Daybreak 1939  N/R, 85 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama / Romance
aka: Le Jour Se Leve
Director: Marcel Carne
Cast: Jean Gabin, Jules Berry, Jacqueline Laurent, Arletty, Rene Genin, Mady Berry, Jacques Baumer, Bernard Blier, Marcel Peres, Rene Bergeron, Gabrielle Fontan, Arthur Devere, Georges Douking
As this story begins, a factory worker, Francois (Jean Gabin), has locked himself in a building after killing M. Valentin (Jules Berry). Now, through flashbacks, the events leading up to the murder are revealed. Regarded by many as Jean Gabin's finest film.
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Deadlier Than the Male 1956  N/R, 104 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Julien Duvivier
Cast: Jean Gabin, Lucienne Bogaert, Daniele Delorme, Gerard Blain, Robert Arnoux, Robert Manuel, Germaine Kerjean, Gabrielle Fontan, Jean-Paul Roussillon, Aime Clariond
Catherine (Daniele Delorme) plans to marry her ex-stepfather Chatelin (Jean Gabin), kill him later for his money, and then live happily-ever-after with her lover, Gerard (Gerard Blain).
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 French Cancan 1955  N/R, 102 min.
Genre: Foreign / Comedy
aka: Only the French Can
Director: Jean Renoir
Cast: Jean Gabin, Maria Felix, Francoise Arnoul, Jean-Roger Caussimon, Giani Esposito, Anna Amendola, Michel Piccoli, Philippe Clay, Jean Paredes, Lydia Johnson, Max Dalban, Jacques Jouanneau
An 1890's theater producer turns Nini (Francoise Arnoul) into a star when he revives the French dance, the Cancan, at the opening of the Moulin Rouge. Overnight, the dance, dancers, and the Moulin Rouge become sensations.
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The Grand Illusion 1937  N/R, 111 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Jean Renoir
Cast: Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim, Dita Parlo, Marcel Dalio, Julien Carette, Gaston Modot, Jean Daste, Jacques Becker, Georges Peclet, Werner Florian, Sylvain Itkine, Albert Brouett, Claude Sainval, Michel Salina
Written while Hitler was beginning to make his move in Europe, this film examines the mindset of men involved in World War I and shows how the aristocratic backgrounds of French prisoner de Boldieu (Pierre Fresnay) and the German commandant of the prison camp, von Rauffenstein (Eric von Stroheim), contribute to them forming a bond that will have deadly consequences when they allow two French soldiers (Jean Gabin and Marcel Dalio) to escape. The negatives of the film survived, and the restored movie was released in 1999, complete with a new translation.
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Grisbi 1954  N/R, 94 min.
Genre: Foreign / Action / Drama / Thriller
aka: Don't Touch the Loot
Hands Off the Loot
Touchez Pas au Grisbi
Director: Jacques Becker
Cast: Jean Gabin, Rene Dary, Paul Frankeur, Lino Ventura, Jeanne Moreau, Vittorio Sanipoli, Dora Doll, Denise Clair, Marilyn Buferd, Daniel Cauchy, Jean Riveyre, Gaby Basset, Paul Barge, Alaine Bouvette, Angelo Dessy
"Grisbi" is the French word for "loot," and in this film rival gangs fight over $50 million in grisbi. An elderly thief, Max the Liar (Jean Gabin), leads one gang and is preparing to retire. But, problems rise to the fore when his partner Riton's (Rene Dary) girlfriend (Jeanne Moreau) helps rival gang leader Angelo (Lino Ventura) kidnap Riton and demand a huge ransom. Now the battle of wits ensues leading to inevitable tragedy. Another entertaining film in the French crime genre.
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The Holy Year 1976  N/R, 90 min.
Genre: Foreign / Comedy
aka: Pilgrimage to Rome
Director: Jean Girault
Cast: Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, Jean-Claude Brialy, Henri Virlojeux, Renato Romano, Maurice Teynac, Luciano Bartoli, Paolo Guisti, Nicoletta Machiavelli, Umberto Raho
This comedy revolves around escaped thief Max Lambert (Jean Gabin) who plots to recover the money he hid years before. Dressed as a priest, he takes a plane to Rome. The plane is hijacked, and now Max must act to get to the money.
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La Bandera 1935 N/R, 95 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
aka: Escape from Yesterday
Director: Julien Duvivier
Cast: Jean Gabin, Annabella, Robert Le Vigan, Raymond Aimos, Pierre Renoir, Gaston Modot, Margo Lion, Reine Paulet, Charles Granval, Viviane Romance
After committing a murder, Pierre (Jean Gabin) flees France, joins the Spanish Foreign Legion, and ends up in North Africa. Detective Fernando Lucas (Robert Le Vigan) follows. Both fall in love with beautiful Arab Aischa (Annabella) and must eventually join forces to fight off attacking Arabs.
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 La Bete Humaine 1938 N/R, 99 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
aka: The Human Beast
Judas Was a Woman
Director: Jean Renoir
Cast: Jean Gabin, Simone Simon, Julien Carette, Fernand Ledoux, Blanchette Brunoy, Gerard Landry, Jean Renoir, Jenny Helia, Colette Regis, Claire Gerard, Charlotte Clasis, Jacques Berlioz
Emile Zola's novel is adapted into this excellent film about an unfaithful wife (Simone Simon) who plots her husband's (Fernand Ledoux) demise. Fritz Lang remade this story as "Human Desire."
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 Les Miserables 1958 N/R, 210 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Jean-Paul Le Chanois
Cast: Jean Gabin, Bernard Blier, Rene Fleur, Fernand Ledoux, Christian Fourcade, Jean Ozenne, Bernard Musson, Daniele Delorme, Bourvil, Julienne Paroli, Edmond Ardisson, Giani Esposito
This version of Victor Hugo's tale, though often plodding, is more true to his work than most. Jean Gabin plays the convicted Jean Valjean who is dogged for many years by the cruel policeman, Javert (Bernard Blier).
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 Napoleon 1955 N/R, 115 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Sacha Guitry
Cast: Orson Welles, Maria Schell, Raymond Pellegrin, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Erich von Stroheim, Pierre Brasseur, Daniel Gelin, Danielle Darrieux, Sacha Guitry, Dany Robin, Jean Gabin, Cosetta Greco, Yves Montand, Roger Pigaut, Micheline Presle
Writer/director Sacha Guitry costars as Tallyrand who tells his friends about Napoleon Bonaparte's life. The story covers Napoleon's (Raymond Pellegrin) life from his campaigns in Italy to the Battle of Waterloo and, finally, his imprisonment and death on St. Helena.
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Pepe le Moko 1937 N/R, 90 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Julien Duvivier
Cast: Jean Gabin, Mireille Balin, Line Noro, Gabriel Gabrio, Lucas Gridoux, Fernand Charpin, Saturnin Fabre, Marcel Dalio, Roger Legris, Gaston Modot, Gilbert Gil
Gentlemanly master criminal Pepe le Moko (Jean Gabin) is safe in Algiers' Casbah, where he plies his trade while surrounded by his gang members. But, he yearns for his beloved Paris. Meanwhile, Police Inspector Slimane (Lucas Gridoux) bides his time while awaiting his opportunity to catch Pepe. The break comes when Pepe meets and falls in love with a tourist from Paris, Gaby (Mireille Balin). When she returns to Paris, Slimane knows that Pepe will follow and nabs his man. Excellent film with fine acting.
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Port of Shadows 1938 N/R, 91 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Marcel Carne
Cast: Jean Gabin, Michel Simon, Michele Morgan, Pierre Brasseur, Rene Genin, Marcel Peres, Roger Legris, Robert Le Vigan, Edouard Delmont, Raymond Aimos
A French Army deserter (Jean Gabin) arrives in the port of Le Havre where he meets and is attracted to young Nelly (Michele Morgan). As he gets involved with Nelly, he realizes how morally corrupt her "friends" are and tries to protect Nelly, but loses his own life in the process.
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The Sicilian Clan 1969 GP, 121 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Henri Verneuil
Cast: Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Lino Ventura, Irina Demick, Amedeo Nazzari, Sydney Chaplin, Elisa Cegani, Philippe Baronnet, Karen Blanguernon, Yves Brainville, Gerard Buhr, Edward Meeks, Andre Pousse, Leopoldo Trieste, Roger Lumont
Sicilian mobster Vittorio Manalese (Jean Gabin) helps condemned murderer Roger Sartet (Alain Delon) escape from prison, and the two plot to steal a large collection of jewels from a Venice museum and then take them to New York City. The plan works–with Manalese's entire family working to carry out the heist. But problems rise to the fore when Manalese learns that Sartet has been sleeping with his daughter-in-law Jeanne (Irina Demick), and the family sets out for revenge with plans to kill Sartet.
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Two Men in Town 1973 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
aka: Two Against the Law
Director: Jose Giovanni
Cast: Alain Delon, Jean Gabin, Mimsy Farmer, Michel Bouquet, Victor Lanoux, Cecile Vassort, Ilaria Occhini, Gerard Depardieu, Guido Alberti, Maurice Barrier, Paul Beauvais, Jacques Monod
With support from social worker Germain (Jean Gabin), Gino (Alain Delon) gets out of prison after serving 10 years. Gino plans to settle into a new life but finds himself hounded by a vengeful cop and is pushed to the breaking point. After Gino kills the cop, he is tried and executed in what proves to be one very graphic portrayal.
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The Walls of Malapaga 1949 N/R, 91 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Rene Clement
Cast: Jean Gabin, Isa Miranda, Vera Talchi, Andrea Checchi, Robert Dalban, Carlo Tamberlani, Vittorio Duse, Ave Ninchi, Checco Rissone, Dina Romano
This French-Italian production was filmed mostly in Genoa during rebuilding after World War II and tells the story of Pierre (Jean Gabin), a murderer on the lam. He stows away on a ship and gets off at Genoa in search of a dentist to take care of his toothache. There he meets a waitress, Marta (Isa Miranda), and romance blossoms. But, authorities are still on his trail. The film won an Honorary Oscar for Outstanding Foreign Film.
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| 1. Daybreak (1939)
aka: Le Jour Se Leve
2. Deadlier Than the Male (1956)
3. French Cancan (1955)
aka: Only the French Can
4. The Grand Illusion (1937)
5. Grisbi (1954)
aka: Don't Touch the Loot
aka: Hands Off the Loot
aka: Touchez Pas au Grisbi
6. The Holy Year (1976)
aka: Pilgrimage to Rome
7. La Bandera (1935)
aka: Escape from Yesterday
8. La Bete Humaine (1938)
aka: The Human Beast
aka: Judas Was a Woman
9. Les Miserables (1958)
10. Napoleon (1955)
11. Pepe le Moko (1937)
12. Port of Shadows (1938)
13. The Sicilian Clan (1969)
14. Two Men in Town (1973)
aka: Two Against the Law
15. The Walls of Malapaga (1949)
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