Edwige feuillere jean marais biography
Edwige Feuillère and Jean Marais were two of the most iconic figures of French cinema, their legacies intertwined with the post-war cultural renaissance that redefined the European film industry. The 1946 film L’Aigle à deux têtes (“The Eagle with Two Heads”), directed by Jean Cocteau, remains a standout in their illustrious careers, capturing the depth and artistry of French filmmaking during a pivotal period in cinematic history. Feuillère, born in 1907, had already established herself as one of France's premier actresses, known for her elegant screen presence and ability to convey complex emotions. Marais, born in 1913, was a rising star celebrated for his striking looks, versatility, and frequent collaborations with Cocteau. The pairing of these two actors in L’Aigle à deux têtes brought a magnetic intensity to the screen, with their performances embodying the poetic and symbolic style that Cocteau was known for. Set in a fictional kingdom and filled with themes of love, power, and destiny, the film became a defining work of the French post-war era, showcasing the resilience and creativity of European cinema as it emerged from the shadow of World War II.
The 1940s were a transformative decade for global cinema, with French filmmakers playing a crucial role in revitalizing the medium after the disruptions caused by the war. Edwige Feuillère, often referred to as “La Grande Dame” of French cinema, brought a level of sophistication and gravitas to her roles that set her apart from her contemporaries. In L’Aigle à deux têtes, she portrayed a widowed queen whose life is changed forever when she encounters a mysterious poet, played by Jean Marais. Their on-screen chemistry brought Cocteau’s lyrical script to life, blending romance with a sense of impending tragedy. Jean Marais, a favorite of Cocteau’s and a versatile actor who excelled in both dramatic and fantastical roles, brought a brooding intensity to the film that complemented Feuillère’s regal elega Jean Marais (1913-98) was an icon of classic French cinema. The muse (and lover) of director Jean Cocteau, you may know him from the fantasy film Beauty and the Beast (1946) — which, don’t tell me I forgot to include it, it’s fantasy! He starred in numerous historical roles, including some hilarious-appearing swashbucklers. Let’s look at one of the French greats! A big-screen version of the famous opera, with Marais as Don José. Based on a Balzac novel, which is set in 1799 Brittany during the post-Revolutionary War uprising there. Marais plays the lead, the Marquis of Montauran. Based on a Victor Hugo play, set in 1695 Spain, a slave (Marais) falls in love with the queen (Danielle Darrieux) and rises in status. As Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, who famously committed suicide along with his lover in 1889. A “Don Juan” in 1810s France has his nose cut off and is forced to wear a mask. That’s all I’ve got! As French king Louis XV in this episodic meander through the history of the palace of Versailles. As the marquis de Montholon in director Sacha Guitry’s epic take on the French emperor. Sadly, this is the only image I can find of Marais from the film! A two-part film adaptation of the famous novel, with Marais as Edmond Dantès and the titular Comte de Monte-Cristo. As Renaissance king François I in yet another episodic meander through French history. A swashbuckler set in the mid-18th century. Another swashbuckler (strap in, there’s going to be a lot of these), this one set in 1616 French actor, writer, director and sculptor (1913–1998) For the South African cricketer, see Jean Marais (cricketer). Jean Marais Photograph by Carl Van Vechten, 1947 Jean-Alfred Villain-Marais Cherbourg, France Cannes, France Jean-Alfred Villain-Marais (11 December 1913 – 8 November 1998), known professionally as Jean Marais (French:[ʒɑ̃maʁɛ]), was a French actor, film director, theatre director, painter, sculptor, visual artist, writer and photographer. He performed in over 100 films and was the lover, muse and friend of acclaimed director Jean Cocteau. In 1996, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor for his contributions to French cinema. A native of Cherbourg, France, Marais was a son of Alfred Emmanuel Victor Paul Villain-Marais, a veterinarian, and his wife, the former Aline Marie Louise Vassord. Having recently lost a two-year-old daughter Madeleine, Aline was very disappointed when she gave birth to a boy. She came to accept him but until Jean was six or seven years old his mother raised him as if he were a girl, dressing him like one and giving him dolls to play with. Sometimes Aline was mysteriously absent from home. When he was eighteen, Marais became aware that his mother was a kleptomaniac and that she had been imprisoned for several months or even years in her lifetime. Marais' first role was an uncredited bit in Song of the Streets (1933) and he was in Etienne (1933). Filmmaker Marcel L'Herbier put him in The Sparrowhawk (1933) with Charles Boyer; Th Edwige Feuillère
Biography: life and films
In an acting career that spanned 65 years, Edwige Feuillère came to be regarded as one of France's most distinguished actresses. Although she appeared in over sixty films and became one of the great stars of French cinema in the 1940s and 50s, she won greater acclaim for her stage work and is widely considered the greatest French stage actress of her day. Feuillère thrived on challenging and often controversial roles, and was eagerly sought after by some of the greatest film and theatre directors of her time. The poet and playwright Jean Cocteau gave her one of her most celebrated roles in his play L'Aigle à deux têtes and said that she will forever be remembered as the Queen of Snow, Blood, Pleasure and Death.
Feuillère's real name was Edwige Caroline Cunati-Koenig and she was born on 29th October 1907 at Vesoul in the Franche-Comté region of France. Her father was an Italian engineer, her mother French, and she spent her early childhood in Italy. Following the failure of several of her father's business ventures, the young Edwige moved back to France with her family shortly after WWI and attended a private school near Dijon. Once she had made up her mind to become an actress, she enrolled in the Paris Conservatoire in 1928 and, having graduated with distinction three years later, she had no difficulty being admitted into that most prestigious of theatrical troupes, the Comédie-Française.
It was around this time that Edwige Feuillère began her long and illustrious screen career, in a series of comedy shorts for Paramount. Under her original stage name Cora Lynn, she made her feature debut in Karl Anton's comedy Le Cordon bleu, having appeared in a short film entitled La Fine combine with an unknown vaudevillian named Fernandel. For some time afterwards Feuillère was typecast as the vamp in a series of burlesque comedies and lacklustre melodramas. Her first substantial film role was that of the e Carmen (1944)
The Royalists (1947)
Ruy Blas (1948)
The Secret of Mayerling (1949)
Leathernose (1952)
Royal Affairs in Versailles (1954)
Napoleon (1954)
The Count of Monte Cristo (1954)
If Paris Were Told to Us (1956)
King on Horseback (1958)
Captain Blood (1960)
Jean Marais
Born
(1913-12-11)11 December 1913Died 8 November 1998(1998-11-08) (aged 84) Occupations Years active 1933–1996 Spouse(s) Mila Parély (m. 1942, div; 1944 Partners Children Serge Villain-Marais (adoptive) Early life
Career
Early films