Claude Autant-Lara facts for kids

Claude Autant-Lara (born August 5, 1901 – died February 5, 2000) was a French film director, writer for films (screenwriter), set designer, and costume designer. He worked in movies for over 50 years! His career often involved disagreements and strong opinions. Later in his life, when he was in his late 80s, he was chosen to be a member of the European Parliament for a French political party called the National Front.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Claude Autant-Lara was born on August 5, 1901, in a town called Luzarches in France. His father, Édouard Autant, was an architect, and his mother, Louise Lara, was a famous actress. His parents started a cultural group called "Art et Action," which meant Claude grew up around theater and art.

During World War I, his mother's efforts to promote peace made her unpopular, so she moved to London. Claude went with her and studied at Mill Hill School for two years. When he returned to France, he continued his art studies at important schools in Paris, like the École des beaux-arts.

Starting a Film Career

In 1919, when Claude was just 18, he started working in movies. He was hired by filmmaker Marcel L'Herbier to design the sets for a film called Le Carnaval des vérités. He continued to design sets and costumes for L'Herbier. In 1923, he got his first chance to direct a short film called Fait-divers. This film was special because it didn't have any subtitles.

Claude also worked with other famous filmmakers. He was an assistant director for René Clair and designed costumes for Jean Renoir's movie Nana (1926), where he also acted. In 1927–28, he directed another experimental short film, Construire un feu, based on a story by Jack London. For this film, he used a new invention called the hypergonar, which made the movie look wider. This idea later helped create the CinemaScope movie format used in Hollywood!

Hollywood and Return to France

After his experimental film didn't do well, Claude needed money. So, in 1930, he went to Hollywood. There, he worked on French versions of American comedies, including two movies starring the famous comedian Buster Keaton. However, Claude didn't like the American lifestyle very much, and after two years, he returned to France.

His first chance to direct a full-length movie came in 1933 with Ciboulette. This movie was based on an operetta (a light opera). There was some disagreement because the filmmakers changed parts of the original story. Because of this, and because the producers cut and re-edited the film, Claude didn't want his name on it. For almost ten years after this, he mostly worked as a co-director, often without getting credit.

Success During and After World War II

During World War II, when Germany occupied France, Claude Autant-Lara finally got more chances to direct films on his own. He started working with a writer named Jean Aurenche. Between 1942 and 1944, he made three successful films. These were costume dramas (movies set in the past with special clothing), but they still seemed to reflect what was happening in the world at the time. One of these films, Douce, showed some harsh views of wealthy families and religion, which some groups didn't like.

After the war, he had a big international success with Le Diable au corps (1947). Over the next ten years, Claude Autant-Lara had his most successful period. He made many popular movies, often adapting famous books into films set in different historical periods. Some of these included Occupe-toi d'Amélie (1949), Le Blé en herbe (1954), and Le Rouge et le Noir (1954).

However, some younger filmmakers, like François Truffaut, criticized Autant-Lara. They felt that relying on old books for movie plots made French cinema less original. As new ideas in filmmaking, known as the French New Wave, became popular, Autant-Lara's movies started to seem old-fashioned.

Despite this, his 1956 film La Traversée de Paris was very successful. It was one of the first films to show a less heroic view of the German occupation of France during the war. Later films, however, were sometimes seen as being too harsh or critical of society. He became frustrated with critics and producers who didn't want to fund his movies. His last film, Gloria (1977), was mostly ignored. Instead of making more films, he started writing books where he expressed his strong opinions. His memoirs were even titled La Rage dans le cœur ("the rage in the heart").

Political Involvement and Later Years

For much of his career, Claude Autant-Lara was known for speaking his mind and challenging the rules. He often supported ideas that were against the establishment. He was very involved in defending the film industry and worked hard in unions to improve working conditions for people in movies. He also often spoke out against censorship in films.

After facing strong criticism from younger filmmakers and having trouble getting his later films made, he became more critical of what he called "the left." In the late 1980s, he joined the far-right National Front political party. In June 1989, at 87 years old, he was elected to the European Parliament.

At the first meeting of the Parliament in July, as the oldest member, he was given the honor of leading the opening. He used this chance to give a speech that was strongly against America. Many other members of Parliament walked out in protest. In September 1989, a magazine published an interview where Autant-Lara made very controversial and offensive statements. These statements caused a huge scandal. As a result, he was forced to leave his position in the Parliament. He was also removed from the Académie des Beaux-Arts, a respected French arts institution.

After this, he lived quietly in the south of France. He passed away in Antibes on February 5, 2000, at the age of 98. He was buried in the Montmartre Cemetery in Paris.

Personal Life

Claude Autant-Lara married Odette Massonnet in 1926, but they divorced in 1935. He later married Ghislaine Auboin (1915-1967), who worked as an assistant director on many of his films starting in 1942.

Filmography (Director)

• 1923 : Fait Divers (experimental short film)
• 1926-1932 : [Several shorts and medium-length films]
• 1931 : Buster se marie (French version of Buster Keaton film Parlor, Bedroom and Bath) [co-directed with Edward Brophy]
• 1932 : Le Plombier amoureux (French version of The Passionate Plumber with Buster Keaton)
• 1932 : L'Athlète incomplet (French version of Local Boy Makes Good)
• 1933 : Ciboulette; (film version of the operetta Ciboulette)
• 1937 : L'Affaire du courrier de Lyon (The Courier of Lyon) [co-directed with Maurice Lehmann]
• 1938 : Le Ruisseau [co-directed with Maurice Lehmann]
• 1939 : Fric-Frac [co-directed with Maurice Lehmann]
• 1939 : The Mysterious Mr. Davis [in English]
• 1942 : Le Mariage de Chiffon
• 1942 : Lettres d'amour
• 1943 : Douce (Love Story)
• 1946 : Sylvie et le Fantôme (Sylvie and the Ghost)
• 1947 : Le Diable au corps (Devil in the Flesh)
• 1949 : Occupe-toi d'Amélie (Keep an Eye on Amelia)
• 1951 : L'Auberge rouge (The Red Inn) [also screenwriter]
• 1952 : Les Sept Péchés capitaux (The Seven Deadly Sins; segment "L'Orgueil/Pride") [also screenwriter]
• 1953 : Le Bon Dieu sans confession (Good Lord Without Confession) [also screenwriter]
• 1954 : Le Blé en herbe (The Game of Love)
• 1954 : Le Rouge et le Noir (The Red and the Black )
• 1955 : Marguerite de la nuit (Marguerite of the Night)
• 1956 : La Traversée de Paris (Four Bags Full)
• 1958 : Le Joueur (The Gambler)
• 1959 : En cas de malheur (Love Is My Profession)
• 1959 : La Jument verte (The Green Mare)
• 1960 : Les Régates de San Francisco (The Regattas of San Francisco)
• 1960 : Le Bois des amants (Between Love and Duty)
• 1961 : Tu ne tueras point (Thou Shalt Not Kill)
• 1961 : Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Story of the Count of Monte Cristo)
• 1961 : Vive Henri IV... vive l'amour!
• 1963 : Le Meurtrier (Enough Rope)
• 1964 : Le Magot de Josefa (Josefa's Loot)
• 1965 : Humour noir (Black Humor; segment "La Bestiole")
• 1965 : Journal d'une femme en blanc (A Woman in White)
• 1966 : Nouveau journal d'une femme en blanc
• 1967 : Le Plus Vieux Métier du monde (The Oldest Profession; segment "Aujourd'hui")
• 1967 : Le Franciscain de Bourges
• 1969 : Les Patates
• 1973-74 : Lucien Leuwen (TV mini-series based on novel by Stendhal)
• 1977 : Gloria

Books by Autant-Lara

Claude Autant-Lara also wrote several books:

• 1981 : Télémafia
• 1984 : La Rage dans le cœur ("The Rage in the Heart")
• 1985 : Hollywood Cake-Walk 1930-1932
• 1987 : Les Fourgons du malheur
• 1989 : Le Bateau coule : discours de réception à l'Académie des Beaux-arts
• 1990 : Le Coq et le Rat: chronique cinématographique du XXe siècle

See also

In Spanish: Claude Autant-Lara para niños