Maurice Chevalier

[feaito]

Ali, I was looking for the Edward Behr Bio of Maurice which you read and no luck, it's not available at all at Amazon. I'll be checking periodically.

The only book I have on him is my treasured vintage first edition of the Citadel Press hardcover book "The Films and Career of Maurice Chevalier", a very worthwhile book that I am constantly checking. BTW if you don't own a copy it's available at Amazon.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm glad you've been catching up on Maurice Chevalier, Fernando, he's always guaranteed to bring a smile to me face, there's no one quite like him.

[feaito]

I agree Alison, there's no one like him.

BTW, these French guys who made good in Hollywood -Maurice, Louis and Charles- are all favorite actors of mine and starred in many top favorite films (Love Affair, All This and Heaven Too, Madame Bovary, Letter from an Unknown Woman, The Constant Nymph, Love Me Tonight, One Hour with You, Smiling Lieutenant et al).

Tonight I plan to watch Maurice in "A Bedtime Story" (1933) with Helen Twelvetrees and Adrienne Amès.

[JackFavell]

I was appreciating him yesterday in the delightful favorite The Merry Widow- American version. You know, I think Maurice gets short shrift as an actor. He's so good at the musical and comic bits, and has such joie de vivre that we forget how convincing he is at disappointment, anger, confusion or heartbreak. My three favorite scenes of his that show off his acting are:

The scene in Love Me Tonight under the tree, in the moonlight, where he feels he is dreaming, that they may be two ships passing in the night.

The scene in The Merry Widow where he tells the people of Marshovia that the widow had no intention of marrying him. The defeat on his face and in his voice is palpable.

The scene in Love in the Afternoon where he realizes that his daughter has become part of his work world, the world he tried to shield her from.

[feaito]

Very well put Wendy. Good choices.

[intothenitrate]

Love in the Afternoon made me sit up and realize what a gifted actor he was too.

Oh, and I was meaning to tell you guys...my 14 year old was in the school play "Beauty and the Beast," playing Lumiere (a talking candelabra in the Disney version). The character has a French accent -- and judging from his worldly-wise joie de vie, seems to be channeling more than a little Maurice.

So on the run-up to the play, we watched a little of Love Me Tonight. Maurice would say a line, I'd pause the movie, and we imitated his delivery. You can imagine how fun it was for me. The two mannerisms he really nailed were 1) the slight growl at the beginning of an emphasized word, and 2) The little chuckle occasionally inserted in a sentence.

He was quite a crowd-pleaser the night of the performance.

[JackFavell]

That is so AWESOME, intothenitrate!

Oh, dear.... I imagine the crowd went wild! Not to mention the ladies...um...I mean, girls.

How adorable! I wish I'd been there to see him.

[knitwit45]

Me, too! Lumiere is my favorite character, I always see a bit of M. Chevalier, as well as the wonderful Jerry Orbach. Tell him congratulations, and I hope you either got video or at least pictures, and will post them here..

[feaito]

How stupendous Intothenitrate, I'd have liked to see that vintage performance by your son.

[intothenitrate]

Thanks for your supportive words. I forwarded this part of the thread to Henry. He wrote back, "That's really cool!"

That's pretty good, considering today's non-demonstrative teenagers.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'd love to seen your son intothenitrate that's praise indeed from today's teenagers.

Fernando, I seem to have the same fascination for French actors and their movies but as a lady that accent goes even further. I think I'd have sold my grandmother if persuaded in those tones. I think Maurice Chevalier does get short shrift as an actor, granted his early films were wrapped around his persona but there are moments like the ones Wendy has pointed out for a start. I love to watch Fanny to see how good an actor he is, he plays the unflattering role of Panisse and is better than the original, to watch his scenes with Charles Boyer are wonderful, whilst Boyer is recognised for his movie acting skills, Chevalier goes toe to toe with him, pro against pro and it's a delight to watch. If ever I need a cheering up I'd reach for a musical and Maurice Chevalier is top of the queue for cheering me up.

[feaito]

I think I'd have sold my grandmother if persuaded in those tones.

If you say it, I believe you ma chèrie Alisen...So it's understandable and justifiable what happened to Joan in Letter from an Unknown Woman, to Joan, again, in The Constant Nymph, to Jennifer in Madame Bovary, to Jeanette in Merry Widow, to Miriam in Smiling Lieutenant, Bette in All This and Heaven Too....all swept off their feet by these French guys, their looks, accents and tone of their voices....

[CineMaven]

From what I can see...you're not so bad yourself.

[feaito]

Today I finished watching the 1933 "A Bedtime Story" with Maurice Chevalier as a happy-go-lucky (what else?) Viscount who finds himself stuck with an abandoned baby (charming Baby Le Roy), which causes him more than one trouble with her female conquests. Enter Helen Twelvetrees as the nurse hired to take care of the little orphan; Edward Everett Horton is his butler; Leah Ray plays one of his conquests, an earthy and temperamental lady, very apt at throwing things!

I enjoyed very much this amusing comedy, especially Baby Le Roy's antics with Chevalier and Horton....playing with water, throwing stuff, breaking watches et al. Adrienne Amès is a dish -what a beauty! Those eyes!- as on of Chevalier's lovers. Gertie Michael plays his unsympathetic fiancée and Helen Twelvetrees is perfect as Chevalier's new love interest, resembling a lot fellow-named Helens Vinson and Hayes.

Another joy to behold!

[feaito]

From what I can see...you're not so bad yourself.

Thank you Mm'selle Theresa, but I lack the deep French accented voice, the Continental flair and that world-weary quality among many other things