Pierre Boulle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierre Boulle
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| Born | Pierre François Marie Louis Boulle 20 February 1912 Avignon, France |
| Died | 30 January 1994 (aged 81) Paris, France |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | French |
| Period | 1950–1992 |
| Notable works | The Bridge over the River Kwai Planet of the Apes |
Pierre Boulle (born February 20, 1912 – died January 30, 1994) was a famous French writer. He is best known for two amazing books: The Bridge over the River Kwai (1952) and Planet of the Apes (1963). Both of these books were turned into very successful, award-winning movies.
Pierre Boulle was an engineer who worked as a secret agent during World War II. He was part of the Free French forces in Singapore. He was captured and forced to work for two years. These tough experiences inspired his book The Bridge over the River Kwai. This book was about the terrible Death Railway.
The movie based on his book, called The Bridge on the River Kwai, won seven Oscars. Pierre Boulle was given credit for the movie's script. This happened because the real writers could not be named. They were "blacklisted," meaning they were not allowed to work in Hollywood at the time.
His science fiction novel Planet of the Apes tells a story where smart apes rule over humans. This book became a huge hit. It led to a series of nine award-winning movies, TV shows, magazines, and popular toys.
Contents
Pierre Boulle's Early Life and Career
Pierre Boulle was born in Avignon, France. He was raised as a Catholic, but later in life, he became an agnostic. This means he believed we cannot know if God exists.
He went to a top engineering school called École supérieure d'électricité (Supélec). He earned his engineering degree in 1933. From 1936 to 1939, he worked on British rubber farms in Malaya.
World War II Experiences
When World War II began, Boulle joined the French army. After Germany took over France, he joined the Free French Mission in Singapore. He supported Charles de Gaulle, a leader who fought against the German occupation.
Boulle worked as a secret agent using the name Peter John Rule. He helped the resistance in China, Burma, and French Indochina. In 1943, he was captured by French groups loyal to Germany. He faced harsh conditions and forced labor.
After the war, he received several important awards. These included the chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur, the Croix de Guerre, and the Médaille de la Résistance. He wrote about his war experiences in a non-fiction book called My Own River Kwai.
Life After the War
After the war, Boulle worked in the rubber industry again for a short time. But in 1949, he moved back to Paris to become a writer. He lived with his sister, Madeleine Perrusset, who helped him.
The Bridge over the River Kwai
In Paris, Pierre Boulle used his war memories to write Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï (1952). This book was translated as The Bridge over the River Kwai. It sold millions of copies worldwide and won the French "Prix Sainte-Beuve" award.
The book was a fictional story based on real events. It showed the suffering of Allied POWs. These prisoners were forced to build a 415 km (258 mi) railway. This railway became known as the "Death Railway". About 16,000 prisoners and 100,000 Asian workers died building it.
The movie The Bridge on the River Kwai, directed by David Lean, won seven Oscars in 1957. This included Best Picture and Best Actor for Alec Guinness. Pierre Boulle himself won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. This was surprising because he did not write the script and did not even speak English.
The actual screenwriters, Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, were "blacklisted." This meant they were not allowed to work in Hollywood because of their political beliefs. So, Boulle was given the credit. Later, in 1984, the Motion Picture Academy added Foreman's and Wilson's names to the award.
Planet of the Apes
In 1963, Boulle published his other famous novel, La planète des singes. It was translated as Monkey Planet and later as Planet of the Apes. The book received great reviews. For example, Guardian newspaper called it "Classic science fiction... full of suspense and satirical intelligence."
The story is set in the year 2500. A group of astronauts travels to a planet near the star Betelgeuse. They find a strange world where intelligent apes are the rulers. Humans are like wild animals. They are kept in zoos, used in experiments, and hunted for fun. The story follows Ulysse Mérou, a journalist. He is captured and tries to survive. The book has a shocking ending when he returns to Earth. The novel also makes you think about science, evolution, and how humans and animals relate.
Film Adaptations and Impact
In 1968, the book was made into an Oscar-winning film. It was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starred Charlton Heston. The movie's script was different from the book. It focused more on action and had its own famous twist ending.
This first movie led to four sequels. It also inspired a television series, an animated series, and a 2001 remake by Tim Burton. In 2011, a new series of movies began with Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
The first five movies (1968–1973) became very popular. Pierre Boulle thought his book could not be made into a movie. He was surprised by the huge success of the film. He even wrote a script for a sequel, but it was not used. The second movie, Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), was also very successful. It was followed by Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973).
In 1973, the first movie was shown on TV. This led to a huge increase in toys and other products related to the films. People called it 'Apemania'. In 1974, Marvel Comics released a magazine based on the story. A TV series also started in 1974, and an animated series in 1975.
Pierre Boulle's Other Works
Pierre Boulle wrote many other novels and short stories. Some of his other books were also made into films or TV shows. For example, the French film Le Point de mire (1977) was based on his novel Le Photographe.
Another film is being made based on his spy thriller A Noble Profession. This book is partly based on Boulle's own experiences as a secret agent during World War II.
Death
Pierre Boulle passed away in Paris, France, on January 30, 1994. He was 81 years old.
Works
Novels
- William Conrad (1950)
- Le Sacrilège malais (1951)
- Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï (1952; The Bridge over the River Kwai)
- Le Bourreau (1954; The Executioner)
- L'Épreuve des hommes blancs (1955; The Test)
- La Face (1956; Saving Face)
- Les Voies du salut (1958; The Other Side of the Coin)
- Un métier de seigneur (1960; A Noble Profession)
- La Planète des singes (1963; Planet of the Apes)
- Le Jardin de Kanashima (1964; Garden on the Moon)
- Le Photographe (1967; The Photographer)
- Les Jeux de l'esprit (1971; Desperate Games)
- Les Oreilles de jungle (1972; Ears of the Jungle) - a story about the Vietnam war
- Les Vertus de l'enfer (1974; The Virtues of Hell)
- Le Bon Léviathan (1978; The Good Leviathan)
- Les Coulisses du Ciel (1979; Trouble in Paradise)
- L'Énergie du désespoir (1981)
- Miroitements (1982; Mirrors of the Sun)
- La Baleine des Malouines (1983; The Falklands Whale)
- Pour l'amour de l'art (1985)
- Le Professeur Mortimer (1988)
- Le Malheur des uns... (1990)
- À nous deux, Satan ! (1992)
- L'Archéologue et le Mystère de Néfertiti (2005; published after his death)
Short Story Collections
- Contes de l'absurde (1953)
- E=mc2 (1957)
- Histoires charitables (1965)
- Time Out of Mind: And Other Stories (1966)
- Quia absurdum: sur la Terre comme au Ciel (1966; Because It Is Absurd: On Earth as It Is in Heaven)
- Histoires perfides (1976; The Marvelous Palace And Other Stories)
- L'Enlèvement de l'obélisque (2007; published after his death)
Non-fiction
- Le Siam (Walt Disney) (1955; Walt Disney's Siam)
- L'étrange croisade de l'empereur Frédéric II (1963)
- Aux sources de la rivière Kwaï (1966; My Own River Kwai)—his memories
- L'univers ondoyant (1987)
- L'îlon (1990)—his memories
See also
In Spanish: Pierre Boulle para niños
