Joffé, Alex

(Alexandre Joffé / November 18, 1918, Alexandria, Egypt-August 18, 1995, Paris, France)

   A former assistant to some of the greatest French cinematographers (Henri Alekan, Michel Kelber, Eu-gen Schuftan), he was hired as a secretary by screenwriter Jean Aurenche. Then he earned a living as a ghost screenwriter. By 1943, he began to be credited as a screenwriter or co-screenwriter (1943 Ne le criez pas sur les Toits, as co-screenwriter, Jacques Daniel-Norman; 1944 Florence est folle, as co-screenwriter, Georges Lacombe; 1946 Tant que je vivrai / Canada: As Long as I Live, as co-screenwriter, Jacques de Baroncelli; Christine se marie, as co-screenwriter, René Le Hénaff; La Fille du Diable / USA: Devil's Daugh­ter, as co-screenwriter, Henri Decoin; L'Assassin n'est pas coupable, as co-screenwriter, René Delacroix; Adieu Chérie, as co-author of original story, co-screenwriter, Raymond Bernard; 1949 Millionnaires d'un Jour / USA: A Simple Case of Money, as screenwriter, André Hunebelle; 1950 Le 84 prend des Vacances, as screenwriter, co-adapter, Léo Joannon; Trois Télégrammes / USA: Paris Incident, as screenwriter, co-adapter, Henri Decoin; 1951 Sans laisser d'Adresse / . . . E mi lascio senza indirizo . . . , as co-screenwriter, Jean-Paul Le Chanois, France / Italy; Nous irons à Monte-Carlo / USA: We Go to Monte Carlo, as co-screenwriter, English-language version: Monte Carlo Baby, Jean Boyer; Seul dans Paris, as screenwriter, co-dialogist, Hervé Brom-berger; 1953 Femmes de Paris, as co-screenwriter, Jean Boyer; 1954 L'Aventure de Séville / Aventuras del barbero / USA: The Adventures of Seville, as co-screenwriter, Ladislas Vajda, France / Spain; 1956 Je reviendrai à Kandara, Victor Vicas). He played small parts in three movies: 1957 Un Amour de Poche / UK: Nude in His Pocket / USA: Girl in His Pocket (Pierre Kast); 1960 Tirez sur le Pianiste / UK: Shoot the Pianist / USA and Canada: Shoot the Piano Player (François Truffaut); 1986 Hôtel du Paradis (Jana Bokova, France / UK).

 Filmography

        ◘ Six Heures à perdre (co-director with Jean Lévitte; also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist)

        ◘ Une Rue (short)

1953 ◘ Lettre ouverte (also screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist)

        ◘ Les Hussards (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist)

        ◘ Les Assassins du Dimanche / USA: Every Second Counts

        ◘ Les Fanatiques / I fanatici / UK: The Fanatics / USA: A Bomb for a Dictator (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist; France / Italy)

        ◘ Du Rififi chez les Femmes / Rififi tra le donne / USA: Riff Raff Girls (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter; France / Italy)

        ◘ Fortunat / S.S. Operazone Fortunat (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter; France / Italy)

        ◘ Le Tracassin ou les Plaisirs de la Ville (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter)

        ◘ Les Culottes rouges (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist)

1965 ◘ Pas Question le Samedi / Rak Lo B'Shabbat / USA: Impossible on Saturday / No Questions on Saturday (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist; France / Israel)

        ◘ La Grosse Caisse (also original idea, co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist, actor)

1968 ◘ Les Cracks / La corsa del secolo (also original idea, co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist; France / Italy)