Lazare Meerson

Production Designer

About

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Birth Place

Russia

Cause of Death

Meningitis

Biography

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Influential and highly imaginative art director who left Russia after the revolution and, after a spell in Germany, joined Alexandre Kamenka's Societe des Films Albatros in 1924. Starting out as an assistant to Alberto Cavalcanti, Meerson went on to transform French production design with his work on films by Rene Clair ("A Nous La Liberte" 1931, "Le Million" 1932, etc.) and Jacques Feyd...

Filmography

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South Riding (1938)

The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1938)

The Citadel (1938)

Break the News (1938)

Fire over England (1937)

Knight Without Armor (1937)

Settings Designer by

Photos & Videos

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Divorce of Lady X, The (1938) -- (Movie Clip) Quite Wild With Fatigue

Divorce of Lady X, The (1938) -- (Movie Clip) A Serpent! A Viper!

Family & Companions

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Mary Meerson

Wife

Archivist, former artist's model. Born c. 1900; after Meerson's death had four-decade relationship with Henri Langlois; died on July 19, 1993.

Biography

Influential and highly imaginative art director who left Russia after the revolution and, after a spell in Germany, joined Alexandre Kamenka's Societe des Films Albatros in 1924. Starting out as an assistant to Alberto Cavalcanti, Meerson went on to transform French production design with his work on films by Rene Clair ("A Nous La Liberte" 1931, "Le Million" 1932, etc.) and Jacques Feyder ("La Kermesse Heroique" 1935). Meerson was a major influence on the "poetic realism" movement of which his apprentice, Alexandre Trauner, would become the preeminent designer. He worked from 1936 for Alexander Korda but, unhappy with Korda's Hollywood-style production methods, was planning to to return to France when he died of meningitis at the age of 38.

Filmography

Art Director (Feature Film)

South Riding (1938)

The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1938)

The Citadel (1938)

Break the News (1938)

Fire over England (1937)

Knight Without Armor (1937)

Settings Designer by

Princess Tam Tam (1935)

Carnival in Flanders (1935)

Beaux jours, Les (1935)

Pension Mimosas (1934)

Justin de Marseille (1934)

July 14th (1933)

Ciboulette (1933)

Le Million (1931)

À nous la liberté (1931)

David Golder (1930)

Le Mystere de la chambre jaune (1930)

Le Requin (1929)

Nouveaux messieurs, Les (1928)

The Horse Ate the Hat (1928)

Deux Timides, Les (1928)

Gribiche (1925)

Aventures de Robert Macaire, Les (1925)

Art Department (Feature Film)

As You Like It (1937)

Feu Mathias Pascal (1925)

Assistant Art Direction

Production Designer (Feature Film)

Under the Roofs of Paris (1930)

Production Designer

Life Events

1917

Moved to Germany

1924

Moved to France, began work for Albatross Films

1930

Began working at Tobis studios

1936

Went to work for Alexander Korda at London Films

Videos

Divorce of Lady X, The (1938) -- (Movie Clip) Quite Wild With Fatigue Between the color-design by Lazare Meerson and the implacable poise of Logan (Laurence Olivier), the hotel manager (Victor Rietti) stands little chance of persuading the guest to share his room in The Divorce of Lady X, 1938.

Divorce of Lady X, The (1938) -- (Movie Clip) A Serpent! A Viper! Barrister Logan (Laurence Olivier) offering cautious advice to Lord Mere (Ralph Richardson), having realized he may be the un-named party consorting with the lord's straying wife, in Alexander Korda's production of The Divorce of Lady X, 1938.

Under The Roofs Of Paris (1930) -- (Movie Clip) It's A Hit Already a highly-regarded director of silents, and reluctant to embrace sound, Rene Clair, working from his own script and song he co-wrote, goes all-in, introducing his hero Albert (Prejean), singing for a crowd including Pola (Illery), opening Under The Roofs Of Paris, 1930.

Under The Roofs Of Paris (1930) -- (Movie Clip) You Won't Ever Hear It Again Again the shot up the face of the building, the first evening finds the song catching on, with Albert (Prejean) and friends (Edmond T. Greville, Thomy Bourdelle) at the cafe, and Pola (Illery), pursued by Fred (Gaston Modot), in Rene Clair's dark musical comedy Under The Roofs Of Paris, 1930.

Under The Roofs Of Paris (1930) -- (Movie Clip) Can I Turn Around Now? Afraid to go home because the nasty thief Fred (Gaston Modot) stole the key to her room, Pola (Illery) is still nervous about sleeping over with her new friend Albert (Prejean), still on the first evening, in Rene Clair's Under The Roofs Of Paris, 1930.

Carnival In Flanders (1935) -- (Movie Clip) I Too Once Dreamed Following technical dazzle from director Jacques Feyder et al, capturing preparations for the big event in a town in Flanders, 1616, we meet the resourceful leading lady, Francois Rosay as the wife of the Burogmeister (Mayor) and her dreamy daughter (Micheline Cheirel), in Carnival In Flanders, 1935.

Carnival In Flanders (1935) -- (Movie Clip) Let Us Sit And Look Dignified Amid carnival preparations, the pompous councilmen of a Flemish town panic when a representative of one of their Spanish rulers arrives, their leader the Burgomeister (Andre Alerme) in turn being dominated by his wife (Francoise Rosay), in Jacques Feyder's Carnival In Flanders, 1935.

Carnival In Flanders (1935) -- (Movie Clip) He Won't Bite Siska (Micheline Cheirel), daughter of the Burgomeister (Andre Alerme) cajoles her preferred suitor Breughel (Bernard Lancret, who does not represent any particular member of the Flemish family of painters) to make his proposal, not knowing she's just been promised to the butcher (Alfred Adam), in Carnival In Flanders, 1935.

Gribiche (1925) -- (Movie Clip) From That Day Forward The young French title character (Jean Forest) here has just been adopted by a well-meaning very progressive American philanthropist lady, finding out what he's in-for, in this 2009 restoration of director Jacques Feyder's Gribiche, 1925.

A Nous La Liberte -- (Movie Clip) A Happy Man's Due Introducing Louis (Raymond Cordy) and Emile (Henry Marchand) in prison, the sublime opening scene from Rene Clair's celebrated comedy, which he called an "operetta," A Nous La Liberte, 1931.

Citadel, The - (Original Trailer) A struggling doctor is tempted to give up his ideals for a posh high-society practice in The Citadel (1938), directed by King Vidor.

Companions

Mary Meerson

Wife

Archivist, former artist's model. Born c. 1900; after Meerson's death had four-decade relationship with Henri Langlois; died on July 19, 1993.

Bibliography

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