Jean Gabin - a star of French cinema 1950-1970, remembered by many roles, especially Commissioner Megreet in the films of the same name. On account of Jean Gabin more than 120 film works, 2 silver bears for an excellent game, the Cesar Award and many other awards. The actor played the roles of both romantic, modest heroes, and strong personalities, both aristocrats and farmers, so thieves and detectives.
Biography of Jean Gabin
Jean Gabin (Jean Alexy Montcorge) was born on May 17, 1904 in Paris, but grew up in a small village north of the city. His parents, Madeleine Petit and Ferdinand Montcorge, were cabaret artists with the stage name "Gabin", so at the age of 15, Jean had already made his debut in "Moulin Rouge". He was the youngest child of seven children.
At a young age, Jean Gabin entered the Lyceum of Jeanson de Sayy, but soon got a job as a handyman without having finished school. At age 19, Jean decides to connect his life with show business. Jean Gabin played in the theater, was a singer and dancer on stage, until World War I broke out and Jean was not drafted into the army. At the end of the war, Gabin returned to the creative sphere, trying himself in various dramatic and serious roles. Jean Gabin played in the operettas La Dame en Decolette and Trois Jeunes Filles Nues.
Creativity and the best films of Jean Gabin
In 1928, Jean Gabin appeared in silent films, and two years later in the first sound films. At first, Gabin played minor roles, however, in 1934, after the release of the film "Maria Chapdelen, " Jean drew attention to himself as a talented and capable actor.
In 1936, thanks to his role as Pierre Gillette in the film "The Battalion of a Foreign Legion, " Jean Gabin woke up famous.
The subsequent work of Jean Gabin dealt with serious roles, including the crime drama Pepe le Moco (1936), the military masterpiece Great Illusions (1937), the film adaptation of Emil Zol’s book and the drama Man the Beast (1938), the feature film Quay of the Mists "(1938).
When the Second World War began and the Germans occupied France, Jean Gabin left the country and flew to the United States, where he began an affair with Marlene Dietrich. He starred in two Hollywood films "The Full Moon" (1942) and "The Pretender" (1944). However, its controversial and complex nature led to the fact that Jean Gabin was on the black list of American cinema. The actor returns to France, joining the army and becoming a participant in the North African campaign, for which later Jean Gabin will receive the Order of the Military Cross for displaying courage.
When the war ended, Jean Gabin returned to film production and starred in a number of films that were unsuccessful in the audience and turned out to be a failure.
Fame returned to the actor after the release of the gangster film directed by Jacques Becker "Do not Touch the Prey" in 1954. This film has become an international hit on the list of films by Jean Gabin. The actor secured his place as a world star after the successful release of the comedy musical "French Cancan" in the same year and "Time of the Killers" in 1956.
Jean Gabin became choosy in the choice of actors, colleagues on the set and refused to work with those who were more famous and popular than himself.
Successful films released with the participation of Jean Gabin:
- The historical drama Les Miserables (1958);
- a series of detective films "Megre" (the first film was released in 1958);
- thriller "President" (1961);
- comedy "Monsieur" (1964);
- melodrama "Thunder of Heaven" (1965);
- comedy with Louis De Funes "Tattooed" (1968);
- the drama "The Cat" (1971);
- drama with Alain Delon "Two in the City" (1973).
