Clouzot, Henri-Georges

(November 20, 1907, Niort, Deux-Sèvres, France - January 12, 1977, Paris, France)

   The son of a former book shopper turned auctioneer, he intended to prepare for naval school, but his myo­pia thwarted his projects. He opted for a diplomatic career and enrolled in the Sciences Po but soon switched to journalism as columnist at Paris-Matin. Hired as a secretary by chansonnier René Dorin, he wrote sketches for his boss and another cabaret artist, Mauricet. Encouraged by screenwriter Henri Jeanson, he entered films as a screenwriter (1931 Le Chanteur inconnu, as co-adapter, Victor Tourjansky; Je serai seul après Minuit, as co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, Jacques de Baroncelli; Ma Cousine de Varsovie, Carmine Gallone; Un Soir de Rafle, as adapter, Carmine Gallone; 1932 La Chanson d'une Nuit, as adapter, dialogist, French-language version of Das Lied einer Nacht, Anatole Litvak, Germany; Le Dernier Choc, as co-screenwriter, Jacques de Baroncelli; Faut-il les marier?, as adapter, dialogist, French-language version of Carl Lamac's Die grausame Freundin, Germany; Le Roi des Palaces, as co-screenwriter, Carmine Gallone, Niebla, as co-screenwriter, Benito Perojo; 1935 Itto, lyrics only, Jean Benoît-Lévy, Marie Epstein; 1938 Education de Prince, as co-screenwriter, Alexandre Esway; Le Révolté, as co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, Robert Bibal, Léon Mathot; 1939 Le Monde tremblera / La Révolte des Vivants / USA: The World Will Shake, as co-screenwriter, co-adapter, dialogist, Richard Pottier; Le Duel, as co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, Pierre Fresnay; 1941 Le Dernier des Six, as screenwriter, adapter, dialogist, Georges Lacombe; 1942 Les Inconnus dans la Maison / USA: Strangers in the House, as screenwriter, adapter, dialogist, Henri De-coin). After filming several French-language versions in Berlin, he directed his first personal feature film in 1941(L'Assassin habite au 21). An author of radio and theatrical plays, he also wrote a novel (1951 Le Cheval des Dieux, Editions Julliard).

 Filmography

1931 ◘ La Terreur des Batignolles (short)

1933 ◘ Caprice de Princesse (also co-screenwriter, lyri­cist; French-language version of Karl Hartl's Ihre Durchlaucht, die Verkauferin; Germany / France)

        ◘ Châteaux de Rêve (also dialogist; French-language version of Geza von Bolvary's Das Schloss im Suden; Germany / France)

        ◘ Tout pour l'Amour (also co-dialogist; French-lan­guage version of Ein Lied fur Dich; Germany)

        ◘ L'Assassin habite au 21 / UK and USA: The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, dialogist)

        ◘ Le Corbeau / UK and USA: The Raven (also co-dialogist)

1947 ◘ Quai des Orfèvres / UK and USA: Jenny Lamour / USA: Quay of the Goldsmiths (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, dialogist)

1949 ◘ Manon (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist)

        ◘ Retour à la Vie (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist; segment "Le Retour de Jean")

1950 ◘ Le Voyage en Brésil (unfinished)

        ◘ Miquette et sa Mère / Miquette (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, dialogist)

1953 ◘ Le Salaire de la Peur / Vite vendute / Il salario della paura / USA: The Wages of Fear (also screenwriter, adapter, dialogist, delegate producer; France / Italy; shot in 1951)

        ◘ Les Diaboliques / UK: The Fiends / USA: Diabolique / US TV: The Devils (also screenwriter, adapter, producer)

        ◘ Le Mystère Picasso / UK and USA: The Mystery of Picasso (documentary; also screenwriter, producer, actor, editor)

        ◘ Les Espions / Le spie / UK and USA: The Spies (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist, producer; France / Italy)

1960 ◘ La Vérité / La verità / UK and USA: The Truth (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist; France / Italy)

1964 ◘ L'Enfer (unfinished)

        ◘ Messa da requiem von Giuseppe Verdi (documentary; Italy / West Germany)

        ◘ La Prisonnière / La prigioniera / UK: Female Prisoner / USA: Woman in Chains (also screenwriter, adapter, dialogist; France / Italy)