Le duel (1941)

Director:

Pierre Fresnay

Writers:

Henri Lavedan (play), Henri-Georges Clouzot (scenario & dialogue),

Stars:

Yvonne Printemps, Raimu, Raymond Rouleau

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yvonne Printemps	...	Thérèse Jaillon
Raimu	...	le Père Bolène
Raymond Rouleau	...	Henri Maurey
Pierre Fresnay	...	Abbé Daniel Maurey
Anthony Carretier	...	Jaillon (as Tony Carretier)
François Périer	...	François
Nina Sinclair	...	La infirmière (as Nina Sainclair)
Marfa d'Hervilly	...	La infirmière
Gabrielle Fontan	...	La gouvernante
Antoine Balpêtré	...	Le constructeur Bugnet
André Numès Fils	...	Le fou
Paul Demange	...	Le speaker
Jean Buquet	...	Le petit malade
Alexandre Mihalesco
Georges Marceau

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

based on play

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

11 January 1941 (France)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Compagnie Industrielle et Commerciale Cinématographique (CICC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was never completed.

User Reviews

Duel in the sin.

"Le duel" is Pierre Fresnay's only attempt at directing a movie.And considering the results,he was probably wise not to make another one.

"Le duel" is entertaining ,if it is not taken literally: it's an incredible melodrama ,probably the only one which features a confession,complete with act of contrition.

Pierre Fresnay liked parts of priests:he was admirable in "Monsieur Vincent"(by Maurice Cloche) which was a biography of Saint Vincent de Paul.As for the others...

"Le défroqué "(by Leo Joannon) was an extravaganza where a defrocked priest( Fresnay )made a young seminarian drink the consecrated wine after throwing up in the toilets!

"Le duel" is another extravaganza where Fresnay plays a priest who is still a man ,in spite of all he says to everyone around.He becomes the "spiritual adviser" of a deserted wife (Yvonne Printemps,Fresnay's wife in real life)whose husband ,an aviator , is a celebrity.Enter the priest's brother, a "heathen" surgeon who confesses his love to the woman (on the Eiffel tower!).But the holy man is not prepared to accept it even when the husband dies in a plane crash:he urges her to leave this world for higher "spiritual" concerns,that is to say to become a nun! Pierre Fresnay even casts Raimu (with whom he played opposite in Pagnol's famous trilogy "César/Fanny/Marius") as another priest half missionary half guru (without his Provençal accent).

NB :Amazing! Screenplay by HG Clouzot who would brilliantly direct Fresnay later!