Jacques Prévert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacques Prévert
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Jacques Prévert in 1961
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| Born | 4 February 1900 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Died | 11 April 1977 (aged 77) Omonville-la-Petite, France |
| Occupation | Poet, screenwriter |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Literary movement | Surrealism, symbolism |
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Jacques Prévert (born February 4, 1900 – died April 11, 1977) was a famous French poet and writer for films. His poems became very popular, especially in French schools. Many of his best films were part of a style called poetic realism. This style mixed everyday life with a dream-like feeling. One of his most famous films is Les Enfants du Paradis (1945). He published his first book of poems in 1946.
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Life and Early Years
Jacques Prévert was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a town near Paris, France. He grew up in the city of Paris. After finishing his primary school education, he received a certificate called the Certificat d'études. This was like a diploma for elementary school. He then left school and started working at Le Bon Marché, a big department store in Paris.
In 1918, he had to join the military during the First World War. After the war, he was sent to the Near East to help protect French interests there.
Prévert passed away from lung cancer in Omonville-la-Petite, France, on April 11, 1977. At the time, he was working on the final part of an animated movie called Le Roi et l'Oiseau (The King and the Mockingbird). He was working with his friend and helper, Paul Grimault. When the movie came out in 1980, it was dedicated to Prévert. On the first night the film was shown, Grimault left the seat next to him empty to honor his friend.
His Amazing Poetry
When Jacques Prévert was in primary school, he didn't like writing much at first. But later, he became a big part of the Surrealist movement. This was a group of artists and writers who explored dreams and imagination in their work. He also joined a group called the Rue du Château, with other writers like Raymond Queneau.
Prévert was also part of a theater group called Groupe Octobre. This group used plays and films to share ideas and encourage people to take action. He helped make movies that supported ideas of fairness and helping ordinary people. Prévert always believed in these ideas throughout his life. For example, in 1971, he wrote a poem to support Angela Davis, a civil rights activist, after she was arrested.
Prévert's poems were put together and published in several books. Some of his famous collections include Paroles (Words) (1946), Spectacle (1951), and Histoires (Stories) (1963). His poems often talk about life in Paris and what life was like after the Second World War.
His poems are widely taught in schools across France. They also appear in French language textbooks all over the world. Some poems, like "Déjeuner du Matin" (Breakfast), are even taught in French classes in other countries. This helps students learn basic French words and phrases.
Many of Prévert's poems were turned into songs. Famous musicians like Joseph Kosma and Germaine Tailleferre set his words to music. Singers such as Yves Montand and Édith Piaf performed these songs. Even American singers like Joan Baez and Nat King Cole sang his poems. One very famous song is "Les feuilles mortes" ("Autumn Leaves"). In 1961, the French singer Serge Gainsbourg even wrote a song to honor "Les feuilles mortes."
Prévert's poems have been translated into many languages around the world. This means people everywhere can enjoy his words.
Films and Screenplays
Jacques Prévert wrote many screenplays for the film director Marcel Carné. A screenplay is the script for a movie, including the dialogue and scene descriptions. Some of their well-known films include Quai des brumes (Port of Shadows, 1938) and Le Jour se lève (Daybreak, 1939).
One of their most famous movies was Children of Paradise (Les Enfants du Paradis, 1945). This film is often considered one of the best movies ever made. It even earned Prévert a special award nomination for best original screenplay.
Prévert's poems also inspired films. For example, his poem about the River Seine was used for the film The Seine Meets Paris (1957). A singer read the poem as the story for the film.
Prévert worked closely with Paul Grimault for a long time. Grimault was also a member of the Groupe Octobre. Together, they wrote scripts for many animated movies. Their first animated short film was "The Little Soldier" (1947). They continued to work together until Prévert's death in 1977. At that time, they were finishing The King and the Mocking Bird. A new version of this film was released in 1980.
Prévert also adapted several stories by Hans Christian Andersen into animated or mixed live-action and animated movies. He often changed the original tales a bit to make them his own.
Selected Filmography
Prévert wrote the stories and sometimes the dialogue for these films:
- Baleydier (1932)
- Ciboulette (1933)
- Le Crime de monsieur Lange (1936)
- 27 Rue de la Paix (1936)
- Moutonnet (1936)
- Drôle de drame (1937)
- Quai des brumes (1938)
- Ernest the Rebel (1938)
- Les Disparus de Saint-Agil (1938)
- Le Jour se lève (1939)
- The Mysterious Mr. Davis (1939)
- Remorques (1941)
- Les Visiteurs du soir (1942)
- A Woman in the Night (1943)
- Summer Light (1943)
- Goodbye Leonard (1943)
- Les Enfants du paradis (1945)
- Les Portes de la nuit (1945)
- The Bellman (1945)
- Le Petit Soldat (The Little Soldier) (short animated film, 1947), with Paul Grimault, based on The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Lovers of Verona (1949)
- La Bergère et le ramoneur (The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep) (animated film, 1953), with Paul Grimault, based on a tale by Hans Christian Andersen. This was later finished as Le Roi et l'oiseau.
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1956)
- Le Petit Claus et le Grand Claus, by Pierre Prévert, based on the tale Little Claus and Big Claus by Hans Christian Andersen (live action and animation, 1964)
- Le diamant (The diamond) (short animated film, 1970), with Paul Grimault
- Le Chien mélomane (The Music-Loving Dog) (short animated film, 1973), with Paul Grimault
- Le Roi et l'oiseau (animated film, 1980), with Paul Grimault
See also
In Spanish: Jacques Prévert para niños
