11 GREAT FRENCH FILM STARS

By: Kenji

Far from including all their films which are on mubi, i’ve gone for sizeable samples. Suggestions welcome for any films not included which may best represent them. So many names: Musidora, Arletty, Raimu, Michel Simon, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Brigitte Bardot, Michèle Morgan, Simone Simon, Danielle Darrieux, Francoise Fabian, Julien Carette, Stéphane Audran, Annie Girardot, Jeanne Moreau, Max Linder, Fanny Ardant, Michel Piccoli, Romain Duris, Emmanuelle Béart, Jean Marais, Josette Day, Pierre Brasseur, Nathalie Baye, Sacha Guitry, Jean Reno, Jean Rochefort, Louis Jouvet, Fernandel, Marie Rivière, Virginie Ledoyen, Mathieu Amalric, Juliette Binoche, Louis Garrel, Ludivigne Sagnier, Béatrice Dalle, Jean Yanne, Emmanuelle Riva.. Anyway, here’s an 11 that would be a vast improvement on the French football world cup team. And dare i say, if i added another 4 stars, on the Rugby XV that somehow found itself in the WC final.

the team:

Bonnaire agile in goal: Trintignant and Signoret at full back, Depardieu and Noiret in central defence; Gabin as central midfield general, Huppert and Auteuil creative midfield, Adjani on the wing, Deneuve and Delon up front (glamorous goalscorers)

JEAN GABIN

Belle Equipe
Pépé le Moko
Grand Illusion
Quai des Brumes
La Bete Humaine
Le Jour se Leve
Remorques
The Walls of Malapaga
Le Plaisir
Grisbi
French Cancan
Any Number Can Win

SIMONE SIGNORET

Back Streets of Paris
La Ronde
Casque d’Or
Thérese Raquin
Diabolique
Room at the Top
Army of Shadows
Madame Rosa

JEAN- LOUIS TRINTIGNANT
And God Created Woman
A Man and a Woman
Trans Europ Express
The Great Silence
My Night with Maud
Z
The Conformist
Red
A Self Made Hero
Amour

PHILIPPE NOIRET

La Pointe Courte
Zazie dans le Métro
La Grande Bouffe
The Clockmaker of St Paul
Le Vieux Fusil
Le Juge et l’Assassin
Three Brothers
Coup de Torchon
Cinema Paradiso
Life and Nothing But
Il Postino

ALAIN DELON

Purple Noon
Rocco and his Brothers
Eclipse
The Leopard
Any Number Can Win
Le Samourai
Red Circle
Mr Klein

CATHERINE DENEUVE

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Repulsion
Belle de Jour
Tristana
The Last Metro
Indochine
My Favourite Season
Time Regained
Night Wind
Dancer in the Dark
I’m Going Home
8 Women
Um Filme Falado
Kings and Queen
A Christmas Tale

GÉRARD DEPARDIEU

Going Places
1900
Get Out Your Handkerchiefs
Mon Oncle d’Amérique
Loulou
The Last Metro
The Return of Martin Guerre
Danton
Jean de Florette
Under Satan’s Sun
Camille Claudel
Cyrano de Bergerac
All the Mornings of the World
Le Garcu
The Closet

ISABELLE HUPPERT

Going Places
The Judge and the Assassin
The Lacemaker
Violette Noziere
Heaven’s Gate
Loulou
Coup de Torchon
Passion
Entre Nous
The Story of Women
Amateur
La Cérémonie
The Piano Teacher
8 Women
Gabrielle
White Material
Amour

ISABELLE ADJANI

The Story of Adele H
The Tenant
Violette & Francois
The Driver
Nosferatu
Possession
Deadly Run
One Deadly Summer
Subway
Camille Claudel
Queen Margot
Bon Voyage

SANDRINE BONNAIRE
A Nos Amours
Vagabond
Monsieur Hire
La Captive du Désert
Jeanne la Pucelle
La Cérémonie
Secret Défense
East-West

DANIEL AUTEUIL

Jean de Florette
Manon des Sources
Un Coeur en Hiver
My Favourite Season
Queen Margot
The Eighth Day
Le Bossu
The Girl on the Bridge
The Closet
The Adversary
Hidden
Conversations with my Gardener