Thomas the Impostor
Thomas l'imposteur Thomas the Impostor | |
---|---|
Directed by | Georges Franju |
Written by | Jean Cocteau et al |
Starring |
Emmanuelle Riva Fabrice Rouleau Jean Servais Sophie Dares Rosy Varte |
Release dates | 1965 |
Running time | 94 minutes |
Country | France |
Language | French |
Thomas the Impostor (French: Thomas l'imposteur) is a 1964 French film directed by Georges Franju and starring Emmanuelle Riva, Fabrice Rouleau, Sophie Dares, Jean Marais and Charles Aznavour. It is based on a novel of the same name by Jean Cocteau, which had first been published in French in 1923 and had been inspired by Cocteau's experiences in the first World War. An American edition of the novel, translated into English by Lewis Galentiere, was published in 1925 under the title Thomas the Impostor, and another English translation by Dorothy Williams was subsequently published in 1957 under the title The Impostor. The film was entered into the 15th Berlin International Film Festival.[1]
Plot
The film is set during World War I, as Paris is expected to fall to the Germans. The Princesse de Bormes, a widow, helps wounded soldiers by evacuating them from the front and bringing them to her villa in Paris for medical care. However, the authorities will not give the Princess and the soldiers passes to return to Paris. The situation changes when an innocent 16-year-old boy, Guillaume Thomas de Fontenoy, joins the authorities and is mistaken as the nephew of the popular General de Fontenoy. Thomas is able to use his position of posing as the general's nephew to cut through the red tape, in order to help the Princess. She is entranced by Thomas, and her daughter, Henriette, falls in love with him. However, Thomas feels impelled to see more war action. Later, he is caught behind enemy lines when he is moved with a military unit into the heat of battle.
Cast
- Emmanuelle Riva - Princesse de Bormes
- Jean Servais - Pasquel-Duport
- Fabrice Rouleau - Guillaume Thomas de Fontenoy
- Sophie Darès - Henriette
- Michel Vitold - Dr. Vernes
- Charles Aznavour
- Jean-Roger Caussimon - Bishop
- Edouard Dermithe - Captain Roy
- Hélène Dieudonné - Thomas' aunt
- Gabrielle Dorziat - Cartomancienne
- Bernard Lavalette - Dr. Gentil
- Jean Magis - Pagot
- Jean Marais - Narrator (voice)
- André Méliès - Elderly man at the ball
- Jean Ozenne
- Christian Scheyder - Young priest
- Edith Scob - Nurse
- Rosy Varte - Mme. Valiche
References
- ↑ "IMDB.com: Awards for Thomas the Impostor". imdb.com. Retrieved 2010-02-21.