Life and career:Tavernier was born in Lyon, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. Tavernier wanted to become a filmmaker since the age of thirteen...
- 1980 : La Dame aux caméliasThe Lady of the Camellias (film)The Lady of the Camellias is a 1981 French-Italian drama film directed by Mauro Bolognini and starring Isabelle Huppert.-Cast:* Isabelle Huppert - Alphonsine Plessis* Gian Maria Volonté - Plessis* Bruno Ganz - Count Perregaux...
directed by Mauro BologniniMauro BologniniMauro Bolognini was an Italian film director of literate sensibility, known for masterful handling of period subject matter.-Biography:Mauro Bolognini was born in Pistoia, Tuscany....
: histoire - 1981 : Coup de torchonCoup de TorchonCoup de Torchon is a 1981 French film adaptation of Jim Thompson's 1964 novel Pop. 1280, directed by Bertrand Tavernier. The film follows the novel relatively faithfully, but changes its setting from a West Texas boom town to a small town in French West Africa.-Plot:Lucien Cordier is an...
by Bertrand TavernierBertrand TavernierBertrand Tavernier is a French director, screenwriter, actor, and producer.-Life and career:Tavernier was born in Lyon, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. Tavernier wanted to become a filmmaker since the age of thirteen...
: scénario - 1982 : L'Étoile du Nord by Pierre Granier-DeferrePierre Granier-DeferrePierre Granier-Deferre was a French film director. His 1971 film Le Chat won the Best Actor and Best Actress awards at the 21st Berlin International Film Festival....
: an adaption of Georges SimenonGeorges SimenonGeorges Joseph Christian Simenon was a Belgian writer. A prolific author who published nearly 200 novels and numerous short works, Simenon is best known for the creation of the fictional detective Maigret.-Early life and education:...
's novel La Locataire - 1987 : Fucking Fernand by Gérard Mordillat
- 1987 : De guerre lasse by Robert EnricoRobert EnricoRobert Georgio Enrico was a French film director and scriptwriter.He was born in Liévin, Pas-de-Calais, in the north of France.-Filmography as director:* Fait d'hiver...
- 1989 : La Passion de Bernadette by Jean DelannoyJean DelannoyJean Delannoy was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director.Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family is from Haute-Normandie in the north of France...