Os Amantes de Montparnasse

The last years of Modigliani's life in Paris 1919, this famous italian-french painter not match with greatest like Cezanne and Van Gogh, but their paintings are so expensives nowadays which put him at high ground, the movie cover a few last years, he already condemned to die due the alcoolism, stayed some time in Nice near the sea to try to recover, back in Paris died still young 36 years old, sad end to true genius, neglected by many, today is honored, but too late!!! Great casting Lili Palmer, Anouk Aimée, Lino Ventura and Gérard Philipe as Modigliani.

Resume:

First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.25

the temptation to see the film as one about Gerard Philipe is not small. and, in a way, it could be the basic motif for admire it. because it seems be a film for his admirers. a last word, testimony /legacy of great art. the close up, the dialogues, the reactions of Amedeo Modigliani are easy to define the last years of his interpreter. because, except that, "Les amants de Montparnasse" gives the same picture of damned artist, ignored by his contemporaries, single against the love story, fragile, vulnerable, strange. of course, a good recipes for public success. but, maybe, not the best. and this does it a homage to an unique French actor. and the beginning of the end of an age of cinema.

Not particularly stunning but very effective and rather affecting film roughly based on the last years of the life of Modigliani directed by Jaques Becker following the death of Max Ophuls who had already done much preparation. That early work included the recruiting of glamour boy of the time, Gerard Phillipe. He did not have the physical presence of the painter, nor was he Italian but he was considered good looking and I feel carried off the role of the vulnerable, violent and volatile painter well enough. Lilli Palmer and Anouk Aimee excels as his mistress and lover respectively with Lino Ventura turning in a wonderful small but key performance as a rather state dealer. The streets and buildings of Paris and Nice are depicted well although much is filmed in the studio and although Becker is to be congratulated to bring this film in in difficult circumstances ( the writer took him to court and Ophul's death hung over proceedings) it is not typical of his output.

In 1919, the painter Amedeo Modigliani spent the last year of his life. He lived in abject poverty in the Parisian artists' quarter of Montparnasse. This is the story of the film by French director Jacques Becker (1906-1960), who created such masterpieces as TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI (1954) and LE TROU (1960).

Modigliani (Gérard PHILIPE) is kept afloat by Anna Zbirowska (Lila KEDROVA / OSCAR 1965: ACADEMY AWARD for ALEXIS SORBAS) and her husband, and his gallerist Berthe Weill (Marianne OSWALD) also tries hard to find buyers for his paintings. But it's simply not enough. The handsome Modigliani also has to accept payment for his sexual services from the British writer Beatrice Hastings (Lilli PALMER / GOLDEN GLOBE 1960: nomination for BUT NOT FOR ME). The only bright spot in this messed-up situation is his tender love for the young Jeanne (Anouk AIMÉE / OSCAR 1967: nomination for UN HOMME ET UNE FEMME). But the path to self-inflicted ruin seems inevitable. Or could the interest of the art dealer Morel (very diabolical: Lino VENTURA) bring the longed-for salvation?

Jacques BECKER took on this commissioned directorial role as a replacement for his idolized Max OPHÜLS. Becker apparently got along well with the leading actor Gérard PHILIPE (1922-1959), but he apparently rejected his style of performance. Becker couldn't have prevented such a major French film star as Philippe from appearing, even though it completely contradicted his style of filmmaking. This is certainly evident in the film, but Becker has turned it into the eternal drama of a misunderstood artist (the complete opposite of Philippe), who can only be "recognized" by the audience after his death.

The wonderful Lilli Palmer (1914-1986) plays her small role superbly, as always. The lack of dubbing makes it possible to discover today what was cut from the film for West German audiences at the time. At the very beginning, the writer played by Palmer ends up in bed with the main character and is seen again after the act. Seeing the crowd-pleaser Palmer in such a compromising situation was probably too much for West German audiences to bear at the time. Bygone days!

First, the re-issue is excellent; the Centre National de la Cinematographie has really done a fine job of restoration of the negative. The black and white values come through very well.

I suppose Gerard Philipe was the natural choice to play Modigliani, but I wasn't as impressed by his work here as I had been by Les grandes manoeuvres or Les orgueilleux: there's a routine quality about his acting here that I hadn't seen before. Anouk Aimee is very beautiful, and manages to infuse her portrayal of Jeanne Hebuterne with some life. Gerard Sety as the lifelong friend Zborowsky, Lilli Palmer as the wacky English mistress, and Marianne Oswald as the gallery owner all contribute fine performances. I don't care about how the picture was made--the lawsuit and everything else--just about the results.