Jean-Pierre Marielle
Encyclopedia
Jean-Pierre Marielle is a French
actor
. He has played in more than a hundred movies in which he brought life to a very large diversity of roles, from the banal citizen (Les Galettes de Pont-Aven), to the serial killer
(Sans mobile apparent), to the World War II
hero (Les Milles
), to the compromised spy
(La Valise), to the has-been actor
(Les Grands Ducs), acting always with the same excellence whatever the quality of the movie in itself. He is well known for his outspokenness and especially for his warm and cavernous voice which is often imitated by French humorists considering him as the archetype
of the French gentleman.
to an industrialist father and a dressmaker
mother. His first experiences of acting date back to his years of high school
during which he staged some Chekhov
’s plays with his comrades. He initially wanted to study literature
but one of his teachers encouraged him to become an actor instead, so that he joined the Conservatoire National
where became close friends with Jean-Paul Belmondo
and Jean Rochefort
and from where he left with the comedy
second prize in 1954.
.
He obtained a little more consistent roles in the Sixties in movies such as Faites sauter la banque (1963), starring alongside Louis de Funès
, Week end à Zuydcoote (1964) and in particular Un monsieur de compagnie
(1965), where French director Philippe de Broca
gave him the opportunity to express all his talent. But his popularity really exploded during the Seventies as he appeared in a lot of comedies. In La Valise (1974) he played an Israel
i spy having to hide in a trunk in order to be extracted from a country of the Middle East
. Les Gallettes de Pont-Aven (1975), Que la fête commence
(1974) and Coup de Torchon
(1981) confirmed him as a great actor.
One of his best performances, which is also probably his darkest, lies in his wonderful interpretation of a disillusioned and suicidal cop in Les mois d’avril sont meurtriers (1987). The other major role of his career is Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe
in Tous les matins du monde
(1994).
He also made at the same time a brilliant stage career and received the highest French award for a theater actor, the Molière, in 1994. He plays Jacques Sauniere in The Da Vinci Code
(2006). He was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1992.
music and New York City
.
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...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He has played in more than a hundred movies in which he brought life to a very large diversity of roles, from the banal citizen (Les Galettes de Pont-Aven), to the serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
(Sans mobile apparent), to the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero (Les Milles
Les Milles
Les Milles is a village, part of the commune of Aix-en-Provence, in southern France.-See also:* Camp des Milles...
), to the compromised spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
(La Valise), to the has-been actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
(Les Grands Ducs), acting always with the same excellence whatever the quality of the movie in itself. He is well known for his outspokenness and especially for his warm and cavernous voice which is often imitated by French humorists considering him as the archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
of the French gentleman.
Early life
Marielle was born in 1932 in DijonDijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
to an industrialist father and a dressmaker
Dressmaker
A dressmaker is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Also called a mantua-maker or a modiste.-Notable dressmakers:*Cristobal Balenciaga*Charles Frederick Worth...
mother. His first experiences of acting date back to his years of high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
during which he staged some Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
’s plays with his comrades. He initially wanted to study literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
but one of his teachers encouraged him to become an actor instead, so that he joined the Conservatoire National
Conservatoire National
Conservatoire National may refer to one of the following:* Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique , a college for acting, theatre and drama in Paris, France...
where became close friends with Jean-Paul Belmondo
Jean-Paul Belmondo
Jean-Paul Belmondo is a French actor initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s.-Career:Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, west of Paris, Belmondo did not perform well in school, but developed a passion for boxing and football."Did you box professionally very long?" "Not very long...
and Jean Rochefort
Jean Rochefort
Jean Rochefort is a French actor, with a career that has spanned over five decades.Rochefort was born in Paris, France. He was educated at the Lycée Pierre Corneille in Rouen He was 19 years old when he entered the Centre d'Art Dramatique de la rue Blanche. Later he joined the Conservatoire National...
and from where he left with the comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
second prize in 1954.
Career
His early career consisted of stage roles with the Grenier-Hussenot company, notably in Pinter’s plays, and some small appearances on the large screen by the late Fifties, with his particular voice giving him the abilities to play older characters. But disappointed by his first movie roles, he turned a moment to the cabaretCabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
.
He obtained a little more consistent roles in the Sixties in movies such as Faites sauter la banque (1963), starring alongside Louis de Funès
Louis de Funès
Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza was a very popular French actor who is one of the giants of French comedy alongside André Bourvil and Fernandel...
, Week end à Zuydcoote (1964) and in particular Un monsieur de compagnie
Un monsieur de compagnie
Male Companion is a 1964 French film directed by Philippe de Broca and written by André Couteaux. The main character Antione was played by Jean-Pierre Cassel.-Plot:Antoine was raised into the easy life by his very rich grandfather...
(1965), where French director Philippe de Broca
Philippe de Broca
Philippe 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...
gave him the opportunity to express all his talent. But his popularity really exploded during the Seventies as he appeared in a lot of comedies. In La Valise (1974) he played an Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i spy having to hide in a trunk in order to be extracted from a country of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Les Gallettes de Pont-Aven (1975), Que la fête commence
Que la fête commence
Que la fête commence... is a 1975 French film directed by Bertrand Tavernier and starring Philippe Noiret...
(1974) and Coup de Torchon
Coup de Torchon
Coup 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...
(1981) confirmed him as a great actor.
One of his best performances, which is also probably his darkest, lies in his wonderful interpretation of a disillusioned and suicidal cop in Les mois d’avril sont meurtriers (1987). The other major role of his career is Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe
Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe
Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe was a French composer and violist.It is speculated by various scholars that Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe was of Lyonnais or Burgundian petty nobility; and also the selfsame 'Jean de Sainte-Colombe' noted as the father of 'Monsieur de Saint Colombe le fils.This assumption...
in Tous les matins du monde
Tous les matins du monde (film)
Tous les matins du monde is a 1991 French film based on the book of the same name....
(1994).
He also made at the same time a brilliant stage career and received the highest French award for a theater actor, the Molière, in 1994. He plays Jacques Sauniere in The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
(2006). He was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1992.
Personal life
He has been married to French actress Agathe Natanson since October 4, 2003 and has a son from a previous union. He is a great lover of jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Awards
- 1995 : Golden Goblet Award for Best Actor (2nd Shanghai International Film Festival) for the film Les MillesLes MillesLes Milles is a village, part of the commune of Aix-en-Provence, in southern France.-See also:* Camp des Milles...
. - 1992 : Sept d’or Award for Best Actor for the TV film La controverse de valladolid.
- 1987 : Mystfest Award for Best Actor for the film Les mois d’avril sont meurtriers.
Nominations
- 2004 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleCésar Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleList of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Supporting Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-References:...
for the film La Petit Lili. - 1993 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleCésar Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleList of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Supporting Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-References:...
for the film Max & Jeremie. - 1992 – César Award for Best ActorCésar Award for Best ActorThis is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
for the film Tous les matins du mondeTous les matins du monde (film)Tous les matins du monde is a 1991 French film based on the book of the same name....
. - 1989 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleCésar Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleList of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Supporting Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-References:...
for the film Quelques jours avec moiQuelques jours avec moiQuelques jours avec moi is a French film by director Claude Sautet, released in France in 1988. It received three César Award nominations in the 1989 Festival's edition.-Plot:...
. - 1982 – César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleCésar Award for Best Actor in a Supporting RoleList of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Supporting Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-References:...
for the film 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...
. - 1976 – César Award for Best ActorCésar Award for Best ActorThis is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor .-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
for the film Les galettes de Pont-Aven.
Filmography
- Tous peuvent me tuer (1957)
- Faites sauter la banque (1963)
- Sweet and SourSweet and Sour (film)Sweet and Sour is a 1963 French-Italian comedy film directed by Jacques Baratier and starring Guy Bedos.-Cast:* Jean Babilée - Oscar* Guy Bedos - Gerard* Jean-Paul Belmondo - Raymond* Claude Brasseur - Plumber* Françoise Brion - Striptease Girl...
(1963) - Faites sauter la banque!Faites sauter la banque!Faites sauter la banque! , is a French comedy film from 1964, directed by Jean Girault, written by Louis Sapin and Jean Girault, starring Louis de Funès...
(1964) - Week-end à Zuydcoote (1964)
- Un monsieur de compagnie (1965)
- Cent briques et des tuilesCent briques et des tuilesCent briques et des tuiles is a 1965 French film directed by Pierre Grimblat....
(1965) - Monnaie de singe (1965)
- Le Diable par la queue (1968)
- L'Amour c'est gai, l'amour c'est triste (1968)
- Sans mobile apparent (1971)
- 4 mosche di velluto grigio (Four Flies on Grey VelvetFour Flies on Grey VelvetFour Flies on Grey Velvet is a 1971 Italian mystery thriller film, directed by Dario Argento. The screenplay is also by Argento, from a story by him, Luigi Cozzi, Mario Foglietti and Bryan Edgar Wallace .-Plot:...
) (1971) - Comment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichardComment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichardComment réussir quand on est con et pleurnichard is a French comedy film directed by Michel Audiard, released in 1974....
(1973) - La Valise (1973)
- Charlie et ses deux nenettes (1973)
- Que la fête commenceQue la fête commenceQue la fête commence... is a 1975 French film directed by Bertrand Tavernier and starring Philippe Noiret...
(1974) - Dupont Lajoie (1975)
- Les Galettes de Pont-Aven (1975)
- Calmos (Femmes Fatales)CalmosCalmos is a 1976 French film directed by Bertrand Blier.-Plot:Two men, fortyish, worn out by their wives, abandon everything to go and live in the back of beyond. There they meet a truculent priest, a boozer, Émile who recalls them to life's simple pleasures. Calm, that's what they want...
(1976) - Cours après moi que je t'attrape (1976)
- Comme la lune (1976)
- Un Moment d'égarement (1977)
- L'Imprécateur (1977)
- L'Entourloupe (1979)
- Cause toujours...tu m'intéresses (1979)
- Voulez-vous un bébé Nobel ? (1980)
- Pétrole! Pétrole! (1981)
- Asphalte (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...
(1981) - Jamais avant le mariage (1982)
- Signes extérieurs de richesse (1983)
- Partenaires (1984)
- L'Amour en douce (1985)
- Hold-UpHold-Up (film)Hold-Up is a Franco-Canadian crime comedy from 1985, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and directed by Alexandre Arcady. The screenplay by Arcady, Daniel Saint-Hamont and Francis Veber is based on the novel Quick Change by Jay Cronley...
(1985) - Tenue de soirée (1985)
- Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers (1986)
- Quelques jours avec moiQuelques jours avec moiQuelques jours avec moi is a French film by director Claude Sautet, released in France in 1988. It received three César Award nominations in the 1989 Festival's edition.-Plot:...
(1988) - Uranus (1990)
- Tous les matins du mondeTous les matins du monde (film)Tous les matins du monde is a 1991 French film based on the book of the same name....
(1991) - La Controverse de Valladolid (1992)
- Max & Jérémie (1992)
- Le Parfum d'Yvonne (1993)
- Le Sourire (1994)
- Les MillesLes MillesLes Milles is a village, part of the commune of Aix-en-Provence, in southern France.-See also:* Camp des Milles...
(1995) - Les Grands Ducs (1996)
- L'Elève (1996)
- Une pour toutes (1999)
- Les Acteurs (1999)
- La Petite LiliLa Petite LiliLittle Lili is a 2003 French film by French director Claude Miller. The film stars Ludivine Sagnier, Bernard Giraudeau, Nicole Garcia, Julie Depardieu and Jean-Pierre Marielle.-Plot:...
(2002) - Claude Sautet ou la magie invisible (2002)
- Le Grand Charles a disparu (2002)
- Demain on déménage (2004)
- Atomik Circus, le retour de James Bataille (2004)
- GaliléeGalileeGalilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
(2005) - Les Ames grisesLes Âmes grisesLes Âmes grises is a novel by the French author Philippe Claudel. It is a first person narrative which revolves around the murder of a young girl in a small provincial French town near the Western Front in 1917. The book was published in France in 2005 and won the Prix Renaudot...
(2005) - Le Grand MeaulnesLe Grand Meaulnes (film)Le Grand Meaulnes is a 2006 film directed by Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe, based on the classic novel of the same name. The film premiered on October 4, 2006 in France.-Synopsis:The film begins on a night of November 1910...
(2006) - The Da Vinci CodeThe Da Vinci Code (film)The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
(2006) - Let's DanceLet's Dance (2007 film)Faut que ça danse! is a 2007 French-Swiss film directed by Noémie Lvovsky and written by Lvovsky and Florence Seyvos. The film received 3 César Award nominations.-Cast:*Jean-Pierre Marielle as Salomon Bellinsky...
(2007) - Ce que mes yeux ont vu (2007)
- Elles et MoiElles et MoiElles et Moi is a two-part film directed by Bernard Stora. The languages spoken in the film are French and Catalan.- Synopsis :January 1939. The fall of Barcelona declares the defeat of the Spanish Republicans. Five hundred thousand of them choose exile...
(2009) (TV) - RondoRondo (film)Rondo is a 1966 Yugoslavian film by Croatian director Zvonimir Berković. It was filmed in Zagreb, Croatia .-Plot:...
(2009) - Micmacs (2009)
- Pièce montée (2010)