Chenal, Pierre

(Philippe Cohen / December 5, 1904, Brussels, Belgium-December 23, 1990, La Garenne-Colombes, Hauts-de-Seine, France)

   After completing his scientific studies, he worked as a technical assistant in a chemical products factory in Tunisia. Having graduated with a diploma from the Arts et Métiers, he drew film posters and authored a book (1929 Drames sur celluloid, Editions Perspec­tives). He co-directed his first short with cinema historian and theoretician Jean Mitry. During the occupation of France, he fled the country to take refuge in Chile and Argentina, where he shot sev­eral movies. In 1987, he published his autobiography (1987 Pierre Chenal: Souvenirs du Cinéaste, Filmographie, Témoignages, Documents, Dujarric, Paris). From 1937 to 1955, he was married to actress Florence Marly (1919-1978).

 Filmography

        ◘ Paris Cinéma (short; co-director with Jean Mitry)

        ◘ Coup de Dés (short; also screenwriter)

        ◘ Un Grand Illustré moderne (short)

        ◘ Une Cité du Cinéma / Une Cité française de Cinéma (short)

        ◘ Architecture d'aujourd'hui (documentary; short)

        ◘ Bâtir (documentary; short)

        ◘ Drame sur celluloid (short)

        ◘ Trois Chantiers (short)

        ◘ Les Petits Métiers de Paris (short; also screenwriter, cinematographer, editor)

        ◘ Le Martyre de l'Obèse (supervised by Marcel L'Herbier; also co-screenwriter)

        ◘ La Rue sans Nom (also co-screenwriter, editor)

        ◘ Pour un Piano (short)

        ◘ Crime et Châtiment / USA: Crime and Punish­ment (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter)

        ◘ Les Mutinés de l'Elseneur (also co-screenwriter, editor)

        ◘ L'Homme de nulle Part / Il fu Mattia Pascal / UK: Man from Nowhere / The Late Mathias Pascal / USA: Feu Mathias Pascal (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, editor; France / Italy)

        ◘ L'Alibi (as uncredited co-screenwriter)

1938 ◘ L'Affaire Lafarge / USA: The Lafarge Case (also co-screenwriter)

        ◘ La Maison du Maltais / USA: Sirocco (also co-screenwriter)

1939 ◘ Le Dernier Tournant / UK and USA: The Last Turn (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist)

        ◘ Todo un hombre (Argentina)

        ◘ El muerte falta a la cita (also original idea; Argentina)

        ◘ Se abre el abismo (also uncredited co-screenwriter, co-editor; Argentina)

        ◘ El viaje sin regreso (also co-screenwriter; Ar­gentina)

        ◘ La Foire aux Chimères / USA: Devil and the Angel (also co-screenwriter)

1948 ◘ Clochemerle / USA: Scandals of Clochemerle

1951 ◘ Sangre negra / Native Son (also screenwriter, adapter, dialogist; USA / Argentina; shot in 1949-1950)

1952 ◘ El idolo (also co-screenwriter; Argentina / Chile)

1954 ◘ Confesion al amanacer (also co-screenwriter; Argentina)

1956 ◘ Section des Disparus / Seccion desparecidos (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist; France / Argentina)

1958 ◘ Rafles sur la Ville / USA: Sinners of Paris (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter)

        ◘ Leux dangereux / La strada della violenza / USA: Dangerous Games (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter; France / Italy)

        ◘ La Bête à l'Affût / USA: Danger in the Middle East (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter)

        ◘ Les Nuits de Raspoutine / L'ultimo Zar / USA: The Night They Killed Raspoutine (also co-screenwriter; France / Italy)

1963 ◘ L'Assassin connaît la Musique (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter)

1970 ◘ Les Libertines / L'intreccio / Las bellas del bosque / UK: Versatile Lovers (as Dave Young; also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist; France / Italy / Spain)

1985 ◘ Le Hasard mène le Jeu (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)