Maurice Chevalier 9.18

[MyFavoriteFilms]

Thank heaven for these fun films tonight:

 

*GIGI*

*LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON*

*MAN ABOUT TOWN*

*THE MERRY WIDOW*

*JESSICA*

 

I didn't realize he had been blacklisted. He had a very interesting career and really did not become a big Hollywood movie star till he was past 40.

[brackenhe]

Wasn't he blacklisted for returning to France during the war and appearing in Nazi sanctioned productions? I understand that he was more or less blackmailed into doing that though. He had a big comeback in the 1950's.

 

He had been quite popular in France for 20 years before appearing in any Hollywood films (at least I read that today while perusing one of my movie books.)

[MyFavoriteFilms]

I think what surprised me is that I didn't know any Europeans were blacklisted in Hollywood (especially, since most of them were escaping the Nazis, against Fascism and probably not pro-Communist). I guess Chevalier was the exception to the rule.

 

What I read is that he had signed some document in Europe, some political document, and U.S. officials (namely McCarthy and his cohorts) excoriated him for that. As a result, Chevalier was denied entrance back into the United States. He did not work again in a Hollywood production until Billy Wilder cast him in LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON. The movie was filmed in Europe, not in the U.S.

 

At this point, he had another major career renaissance, turning out quite a few films for the next ten years. His last contribution was for vocals on Disney's THE ARISTOCATS in 1970, a year before his death at 82 or 83.

[scottman1932]

I really like his early Paramount films too: THE LOVE PARADE (1929), PARAMOUNT ON PARADE (1930), THE SMILING LIEUTENANT (1931), LOVE ME TONIGHT (1932), ONE HOUR WITH YOU (1932), and BEDTIME STORY (1933).

[Kinokima]

Same I wish they had played more of these films at least to show a greater range to his career.

[MyFavoriteFilms]

Many of those early films are on a Criterion Collection devoted to Ernst Lubitsch. The prints are in fantastic condition. Netflix offers them.

[DownGoesFrazier]

But he had left Hollywood in disgust in the mid-'30s. This had nothing to do with being blacklisted.

[MyFavoriteFilms]

But the blacklisting happened in the late 40s/early 50s, when he was trying to come back to the U.S. for employment.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Did he come back for LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON?

[DownGoesFrazier]

Did he come back for LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON?

[MyFavoriteFilms]

He did LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON in Europe...but it is technically an American film, financed by a Hollywood studio.

[bklynrose]

I fell asleep after Gigi I love Maurice's voice and can hear him singing, Thank Heaven for Little Girls right now. I was so mad I fell asleep and didn't get to see Love in the Afternoon. I need to start recording these movies. There are songs from musicals that just stick in your head this morning it was Old Man River from Showboat wow what a great song it pierces your heart and soul. And yesterday South Pacific was on great music there to. Well I'm sure many of you can relate to what I mean, they don't make them like they use to.

cat

[MyFavoriteFilms]

In addition to being on DVD, the movie LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON will screen again on TCM in early December. December 5th to be exact.

[Kinokima]

> {quote:title=MyFavoriteFilms wrote:}{quote}

> Many of those early films are on a Criterion Collection devoted to Ernst Lubitsch. The prints are in fantastic condition. Netflix offers them.

 

I am not relying on TCM specifically to see any of his films (and I have already seen a lot of his early films with Lubitsch and Love Me Tonight which was directed by Mamoulian).

 

I just think a dedication to Maurice Chevalier would have been better with some more of his earlier films personally. It's not a complaint just my personal opinion. Maybe TCM could not get them though which I completely understand.