Henri Decoin

Henri Decoin (18 March 1890 – 4 July 1969) was a French film director and screenwriter, who directed more than 50 films between 1933 and 1964. He was also a swimmer who won the national title in 1911 and held the national record in the 500 m freestyle. He competed in the 400 m freestyle at the 1908 Summer Olympics and in the water polo tournament at the 1912 Summer Olympics. During World War I Decoin served as a pilot. After that he worked as a sports journalist for L'Auto, L'Intransigeant and Paris-Soir. In 1926 he published his first book, influenced by Dadaism, the experimental and prize-winning Quinze Combats (Fifteen Rounds), in which a boxing match is seen subjectively by a boxer, and in 1933 directed his first film, Les requins du pétrole (The Oil Sharks). He was known for tackling many genres; with adaptations of Georges Simenon as The Strangers in the House (1942) - featuring Raimu in one of his famous roles, and The Truth Of Our Marriage (1952), historical films like The Case Of Poisons (1955), and The Iron Mask (1962), espionage flicks like The Cat (1958), police procedurals with Raid on the Drug Ring (1955) and Fire To The Powder (1957), psychological dramas in Green Domino (1935) (where he first met his second wife, Danielle Darrieux), and The Lovers Are Alone In The World (1948) and even an odd film noir like Between Eleven And Midnight (1949). He worked with such stars of French cinema as Jean Marais, Louis Jouvet, Juliette Gréco, Lino Ventura, Corinne ...

1 3

Love and the Frenchwoman (1960)

The seven stages in the life of the modern Frenchwomen are disclosed by seven directors in a witty way: 1 - Childhood, 2 - Adolescence, 3 - Virginity, 4 - Marriage, 5 - Adultery, 6 - Divorce, 7 - The Single Woman.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Christian-Jaque  •  Henri Verneuil  •  René Clair  •  Jean Delannoy  •  Michel Boisrond  •  Henri Decoin  •  Jean-Paul Le Chanois
CAST:  Darry Cowl  •  Micheline Dax  •  Noël Roquevert  •  Claude Rich

The seven stages in the life of the modern Frenchwomen are disclosed by seven directors in a witty way: 1 - Childhood, 2 - Adolescence, 3 - Virginity, 4 - Marriage, 5 - Adultery, 6 - Divorce, 7 - The Single Woman.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Christian-Jaque  •  Henri Verneuil  •  René Clair  •  Jean Delannoy  •  Michel Boisrond  •  Henri Decoin  •  Jean-Paul Le Chanois
CAST:  Darry Cowl  •  Micheline Dax  •  Noël Roquevert  •  Claude Rich

Strangers in the House (1942)

Loursat, a lawyer, lives with his daughter Nicole in a sinister and vast bourgeois residence. Abandoned for nearly twenty years by his wife, the brilliant lawyer has sunk into alcoholism and his relationship with his daughter is virtually non-existent. However, one ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Raimu  •  Juliette Faber  •  Gabrielle Fontan  •  Jacques Baumer

Loursat, a lawyer, lives with his daughter Nicole in a sinister and vast bourgeois residence. Abandoned for nearly twenty years by his wife, the brilliant lawyer has sunk into alcoholism and his relationship with his daughter is virtually non-existent. However, one ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Raimu  •  Juliette Faber  •  Gabrielle Fontan  •  Jacques Baumer

Razzia (1955)

Henri, the Man from Nantes, comes back to his country after a successful stay in the United States, where he was working for Liski, the drug dealer. With the fame of being a tough guy preceding him, he sets himself to the task of knowing why the French operations ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Jean Gabin  •  Lino Ventura  •  Paul Frankeur  •  Magali Noël

Henri, the Man from Nantes, comes back to his country after a successful stay in the United States, where he was working for Liski, the drug dealer. With the fame of being a tough guy preceding him, he sets himself to the task of knowing why the French operations ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Jean Gabin  •  Lino Ventura  •  Paul Frankeur  •  Magali Noël

The Pavements of Paris (1961)

Arlette has too provincial parents to whom she announces her plan about own independence. After her departure, Marc, her absent fiance seek for her in vain in Paris until he discovers her picture on the magazine cover.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Danièle Gaubert  •  Jacques Riberolles  •  Nadia Gray  •  Jacques Fabbri

Arlette has too provincial parents to whom she announces her plan about own independence. After her departure, Marc, her absent fiance seek for her in vain in Paris until he discovers her picture on the magazine cover.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Danièle Gaubert  •  Jacques Riberolles  •  Nadia Gray  •  Jacques Fabbri

Where the Truth Lies (1962)

A young veterinarian falls in love with a strange woman, a former explorer who might be a Voodoo priestess, after he comes to help her ailing cheetah. She begs him to return to Africa with her, but he doesn’t want to leave his wife. Soon his wife finds herself ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Juliette Gréco  •  Jean-Marc Bory  •  Liselotte Pulver  •  Mathé Mansoura

A young veterinarian falls in love with a strange woman, a former explorer who might be a Voodoo priestess, after he comes to help her ailing cheetah. She begs him to return to Africa with her, but he doesn’t want to leave his wife. Soon his wife finds herself ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Juliette Gréco  •  Jean-Marc Bory  •  Liselotte Pulver  •  Mathé Mansoura

Parias de la gloire (1964)

 (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Curd Jürgens  •  Maurice Ronet  •  Folco Lulli  •  Roland Lesaffre

 (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Curd Jürgens  •  Maurice Ronet  •  Folco Lulli  •  Roland Lesaffre

I Will Love You Always (1933)

 (more)

DIRECTION:  Mario Camerini  •  Henri Decoin
CAST: 

 (more)

DIRECTION:  Mario Camerini  •  Henri Decoin
CAST: 

The Oil Sharks (1933)

The plot revolves around an oil swindle in a South American country.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin  •  Rudolph Cartier
CAST:  Raoul Aslan  •  Raymond Cordy  •  Gabriel Gabrio  •  Jean Galland

The plot revolves around an oil swindle in a South American country.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin  •  Rudolph Cartier
CAST:  Raoul Aslan  •  Raymond Cordy  •  Gabriel Gabrio  •  Jean Galland

The Blue Ones of the Sky (1933)

An obscure mechanic falls in love with a an champion pilot.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Albert Préjean  •  Blanche Montel  •  Paul Azaïs  •  Raymond Cordy

An obscure mechanic falls in love with a an champion pilot.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Albert Préjean  •  Blanche Montel  •  Paul Azaïs  •  Raymond Cordy

Toboggan (1934)

Toboggan, the 1934 Henri Decoin French boxing sports romantic love triangle melodrama (about a washed up boxer who makes a comeback for a sexy dancer, but she is two-timing him, and she brings her boyfriend into the arena during the climactic boxing match) starring ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Georges Carpentier  •  Arlette Marchal  •  Paul Amiot  •  Sophie Duval

Toboggan, the 1934 Henri Decoin French boxing sports romantic love triangle melodrama (about a washed up boxer who makes a comeback for a sexy dancer, but she is two-timing him, and she brings her boyfriend into the arena during the climactic boxing match) starring ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Georges Carpentier  •  Arlette Marchal  •  Paul Amiot  •  Sophie Duval

Her First Affair (1941)

Micheline Chevassu is a young, naive woman living in an orphanage. Through classified ads, she has a date with an unknown man. She escapes from the orphanage to go to it, dreaming of the Prince Charming. But comes Nicolas Rougemont, an unattractive middle-aged man. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Danielle Darrieux  •  Fernand Ledoux  •  Jean Tissier  •  Louis Jourdan

Micheline Chevassu is a young, naive woman living in an orphanage. Through classified ads, she has a date with an unknown man. She escapes from the orphanage to go to it, dreaming of the Prince Charming. But comes Nicolas Rougemont, an unattractive middle-aged man. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Danielle Darrieux  •  Fernand Ledoux  •  Jean Tissier  •  Louis Jourdan

The Benefactor (1942)

A kind and generous village noble, specializing in good works, actually leads a double existence and carries out dishonest activities.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Raimu  •  Suzy Prim  •  Pierre Larquey  •  Lucienne Delyle

A kind and generous village noble, specializing in good works, actually leads a double existence and carries out dishonest activities.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Raimu  •  Suzy Prim  •  Pierre Larquey  •  Lucienne Delyle

Love Marriage (1942)

Pierre, who is a Fine Arts student, and Denise, who is a chemistry student, work for a department store where, wearing wedding suits, they distribute flyers to passers-by. The store manager, Bernard, falls in love with Denise and arranges to take her to an inn not ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Juliette Faber  •  François Périer  •  Paul Meurisse  •  Georges Rollin

Pierre, who is a Fine Arts student, and Denise, who is a chemistry student, work for a department store where, wearing wedding suits, they distribute flyers to passers-by. The store manager, Bernard, falls in love with Denise and arranges to take her to an inn not ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Juliette Faber  •  François Périer  •  Paul Meurisse  •  Georges Rollin

The London Man (1943)

Maloin, a maritime station guard, spends his nights at the port signal box. One night, he becomes the witness of a murder: for a simple suitcase smuggled, the altercation between the two men turns to drama. While the first falls and drowns, the second flees. Maloin ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Fernand Ledoux  •  Suzy Prim  •  Jules Berry  •  Mony Dalmès

Maloin, a maritime station guard, spends his nights at the port signal box. One night, he becomes the witness of a murder: for a simple suitcase smuggled, the altercation between the two men turns to drama. While the first falls and drowns, the second flees. Maloin ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Fernand Ledoux  •  Suzy Prim  •  Jules Berry  •  Mony Dalmès

I Am with You (1943)

A young woman has doubts about her husband's fidelity. She pretends a trip, but settles in a hotel where her husband must pass. He meets her and, disturbed by the one he believes to be his wife's double, becomes her lover. Little by little the truth breaks through. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Pierre Fresnay  •  Yvonne Printemps  •  Luce Fabiole  •  Bernard Blier

A young woman has doubts about her husband's fidelity. She pretends a trip, but settles in a hotel where her husband must pass. He meets her and, disturbed by the one he believes to be his wife's double, becomes her lover. Little by little the truth breaks through. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Pierre Fresnay  •  Yvonne Printemps  •  Luce Fabiole  •  Bernard Blier

Devil's Daughter (1946)

Pursued by the police, Saget usurps the identity of a man who was returning to his town after having made his fortune in the United States. Under this new name, he deceives his compatriots with the exception of a doctor and the savage Isabelle. During an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Pierre Fresnay  •  Fernand Ledoux  •  Andrée Clément  •  Thérèse Dorny

Pursued by the police, Saget usurps the identity of a man who was returning to his town after having made his fortune in the United States. Under this new name, he deceives his compatriots with the exception of a doctor and the savage Isabelle. During an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Pierre Fresnay  •  Fernand Ledoux  •  Andrée Clément  •  Thérèse Dorny

Not Guilty (1947)

An alcoholic doctor accidentally kills someone and manages to make the death look like an accident. The episode triggers a sense of confidence and he resolves to correct the miseries of his life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Jean Debucourt  •  Michel Simon  •  Jany Holt  •  Ariane Murator

An alcoholic doctor accidentally kills someone and manages to make the death look like an accident. The episode triggers a sense of confidence and he resolves to correct the miseries of his life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Jean Debucourt  •  Michel Simon  •  Jany Holt  •  Ariane Murator

Clockface Cafe (1947)

A couple of young provincials, Louise and Julien, settle in the heart of the capital to take care of the Café du Cadran. They get to know the fauna of the regulars among them, racy, distinguished, Luigi who plays the violin at the Café de Paris. Louise listens to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin  •  Jean Gehret
CAST:  Bernard Blier  •  Blanchette Brunoy  •  Aimé Clariond  •  Nane Germon

A couple of young provincials, Louise and Julien, settle in the heart of the capital to take care of the Café du Cadran. They get to know the fauna of the regulars among them, racy, distinguished, Luigi who plays the violin at the Café de Paris. Louise listens to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin  •  Jean Gehret
CAST:  Bernard Blier  •  Blanchette Brunoy  •  Aimé Clariond  •  Nane Germon

Monelle (1948)

A beautiful young pianist falls for her mentor.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Louis Jouvet  •  Dany Robin  •  Renée Devillers  •  Geneviève Morel

A beautiful young pianist falls for her mentor.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henri Decoin
CAST:  Louis Jouvet  •  Dany Robin  •  Renée Devillers  •  Geneviève Morel
1 3