La Symphonie fantastique (1942)
The film is biographical, telling the story of the life and artistic struggles of the French composer Hector Berlioz. Berlioz is shown as a recalcitrant medical student in an anatomy class dreaming of becoming a composer; at a demonstration during a performance at the Paris Opéra conducted by Habeneck; at supper with other young artists (Hugo, Janin, Dumas, Mérimée, Delacroix); and chasing after his future wife Harriet Smithson, after a performance of Hamlet. Also depicted are his life in a garret, while suffering from an illness due to an abscess in the throat; a visit from his mother who curses him; and the composition of the Symphonie fantastique. The film then shows his marital breakdown, the premiere of his opera Benvenuto Cellini, his travels throughout Europe, his second marriage to Marie Recio (called "Marie Martin" in the film), public acceptance in old age and reconciliation with his son.
Director:
Christian-Jaque
Writers:
Jean-Pierre Feydeau, André Legrand.
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Jean-Louis Barrault as Hector Berlioz |
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Renée Saint-Cyr as Marie Martin |
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Lise Delamare as Harriet Smithson |
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Jules Berry as Schlesinger |
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Bernard Blier as Antoine Charbonnel |
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Gilbert Gil as Louis Berlioz |
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Julien Bertheau as Victor Hugo (uncredited) |
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Catherine Fonteney as Madame Berlioz mother (uncredited) |
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Louis Seigner as Habeneck (uncredited) |
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Noël Roquevert as Gendarme (uncredited) |
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Roland Armontel as Eugène Delacroix (uncredited) |
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Rivers Cadet as Consumer (uncredited) |
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Fabienne Clery as (uncredited) |
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Jacques Cossin as (uncredited) |
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Lucien Coëdel as Typographer (uncredited) |
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Jean Darcante as Prosper Mérimée (uncredited) |
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Joé Davray as Student (uncredited) |
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Mona Dol as Housekeeper (uncredited) |
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Maurice Dorléac as Consumer (uncredited) |
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Jacques Dynam as (uncredited) |
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René Fluet as Jules Janin (uncredited) |
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Georges Gosset as Alexandre Dumas (uncredited) |
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Georges Lafon as Russian Chamberlain (uncredited) |
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Pierre Magnier as Professor (uncredited) |
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Georges Mauloy as Dean of the Academies (uncredited) |
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Marcelle Monthil as Dresser (uncredited |
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Martial Rèbe as Coachman (uncredited) |
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Louis Salou as Director of the Opéra (uncredited) |
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Maurice Schutz as Niccolò Paganini (uncredited) |
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Roger Vincent as (uncredited) |
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Michel Vitold as Orchestra conductor (uncredited) |
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Georges Vitray as Ship's commander (uncredited) |
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Eugène Yvernès as (uncredited) |
| Directing | Christian-Jaque | Director |
| Sound | Hector Berlioz | Music |
| Sound | Maurice-Paul Guillot | Conductor |
| Writing | André du Dognon | Adaptation |
| Writing | Jean-Pierre Feydeau | Screenplay |
| Editing | Jacques Desagneaux | Editor |
| Writing | André Legrand | Screenplay |
| Sound | William Robert Sivel | Sound |
| Writing | Charles Exbrayat | Adaptation |
| Writing | André Legrand | Dialogue |
| Crew | Nicolas Wilcke | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Writing | Jean-Pierre Feydeau | Dialogue |
| Costume & Make-Up | Rosine Delamare | Costume Design |
| Camera | G.R. Aldo | Camera Operator |
| Art | Andrej Andrejew | Production Design |
| Camera | Armand Thirard | Director of Photography |
