The Best-Loved Frenchman

[Marc Chevalier]

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The best-known (and best-loved) Frenchman in the United States wasn't Lafayette or DeToqueville. It was Maurice Chevalier.

When I was a little boy in the early 1970s, every man and woman over the age of 50 asked me, "Are you related to Maurice Chevalier"? (I wasn't.) They'd always add, with a twinkle in their eyes and a big smile, "What a wonderful performer he was!" Apparently, Maurice Chevalier really struck a chord with American audiences in the late '20s and '30s. His screen persona was charming and naughty, but somehow not dirty. Sex for his characters was fun, a part of life's joy. He made it palatable to many Americans who might not have accepted the same from a Yankee actor.

I know that Maurice Chevalier the man was rather less charming (or tasteful) than the characters he played. Chevalier performed for the Nazis in Vichy France, and he sexually harassed his frequent co-star, Jeanette MacDonald. However, American moviegoers knew nothing of that. They simply enjoyed Maurice Chevalier the persona: a poor, streetwise Parisian who found success through charm, resourcefulness, and endless bouts of flirtation.

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[artdecodame]

I used to find him insanely creepy until I saw "Love Me Tonight" a few years back. Now I also like hearing his songs on various French compilation CD's, although I'm not sure if I would buy one featuring only him.

Miiiiiimi...am I the guuuuuyyy??

 

[Marc Chevalier]

He does seem creepy when singing " 'Zank heaven for leetle girls!" as an old man in Gigi.

But when he was young and starring in risque Ernst Lubitsch "romantic" comedies (late 1920s-early 1930s), well ... zees Maurice fella was zee tops!

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[Lincsong]

Whenever I see Kat's posts I always think of that scene from Gigi; "they grow up in the most delightful way. Those little eyes so soft and appealing, one look at you and you hit the ceiling".lol

 

[Lincsong]

And every darn post from Marc, I think of History of the World where during the French Revolution they say; "we have nothing, they take everything from us. Do we talk like Maurice Chevalier?; uh uh uh uh uh? NO! all we have is this stupid accent"lol

 

[Novella]

I used to find him insanely creepy until I saw "Love Me Tonight" a few years back.

I'm halfway through that movie! I wasn't too into the movie intially, until the "Isn't it Romantic" song number. That won me over. The jury's still out on what I think of him though.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

At least he had a cool surname ...



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[jake_fink]

There is a bit in Monkey Business in which the Marx Brothers do Chevalier impressions. It was a little bit of synergistic marketing 1930s style - Paramount was trying to build name recognition for it''s stars, so they manufactured ways of inserting the names of, if not the stars themselves, into other films.

Surname nothwithstanding, my favourite Frenchman, movie related, is M. Hulot.

 

[Twitch]

An honorable mention goes to Pepe LePue though.....

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

There is a bit in Monkey Business in which the Marx Brothers do Chevalier impressions.

The Marx brothers, whom you could file under Frenchmen as well, with only a bit of a stretch - their father and his family were from Alsace. Thinking of it, Julius Marx might well be my favourite Frenchman, if I had such favourites.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Other really, truly great French film comedians:

-- Max Linder (of whom Chaplin himself was in awe)

-- Fernandel (horsefaced, goofy, charming and lovable)


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[Tomasso]

At least he had a cool surname ...



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Was he your Uncle Mo?

 

[Lincsong]

An honorable mention goes to Pepe LePue though.....

Mel Blanc-another Frenchman.
Well, French-American

 

[Lincsong]

At least he had a cool surname ...



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Translated? The Horseman?[huh]

 

[Magus]

Gigi is my favorite musical...and M. Chevalier was wonderful in the part. Perfectly played, in my mind at least. I find his song regarding the growing up of little girls rather playfully done rather than lustily. However to focus on that would be a horrible loss when (once again in my thoughts) his duet with Hermione Gingold on "I Remember It Well" is so perfectly acted and sung.

With that all said I would say that Jean Reno and Gerard Depardu are rappidly overtaking M. Chevalier as most loved Frenchmen.

 

[Sefton]

My favorite impersonation of a Frenchman: Claude Rains as Capt. Renault in Casablanca.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Translated? The Horseman?[huh]

Literally, yes. But it really means "knight".

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[Lincsong]

Literally, yes. But it really means "knight".

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So that explains the new avatar.:

So how did he pronounce it; "mau-ree sheu-va-lee-ay"?[huh]

 

[FedoraGent]

Mimi

I JUST LOVE HEARING MIMI. Pardon the pun, but I just loved Love Me Tonight. It's probably because I rather love "Love Me Tonight". Jeannette MacDonald and Myrna Loy...grrrr.

And plus I think that Maurice is exceptional in it.

Jon