Mahé, Henri

(1907, Paris-1975, New York City, New York, USA)

   After studying at the Beaux-Arts, he successively was a trainee accountant; illustrator for books, circuses, brothels, and movie theaters (he notably painted frescoes for the Parisian Le Rex in 1932); painter and decorator; and painter of frescoes for the Le Balajo dance hall, restaurants, and the great ocean liner Nor­mandie. He entered films as a production designer for Abel Gance (1938 J'accuse / USA: I Accuse / I Ac­cuse (That They May Live) / That They May Live; 1939 Louise; 1940 Paradis perdu / UK: Paradise Lost / USA: Four Flights to Love; 1941 Vénus aveugle / UK and USA: Blind Venus; 1943 Le Capitaine Fracasse / La maschera sul cuore, France / Italy). He also worked as a set decorator with Jean Boyer (1941 La Romance de Paris) and André Zwobada (1942 Croisières sidérales). In 1943-1944, he directed Blondine, an experimental movie that used Simplifilm, a process he created with Achille Duhour (the built film sets were replaced with drawings and photographs inserted into the camera between the lens and the characters). The result of the experience was interesting but ended in failure. He settled in Britain, where he dedicated himself to painting (he occasionally illustrated books and did the decorations for nightclubs). His works were exhibited in many galleries all over the world. He authored a book on his friendship with writer Louis-Ferdinand Céline (1963 La Brinquebale avec Céline, La Table Ronde). He died in New York at age sixty-eight.

 Filmography

1945 ◘ Blondine (also production designer; shot in 1943-1944)