Yves Montand started his career as an actor in an uncredited role in the 1941 French Film ‘La Prière aux étoiles’. While performing on stage in Paris, he was noticed by superstar Edith Piaf, who offered him a supporting role in her drama film ‘Star Without Light’ (‘Étoile sans lumière’) in 1946. The same year, he had his first role as a leading man in the mystery drama film ‘Gates of the Night’ (‘Les portes de la nuit’), which unfortunately failed at the box office. He had another starring role in the 1948 drama film ‘L'idole’, followed by an appearance in the segment ‘Le violon’ of the film ‘Lost Souvenirs’ (‘Souvenirs perdus’, 1950). The following year, he voiced a singing commentator in the crime comedy film ‘The Red Inn’ (‘L'auberge rouge’), and made a couple cameo appearances in the French-Italian comedy film ‘Paris Is Always Paris’ (‘Parigi è sempre Parigi’) and the French musical comedy film ‘Paris Still Sings’ (‘Paris chante toujours!’).
Yves Montand’s first big success as an actor came in the lead role of Mario Livi in Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1953 suspense thriller ‘Le salaire de la peur’ (‘The Wages of Fear’). The next year, he played the lead character in one of the segments of the Italian comedy film ‘Tempi Nostri’ (‘The Anatomy of Love’). In 1955, he starred in the French-West German drama film ‘Les héros sont fatigués’ (‘Heroes and Sinners’) and the French-Italian fantasy drama film ‘Marguerite de la nuit’, apart from playing a minor role in the French historical epic film ‘Napoléon’. Next year, he starred opposite his wife, French actress Simone Signoret, in the short film ‘Un matin comme les autres’. The couple again paired onscreen in the 1957 Franco-East German film ‘The Crucible’ (‘Les Sorcières de Salem’), an adaptation of Arthur Miller's play which the two had previously performed on stage. That year he also played the lead roles in the Italian romance drama film ‘The Wide Blue Road’ (‘La grande strada azzurra’) and the French-Italian neorealistic drama film ‘The Wolves’ (‘Uomini e lupi’). He next starred in the French-Italian comedy film ‘Premier mai’ (1958) and had a major role in another French-Italian film, ‘The Law’ (‘La legge’, 1959).
Yves Montand, who performed in two successful Broadway one-man musical shows despite speaking little English, was roped in by 20th Century Fox to star opposite American sensation Marilyn Monroe in one of her last films, the musical comedy ‘Let's Make Love’ (1960). Even though he recited his line phonetically, he was subsequently offered three more Hollywood movies: ‘Sanctuary’ (1961), ‘Goodbye Again’ (1961) and ‘My Geisha’ (1962). He next appeared alongside Signoret in the 1965 French mystery film ‘The Sleeping Car Murder’ (‘Compartiment tueurs’). In 1966, he portrayed champion race car driver in the big budget American sports drama ‘Grand Prix’, appeared in the ensemble cast French-American epic black-and-white war film ‘Is Paris Burning?’ and starred in the French-Swedish drama film ‘The War Is Over’ (‘La Guerre est finie’). In the following years, he acted in several French films like ‘Live for Life’ (1967), ‘Mr. Freedom’ (1968), ‘One Night... a Train’ (1968) and ‘The Devil by the Tail’ (1969).
Yves Montand teamed up with Greek-French director Costa-Gavras for a number of politically charged but widely acclaimed films such as ‘Z’ (1969), ‘The Confession’ (‘L'aveu’, 1970), ‘State of Siege’ (‘État de Siège’, 1973) and ‘Special Section’ (‘Section spéciale’, 1975), which established him as a serious dramatic performer. In the meantime, he co-starred in the French-Italian crime thriller ‘Le Cercle Rouge’ and appeared in his final American film, the fantasy musical comedy ‘On a Clear Day You Can See Forever’, both in 1970. His other notable films throughout the decade included the French comedy ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ (‘La folie des grandeurs’, 1971), the French-Italian political drama ‘Tout Va Bien’, the French romance-drama ‘César et Rosalie’ (1972), the French drama ‘Le fils’ (1973), the 1974 French-Italian dramas ‘Chance and Violence’ (‘Le hasard et la violence’) and ‘Vincent, François, Paul and the Others’, the adventure comedy ‘Lovers Like Us’ (‘Le sauvage’, 1975), the crime-thriller ‘Police Python 357’ (1976), the comedy ‘The Big Operator’ (‘Le grand escogriffe’, 1976), the French-Canadian crime-drama ‘La Menace’ (1977), the drama films ‘Roads to the South’ (‘Les routes du sud’, 1978) and ‘Womanlight’ (‘Clair de femme’, 1979), and the French thriller ‘I... For Icarus’ (‘I... comme Icare’, 1979).
Yves Montand continued to appear in starring roles in the crime film ‘Choice of Arms’ (‘Le Choix des armes’, 1981), the comedy film ‘All Fired Up’ (‘Tout feu, tout flamme’, 1982), and the romantic drama ‘Waiter!’ (‘Garçon!’, 1983). In 1986, he earned high praise for his performances in Claude Berri’s film adaptations of two novels by Marcel Pagnol: ‘Jean de Florette’ and its sequel, ‘Manon des sources’ (‘Manon of the Spring’). Montand played himself in the 1988 pseudo-biographical romantic musical film ‘Three Seats for the 26th’ (‘Trois places pour le 26’), which was loosely based on his own life. Following another lead role in the 1991 French-Italian-Swiss thriller ‘Netchaïev est de retour’, he died of a heart attack on the final shooting day of the French drama film ‘IP5: L'île aux pachydermes’ (1992).
A prominent politician is assassinated during a demonstration, and soon, things get even more complicated when it seems that the government as well as the military is trying to hide something.
Le Cercle Rouge is a crime drama thriller film which tells the story of Corey, a French criminal who gets released from prison. He resolves to never return to the world of crime, but he is pulled back into the underworld, after having a chance encounter with an escaped murderer named Vogel. They plan a jewel heist along with a former cop and an alcoholic.
This war adventure comedy film, takes us to the time of the Second World War. The story revolves around a group of US soldiers who obtain information about gold worth millions hidden on enemy soil, from a drunk German officer. Therefore, they come up with a plan to steal the treasure for themselves.
The most courageous drivers in the world have gathered to compete for the 1966 Formula One championship. However, due a wreck in the first race, Pete Aron, an American race car driver is dropped by his sponsor. As he does not want to quit, he decides to join a Japanese racing team. Meanwhile, he is also having problems in his personal life, as he is having a love affair with the wife of an ex-teammate.
Squarcio is a fisherman who lives with his family on a small Italian island. He is struggling against harsh living conditions, and things only get worse due to scarcity of fish. Although the other fishermen use nets for fishing, he fishes illegally with bombs. This angers the villagers as well as the other fishermen.
Originally released in the USA as Where the Hot Wind Blows, this French-Italian movie is set in an Italian fishing village ruled by a petty crook. At the center of the story is a pretty girl called Marietta, who is desired by all. The tale takes a different turn when Enrico Tosso, an engineer from Milan, comes to the village to drain out the marshes.
Mr Freedom is a satirical superhero film which tells the story of Mr Freedom, a vigilante superhero sanctioned by the US government, who is assigned on a mission to prevent a Communist takeover of France, and at the same time solve the murder of a French superhero.
Michel and Lydia, two middle-aged strangers, both facing extreme losses in their personal lives, meet each other by chance. As they exchange notes, they realize the similar circumstances they both are in, and try to offer support to each other. Will they be able to overcome their sorrows of the moment and form a bond for a future of togetherness?
Let’s Make Love is a musical romantic comedy film which tells the story of Jean Marc Clement, a billionaire, who learns that he is being satirized in an off-Broadway revue. He goes to the theatre, where he sees Amanda Dell rehearing a song. When the director mistakes him to be an actor, Jean decides to play along, as he finds himself attracted to Amanda.
A daughter who is suspicious of her father’s activities, messes up his gambling plans, when he returns home in order to take more money from his family. However, after she realizes that gangsters are trying to rob her father, her attitude changes.
Sanctuary is a drama film which revolves around the story of Nancy, a maid who receives the death penalty for murdering the infant son of her employer, Mrs Gowan Stevens. However, it eventually appears that Nancy committed the murder to save Mrs Stevens from a predicament.
This biographical war drama film revolves around the life of Napoleon Bonaparte from 1769 to 1821, seen through the eyes of Talleyrand, who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs under Napoleon. The film chronicles how Napoleon had risen to power using his guile and courage, eventually becoming the Emperor.
This comedy film tells us five different stories. The first one is the story of a poverty-ridden couple who feels that they already have enough children, and therefore they think of leaving their newborn at a church. The second story is about a depressed old woman; the third one is about an elderly actor and actress, who discover that they are old friends, during a shoot. The fourth film is about a bus driver, and the final story is about a woman who is after a camera.
Laurent Bermann is a victim of aggression, who is looked after by the attractive substitute of his doctor. While writing a text on violence, he also begins to develop feelings for her.
This war adventure comedy film, takes us to the time of the Second World War. The story revolves around a group of US soldiers who obtain information about gold worth millions hidden on enemy soil, from a drunk German officer. Therefore, they come up with a plan to steal the treasure for themselves.
Mr Freedom is a satirical superhero film which tells the story of Mr Freedom, a vigilante superhero sanctioned by the US government, who is assigned on a mission to prevent a Communist takeover of France, and at the same time solve the murder of a French superhero.
