Jacques Becker
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Becker's parents were friends with the Renoirs and Cezannes; he first befriended Jean Renoir aged 13.
Served as president of the Federation Francaise des Cine-Clubs.
Biography
Former assistant to Jean Renoir who began directing his own features in the early 1940s. Becker directed only 13 films and has been largely neglected by critics, though he was celebrated by the auteurs of the New Wave for "Casque d'Or" (1952), a spirited, atmospheric tour of France's turn-of-the-century underworld, and "Touchez pas au Grisbi" (1954), an intriguing gangster melodrama starring Jean Gabin and Jeanne Moreau. Becker was married to actress Francoise Fabian and his son Jean Becker is also a director.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Assistant Direction (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Life Events
1929
Film acting debut in Jean Renoir's "Le bled"
1932
Worked as assistant director on 13 Jean Renoir films (also acted in some)
1935
With Pierre Prevert co-directed the short comedy "Le commissaire est bon enfant/Le gendrame est sans pitie" (also co-writer; actor)
1935
Reportedly made the five-reel "Tete de turc" but later refused to acknowledge it as his work
1938
Made short documentary of the Communist Party Congress at Arles
1939
Began working on "L'Or du Christobel/The Gold of Christobel"; abandoned when WWII began; later repudiated his association with the project
1942
Feature directing and co-writing debut, "Dernier Atout/The Last Trump"; first of three films made during the German Occupation of France
1945
Last film under the German Occupation, "Falbalas/Paris Fills"
1947
First of three postwar comedies, "Antoine et Antoinette"
1951
Enjoyed success with the light comedy "Edouard et Caroline"
1952
Made what many consider his masterpiece, "Casque d'or/Golden Helmet/Golden Marie"
1954
Helmed the noirish "Touchez pas au Grisbi/Honor Among Thieves"
1954
Directed the lavish "Ali Baba et les quarante voleurs"
1956
Helmed "Les Aventures d'Arsene Lupin", about a gentleman thief
1957
Made the biopic "Montparnasse 19/The Lovers of Montparnasse", about Modigliani
1960
Final film, "Le Trou/The Night Watch/The Hole"
Videos
Movie Clip
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Becker's parents were friends with the Renoirs and Cezannes; he first befriended Jean Renoir aged 13.
Served as president of the Federation Francaise des Cine-Clubs.
