History Creator / JeanPierreMelville

His films became popular in the States. His film ''Army of Shadows'' never before seen in America arrived in the 21st Century and became an unexpected commercial success in the course of a limited run. His movies have been released on Creator/TheCriterionCollection.

! Filmography

* ''Un flic''

Jean-Pierre Melville (20 October 1917 – 2 August 1973) was a French filmmaker who directed several notable and influential films in the '50s and '60s. Famous especially for his films with superstar Creator/AlainDelon and his crime films.

Jean-Pierre Melville (20 October 1917 – 2 August 1973) was a French film-maker who directed several notable and influential films in the 50s and 60s. Famous especially for his films with superstar Creator/AlainDelon and his crime films.

In the 60s, Melville lost favor with his former admirers even if he found greater commercial success as he made highly stylized, elegant crime films, many of them becoming box-office successes around the world. He's most famous for ''Le Doulos, Le Samourai'' and ''Le Cercle rouge'' which starred French icon Alain Delon. Towards the end, a fire broke out in his studio slowing his pace and he died after making his final film, ''Un flic'' once again starring Delon. Melville's reputation fluctuated after his death, but enjoyed a revival in the 90s and the 21st Century. Hong Kong masters like Creator/JohnWoo and Johnnie To cited Melville as their inspiration for their crime films, as did Creator/JimJarmusch.

* ''Léon Morin, prêtre''

* ''Les Enfants Terribles'' (with Creator/JeanCocteau)

* ''Le Doulos''

* ''Bob le Flambeur''

After the war, Melville decided to make a film. His first choice was an adaptation of the novel Literature/LeSilenceDeLaMer by fellow resister Vercors. Melville couldn't get financing from established studios so he made it independently, outside the system. This was actually illegal and forbidden at the time, and Melville was told that he should either pay a fine or not make the film. Melville [[RefugeInAudacity paid the fine and made the film anyway]]. It was a critical and commercial success and everyone heralded the arrival of a great new talent in French cinema. Melville subsequently collaborated with French polymath Jean Cocteau on ''Les Enfants Terribles'' but found his mark with the classic French caper film, ''Bob le Flambeur'', a major influence on the heist movie genre. Melville's commercial success and business savvy led to him purchasing and owning his own studio. During this time, he became highly popular with the critics of the UsefulNotes/FrenchNewWave who saw Melville as an inspiration for the kind of films they wanted to make. Melville appeared in a cameo as a Creator/VladimirNabokov {{Expy}} in Creator/JeanLucGodard's ''Film/{{Breathless}}'', and his studio was used for the finale of ''Vivre sa vie''. Two of Melville's assistant directors, Volker Schlondorff and Bertrand Tavernier became notable directors in their own right.

* ''Les Enfants Terribles'' (with Jean Cocteau)

His films became popular in the States. His film ''Army of Shadows'' never before seen in America arrived in the 21st Century and became an unexpected commercial success in the course of a limited run. His movies have been released on TheCriterionCollection.

* ''Le Cercle rouge''

-> ''Life is an uphill struggle to failure.''

* ''Army of Shadows''

* ''Un flic''

Jean-Pierre Melville (20 October 1917 – 2 August 1973) was a French film-maker who directed several notable and influential films in the 50s and 60s. Famous especially for his films with superstar Alain Delon and his crime films.

After the war, Melville decided to make a film. His first choice was an adaptation of the novel Literature/LeSilenceDeLaMer by fellow resister Vercors. Melville couldn't get financing from established studios so he made it independently, outside the system. This was actually illegal and forbidden at the time, and Melville was told that he should either pay a fine or not make the film. Melville [[RefugeInAudacity paid the fine and made the film anyway]]. It was a critical and commercial success and everyone heralded the arrival of a great new talent in French cinema. Melville subsequently collaborated with French polymath Jean Cocteau on ''Les Enfants Terribles'' but found his mark with the classic French caper film, ''Bob le Flambeur'', a major influence on the heist movie genre. Melville's commercial success and business savvy led to him purchasing and owning his own studio. During this time, he became highly popular with the critics of the UsefulNotes/FrenchNewWave who saw Melville as an inspiration for the kind of films they wanted to make. Melville appeared in a cameo as a Creator/VladimirNabokov {{Expy}} in Creator/JeanLucGodard's ''Film/{{Breathless}}'', and his studio was used for the finale of ''Vivre sa vie''. Two of Melville's assistant director, Volker Schlondorff and Bertrand Tavernier became notable directors in their own right.

After the war, Melville decided to make a film. His first choice was an adaptation of the novel Literature/LeSilenceDeLaMer by fellow resister Vercors. Melville couldn't get financing from established studios so he made it independently, outside the system. This was actually illegal and forbidden at the time, and Melville was told that he should either pay a fine or not make the film. Melville [[RefugeInAudacity paid the fine and made the film anyway]]. It was a critical and commercial success and everyone heralded the arrival of a great new talent in French cinema. Melville subsequently collaborated with French polymath Jean Cocteau on ''Les Enfants Terribles'' but found his mark with the classic French caper film, ''Bob le Flambeur'', a major influence on the heist movie genre. Melville's commercial success and business savvy led to him purchasing and owning his own studio. During this time, he became highly popular with the critics of the UsefulNotes/FrenchNewWave who saw Melville as an inspiration for the kind of films they wanted to make. Melville appeared in a cameo as a Creator/VladimirNabokov {{Expy}} in Creator/JeanLucGodard's ''Film/{{Breathless}}'', while the latter's studio was used for the finale of ''Vivre sa vie''. Two of Melville's assistant director, Volker Schlondorff and Bertrand Tavernier became notable directors in their own right.

* ''Film/LeSamouraï''

His films became popular in the States. His film ''Army of Shadows'' never before seen in America arrived in the 21st Century and became an unexpected commercial success in the course of a limited run. His movies have been released on TheCriterionCollection. He can be seen as a TransatlanticEquivalent of Creator/SamuelFuller, Jewish

!! Filmography