Maurice Cloche facts for kids

Maurice Cloche (born June 17, 1907, died March 20, 1990) was a famous French film director. He also worked as a writer, photographer, and producer for movies. He is best known for his film Monsieur Vincent. This movie won a special Academy Award in 1948 for being the best foreign language film.

Maurice Cloche: A French Film Pioneer

Maurice Cloche was born in Commercy, France. He studied art at famous schools like the École des Beaux-Arts. He then went to the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs. In 1933, he started working in cinema as an actor.

From Actor to Director

Maurice quickly became an artistic director. He then started directing his own short films. In 1937, he created his own film production company. He made his first full-length movie that same year.

His Famous Films

After World War II, Maurice Cloche became well-known. He made many films about important figures in Christian charity. This earned him a reputation as an official Catholic filmmaker.

His most famous film, Monsieur Vincent, was released in 1947. It told the story of Saint Vincent de Paul. The film starred Pierre Fresnay and won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also named the best film in France that year.

Maurice Cloche also made other types of movies. These included spy thrillers and films about social issues. He directed La Cage aux Oiseaux (The Bird Cage). He also made Le Docteur Laennec, which was about the person who invented the stethoscope. Other notable films include Ne de Pere Inconnu (Father Unknown) and La Cage aux Filles (The Girl Cage).

Supporting New Talent

In 1940, Maurice Cloche started a film society. This group helped young, talented people in the film industry. This society later grew into France's top film school. It is now known as the Institute of Advanced Film Studies.

Maurice Cloche also created several documentaries about art. Some of these were Terre d'amour, Symphonie graphique, Alsace, Franche-Comté, and Gothic images.

Later Life

Maurice Cloche's career lasted for over 50 years. He passed away on March 20, 1990, in Bordeaux, France. He was 82 years old and had been ill for a long time.

Selected filmography

• Cease Firing (1934)
• The Ladies in the Green Hats (1937)
• The Little Thing (1938)
• Girl with Grey Eyes (1945)
• The Eleventh Hour Guest (1945)
• Rooster Heart (1946)
• Women's Games (1946)
• Cage of Girls (1949)
• Doctor Laennec (1949)
• The Bread Peddler (1950)
• Domenica (1952)
• The Sparrows of Paris (1953)
• A Missionary (1955)
• Girls of the Night (1958)
• Women's Prison (1958)
• Cocagne (1961)
• The Bread Peddler (1963)
• Agent X-77 Orders to Kill (1966)
• The Viscount (1967)
• The Killer Likes Candy (1968)