Orpheus (1950)
Orphée (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 1h 52min
- Drama, Fantasy
- 29 Nov 1950 (USA)
- Movie
A poet in love with Death follows his unhappy wife into the underworld.
Director:
Writer:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Jean Marais | ... |
Orphée
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| François Périer | ... |
Heurtebise
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| María Casares | ... |
The Princess - Death
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| Marie Déa | ... |
Eurydice
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| Henri Crémieux | ... |
L'éditeur
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| Juliette Gréco | ... |
Aglaonice
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Roger Blin | ... |
The Poet
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| Edouard Dermithe | ... |
Jacques Cégeste
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André Carnège | ... |
Judge
(as Maurice Carnège)
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René Worms | ... |
Judge
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Raymond Faure | ... |
Journaliste
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| Pierre Bertin | ... |
Le commissaire
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| Jacques Varennes | ... |
Judge
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Paul Amiot | ... |
Judge (uncredited)
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Philippe Bordier | ... |
Young Man at Café des Poètes (uncredited)
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| Claude Borelli | ... |
Une bacchante (uncredited)
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Jean-Louis Brau | ... |
Un jeune homme à la terrasse du flore (uncredited)
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| Jean Cocteau | ... |
Narrator (uncredited) (voice)
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Renée Cosima | ... |
Une bacchante (uncredited)
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| Jacques Doniol-Valcroze | ... |
Young Man at Café des Poètes (uncredited)
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| René Lacourt | ... |
Postman (uncredited)
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Julien Maffre | ... |
Un agent de police (uncredited)
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Claude Mauriac | ... |
(uncredited)
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| Jean-Pierre Melville | ... |
Le directeur de l'hôtel (uncredited)
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| Jean-Pierre Mocky | ... |
Le chef de bande (uncredited)
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Henri San Juan | ... |
Young Man at Café des Poètes (uncredited)
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Victor Tabournot | ... |
Young Man at Café des Poètes (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Jean Cocteau | ||
Written by
| Jean Cocteau | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| André Paulvé | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Georges Auric | ||
Cinematography by
| Nicolas Hayer | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Jacqueline Sadoul | ... | (as J. Sadoul) |
Editorial Department
| Hélène Basté | ... | assistant film editor (as H. Baste) |
Production Design by
| Jean d'Eaubonne | ... | (as D'Eaubonne) |
Set Decoration by
| Albert Volper | ... | (as A. Volper) |
Costume Design by
| Marcel Escoffier | ||
Makeup Department
| Alexandre Marcus | ... | makeup artist (as A. Marcus) |
Production Management
| Émile Darbon | ... | production manager |
| Jean-Marie Loutrel | ... | unit manager (as J. Loutrel) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Claude Pinoteau | ... | assistant director (as C. Pinoteau) |
Art Department
| Alfred Marpaux | ... | assistant production designer (as Marpeaux) |
Sound Department
| Pierre-Louis Calvet | ... | sound (as Calvet) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Roger Corbeau | ... | still photographer (as R. Corbeau) |
| Noël Martin | ... | camera operator (as N. Martin) |
Music Department
| Jacques Météhen | ... | conductor |
Script and Continuity Department
| Sylvette Baudrot | ... | script assistant |
| Claude Vériat | ... | script supervisor (as C. Vériat) |
Additional Crew
| Claude Pinoteau | ... | technical advisor |
Thanks
| Christian Bérard | ... | dedicatee |
Production Companies
Distributors
- DisCina (1950) (France) (theatrical)
- DisCina International (1950) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Films de France (1950) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Svanfilm (1950) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Oefram Filmgesellschaft (1951) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Continental (1951) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Janus Collection (World-wide)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1961) (Finland) (tv)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1969) (Finland) (tv)
- Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1972) (United States) (tv) (network premiere)
- Embassy Home Entertainment (1986) (United States) (VHS) (from the Janus Collection)
- Atlas Video (1990) (Germany) (VHS)
- Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2000) (United States) (DVD)
- Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2000) (United States) (VHS)
- The Criterion Collection (2000) (United States) (DVD)
- BFI Video (2004) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- RTL Film Klub (2004) (Hungary) (DVD)
- Madman Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
- Madman Entertainment (2007) (New Zealand) (DVD)
- Alive Vertrieb und Marketing (2009) (Germany) (DVD) (Jean Cocteau Edition)
- The Criterion Collection (2011) (United States) (DVD)
- Unzéro Films (2017) (Non-US) (theatrical)
- Arthaus (2021) (Germany) (Blu-ray) (Die Orpheus Trilogie)
- Arthaus (2021) (Germany) (DVD) (Die Orpheus Trilogie)
- Nelson Entertainment (United States) (VHS)
- René Chateau Video (France) (DVD)
- René Chateau Video (France) (VHS)
- Sultan Video (video)
- Video Yesteryear (video)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Orphee is a poet who becomes obsessed with Death (the Princess). They fall in love. Orphee's wife, Eurydice, is killed by the Princess' henchmen and Orphee goes after her into the Underworld. Although they have become dangerously entangled, the Princess sends Orphee back out of the Underworld, to carry on his life with Eurydice.
Written by |
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| Taglines | Grand Prix de la Critique International Venice 1950 See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The opening scenes set in the Cafe des Poetes were originally set to be filmed with regular extras. However, Cocteau found them to be too self-conscious and artificial so they were all dismissed. Instead, real bohemians from Paris' real café culture were drafted in. These proved to be so natural and relaxed with the café setting, they actually stayed on for two extra days after filming had finished, just hanging out in the cafés that the film crew had been using. See more » |
| Goofs | When Orphée is shot, the gun falls near his right foot. However when Heurtebise picks up the gun; the orientation changes and it is now near his right hand. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Une histoire seule (1989). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Dance of the Blessed Souls -- from Orphée et Eurydice See more » |
| Quotes |
Heurtebise:
I am letting you into the secret of all secrets, mirrors are gates through which death comes and goes. Moreover if you see your whole life in a mirror you will see death at work as you see bees behind the glass in a hive. See more » |