Marcel Carné
French director of poetic realism and cinematic classics.
Marcel Albert Carné, a French film director, was a central figure in the poetic realism movement. He is best remembered for *Port of Shadows* (1938), *Le Jour Se Lève* (1939), *Les Visiteurs du Soir* (1942), and *Children of Paradise* (1945), the last of which is often named among the greatest films ever made.
Carné was born in Paris to a cabinet maker; his mother died when he was five. He started out as a film critic, editing the weekly *Hebdo-Films* and writing for *Cinémagazine* and *Cinémonde* from 1929 to 1933. During this time, he also worked as a camera assistant on silent films for director Jacques Feyder. By age 25, he had directed his first short, *Nogent, Eldorado du dimanche* (1929). He continued assisting Feyder and René Clair on several projects, including *La kermesse héroïque* (1935).
When Feyder went to work for Alexander Korda in England, he arranged for Carné to take over his project *Jenny* (1936). This film launched a long collaboration with surrealist poet and screenwriter Jacques Prévert. Together, they created their most famous works, which were fatalistic tragedies central to the poetic realism movement. Critic Ginette Vincendeau noted that the movement’s greatest classics are likely Carné’s *Le Quai des brumes* and *Le Jour Se Lève*.
During the German occupation of France, Carné worked in the Vichy zone, subtly resisting the regime’s attempts to control art. Several members of his team, including composer Joseph Kosma and set designer Alexandre Trauner, were Jewish. Under these difficult conditions, they made *Les Enfants du paradis* (*Children of Paradise*), released after the Liberation. In the late 1990s, a poll of 600 French critics and professionals voted it the best French film of the century. After the war, Carné and Prévert followed this with the most expensive French film production up to that time, *Les Portes de la nuit*. It was a critical and commercial failure and marked the end of their collaboration.
By the 1950s, Carné’s reputation declined. Critics from *Cahiers du cinéma*, who later became the New Wave filmmakers, dismissed him, crediting Prévert alone for the films’ success. Apart from the 1958 hit *Young Sinners* (*Les Tricheurs*), Carné’s postwar films had uneven success and often faced harsh criticism from the press and film industry. In 1958, he served as head of the jury at the 6th Berlin International Fi
- born
- 18 August 1906
- died
- 31 October 1996
- field
- Film director
- nationality
- French
- known_for
- Poetic realism films, including Children of Paradise
Lore & Background
Born in Paris, 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 Hebdo-Films and working for Cinémagazine and Cinémonde between 1929 and 1933. In the same period he worked in silent film as a camera assistant with director Jacques Feyder. By age 25, Carné had already directed his first short film, Nogent, Eldorado du dimanche (1929). He assisted Feyder and René Clair on several films through to La kermesse héroïque (1935).
Feyder accepted an invitation to work in England for Alexander Korda, making it possible for Carné to take over his project, Jenny (1936), as its director. This marked the beginning of a successful collaboration with surrealist poet and screenwriter Jacques Prévert, lasting more than a dozen years. Under the German occupation of France during World War II, Carné worked in the Vichy zone where he subverted the regime's attempts to control art; several of his team were Jewish. Under difficult conditions they made Carné's most highly regarded film, Children of Paradise (1945), released after the Liberation of France.
Reader's Guide
Marcel Carné was a central figure in the poetic realism movement, known for fatalistic tragedies. His collaboration with Jacques Prévert produced some of the most celebrated French films of the 1930s and 1940s, including Le Quai des brumes and Le Jour Se Lève. Children of Paradise, made under the German occupation, was voted 'Best French Film of the Century' in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals in the late 1990s. After the war, Carné and Prévert's Les Portes de la nuit was a critical and box-office failure, ending their collaboration. By the 1950s, Carné's reputation declined; critics of Cahiers du cinéma dismissed him, placing his films' merits solely with Prévert. His postwar films met with uneven success, though Young Sinners (1958) was a hit. Carné served as Head of the Jury at the 6th Berlin International Film Festival in 1958. His 1971 film Law Breakers was entered into the 7th Moscow International Film Festival. He made his last film in 1976. Carné died in 1996 in Clamart, Hauts-de-Seine, and was buried in the Cimetière Saint-Vincent in Montmartre.
Did You Know?
- Carné began his career as a film critic, becoming editor of the weekly publication Hebdo-Films.
- Children of Paradise was voted 'Best French Film of the Century' in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals.
- Carné supposedly was homosexual; his one-time partner was Roland Lesaffre, who appeared in many of his films.
- He attempted one more film, Mouche, in 1992, but became ill during early production and financing was withdrawn.
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