Le Bossu (1959 film)
Encyclopedia
Le Bossu is a French-Italian swashbuckler film starring Jean Marais
and directed by André Hunebelle
. The film also featured Bourvil
, possibly the most popular French comedian of the time. So successful was the formula that Hunebelle teamed up the same two actors for his next action film, Captain Blood
.
Philippe de Nevers (Hubert Noël) is an influential and popular man who is married to a beautiful wife called Aurore (Sabine Sesselmann). His rival Philippe de Gonzague (François Chaumette) hates him enough to organise an attempt on him. The Duke is accompagnied by Henri de Lagardère (Jean Marais
) when de Gonzague's henchmen altogether attack him. Lagardère cannot save his friend because the both of them are hopelessly outnumbered. He has to escape in order to save the Duke's daughter and swears revenge. Together with his old buddy Passepoil (Bourvil
) he raises the little girl in Spain
. At the same time he returns frequently to France
where he detects confronts his friend's murderers and puts them to the sword
one by one until only their former leader is left. Finally he discovers that Philippe de Gonzague is the man for whom he is looking.
and in the Pyrénées-Orientales
. The scene showing how three henchmen are sent to Spain
for Lagardère and the duke's daughter were shot at the Pont du Diable (Céret)
.
Maître d'armes André Gardère
was the accountable instructor concerning the choreography
of all fencing scenes.
Guy Delorme, who would play Comte de Rochefort
in Bernard Borderie
's 1961 version of The Three Musketeers appears here as a henchman.
Sabine Sesselmann was dubbed by Gilberte Aubry (as Aurore de Nevers) and Jacqueline Porel (as Isabelle de Caylus).
Jean Marais
-Biography:A native of Cherbourg, France, Marais starred in several movies directed by Jean Cocteau, for a time his lover, most famously Beauty and the Beast and Orphée ....
and directed by André Hunebelle
André Hunebelle
André Hunebelle was a French director born September 1, 1896 in Meudon , died 27 November 1985 in Nice .Hunebelle was a former publisher of a French newspaper called La Fleché...
. The film also featured Bourvil
Bourvil
André Bourvil, born André Robert Raimbourg was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy, most notably in his collaboration with Louis de Funès in La Grande Vadrouille .-Biography:His father was killed in the First World War before Bourvil was born...
, possibly the most popular French comedian of the time. So successful was the formula that Hunebelle teamed up the same two actors for his next action film, Captain Blood
Captain Blood (1960 film)
Captain Blood is a 1960 French-Italian swashbuckler film directed by André Hunebelle and starring Jean Marais, Bourvil, Elsa Martinelli and Lise Delamare. It is based on a novel by Michel Zévaco.-Cast:* Jean Marais ... François de Capestan...
.
Plot
DukeDuke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
Philippe de Nevers (Hubert Noël) is an influential and popular man who is married to a beautiful wife called Aurore (Sabine Sesselmann). His rival Philippe de Gonzague (François Chaumette) hates him enough to organise an attempt on him. The Duke is accompagnied by Henri de Lagardère (Jean Marais
Jean Marais
-Biography:A native of Cherbourg, France, Marais starred in several movies directed by Jean Cocteau, for a time his lover, most famously Beauty and the Beast and Orphée ....
) when de Gonzague's henchmen altogether attack him. Lagardère cannot save his friend because the both of them are hopelessly outnumbered. He has to escape in order to save the Duke's daughter and swears revenge. Together with his old buddy Passepoil (Bourvil
Bourvil
André Bourvil, born André Robert Raimbourg was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy, most notably in his collaboration with Louis de Funès in La Grande Vadrouille .-Biography:His father was killed in the First World War before Bourvil was born...
) he raises the little girl in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. At the same time he returns frequently to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he detects confronts his friend's murderers and puts them to the sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
one by one until only their former leader is left. Finally he discovers that Philippe de Gonzague is the man for whom he is looking.
Production
The film was shot between May 19 and July 28 in the "Franstudio" of Saint-MauriceSaint-Maurice
Saint-Maurice is the name or part of the name of numerous places in French speaking countries. It refers to the legendary Saint Maurice.- Canada :...
and in the Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales is a department of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. It also surrounds the tiny Spanish enclave of Llívia, and thus has two distinct borders with Spain.- History :...
. The scene showing how three henchmen are sent to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
for Lagardère and the duke's daughter were shot at the Pont du Diable (Céret)
Pont du Diable (Céret)
The Pont du Diable or Pont Vieux is a medieval stone arch bridge at Céret, France, built between 1321 and 1341. Spanning the river Tech with an imposing single arch of 45.45 m span length, the Pont du Diable featured at the time of its construction the world's largest bridge arch.The apex of the...
.
Maître d'armes André Gardère
André Gardère
André Gardère was a French fencer. He won a silver medal in the team foil event at the 1936 Summer Olympics.-References:...
was the accountable instructor concerning the choreography
Stage combat
Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other...
of all fencing scenes.
Guy Delorme, who would play Comte de Rochefort
Comte de Rochefort
The Comte de Rochefort is a secondary fictional character in Alexandre Dumas' d'Artagnan Romances. He is described as "around forty or forty-five, fair with a scar across his cheek".-In "The Three Musketeers":...
in Bernard Borderie
Bernard Borderie
Bernard Borderie , son of Raymond Borderie, one of the producers of Les Enfants du Paradis , was a French film director and screenwriter.-Selected filmography:...
's 1961 version of The Three Musketeers appears here as a henchman.
Sabine Sesselmann was dubbed by Gilberte Aubry (as Aurore de Nevers) and Jacqueline Porel (as Isabelle de Caylus).
Cast
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Jean Marais Jean Marais -Biography:A native of Cherbourg, France, Marais starred in several movies directed by Jean Cocteau, for a time his lover, most famously Beauty and the Beast and Orphée .... |
Henri de Lagardère alias le Bossu |
| Bourvil Bourvil André Bourvil, born André Robert Raimbourg was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy, most notably in his collaboration with Louis de Funès in La Grande Vadrouille .-Biography:His father was killed in the First World War before Bourvil was born... |
Passepoil |
| Sabine Sesselmann | Aurore de Nevers Isabelle de Caylus |
| François Chaumette | Philippe de Gonzague |
| Jean Le Poulain | Monsieur de Peyrolles |
| Hubert Noël | Duke Philippe de Nevers |
| Paulette Dubost | Lady Marthe |
| Paul Cambo | Philippe II, Duke of Orléans Philippe II, Duke of Orléans Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres... |
| Edmond Beauchamp Edmond Beauchamp Edmond Beauchamp was a French film actor. He appeared in 70 films between 1928 and 1979.-Selected filmography:* Louise * Futures vedettes *Le Bossu * Le Prussien... |
Don Miguel |
| Georges Douking Georges Douking Georges Douking was a French stage, film, and television actor. He also directed stage plays such as the premier presentation of Jean Giraudoux's Sodom and Gomorrah at the Théâtre Hébertot in 1943. He is perhaps best known for his role in the surreal 1972 comedy The Discreet Charm of the... |
Marquis de Caylus |
| Guy Delorme | henchman |