Jean Renoir

Jean Renoir - Film Director, Family and Facts

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Jean Renoir's Personal Details

Jean Renoir was a French Film director, producer and actor

InformationDetail
BirthdaySeptember 15, 1894
Died onFebruary 12, 1979
NationalityFrench, American
FamousFilm & Theater Personalities, Actors, Directors, T V & Movie Producers, Film Director, Producer
City/StateParis
SpousesCatherine Hessling (1920–1930) Dido Freire, Partner: Marguerite Renoir (1932-1939)
ChildrensAlaine
Birth PlaceParis, France
Born CountryFrance
GenderMale
FatherPierre-Auguste Renoir
MotherAline Victorine Charigot
Sun SignVirgo
Born inParis, France
Famous asFilm Director, Actor, Producer
Died at Age84

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Jean Renoir's photo

Who is Jean Renoir?

Jean Renoir was a French Film director, producer and actor. He was one of the most famous film makers in France during the mid 1920s. He joined the army as a cavalryman but had to leave because of illness before the beginning of the First World War. Later on he joined the infantry but was wounded and had to leave the infantry too. He next became a pilot in the French air force. After the death of his father who left him with a large inheritance, he started a film production company of his own to make movies for his wife who was a model and an aspiring actress. Both his actress wife and his painter father encouraged Jean to go into films when he was recuperating from a wound from a stray bullet during the war. He started directing films in 1924, acted in some films which starred his wife and also took up the direction of other films produced by others to earn money. During the Second World War Renoir worked in the film unit of the French army and was fortunate to escape from the advancing German troops to Lisbon and then to America when France fell to Germany. His directing talent was due to his uncompromising attitude towards commercial or public conventions and his ability to work in all genres without sacrificing his individuality.

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Childhood & Early Life

Jean Renoir was born in Paris, France, on September 15, 1894. His father was the famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his mother was Aline Victorine Charigot. He had an elder brother named Pierre and a younger brother named Claude.

He joined the ‘College Saint-Croix’ in 1901, then the ‘Ecole Sainte-Marie de Moneceua’ and finally the ‘Ecole Massena’.

He studied at the ‘University of Aix-en-Provence’ and received his degree in Arts in 1913.

Career

Jean Renoir directed his first moderately successful movie ‘La Fille de l’eau’ in 1924 starring Catherine Hessling (name changed from Andree Heuchling).

He made ‘Nana’ based on Emile Zola’s book in 1926 but went bankrupt when it flopped at the box office.

He made ‘Charleston’ in 1927 starring Hessling which was had limited success. He directed a commercial film ‘Marquitta’ the same year.

Renoir made his next significant film, a military comedy, titled ‘Tire-au-Flanc’ in 1928.

In the film ‘Crime et chatiment’ or ‘Crime and Punishment’ in 1935, Hessling played the lead role though Renoir and she were separated.

His first successful film was ‘On Purge Bebe’.

He produced the film ‘La Chienne’ or ‘The Bitch’ in 1931 edited by Marguerite Mathieu, with whom Renoir had an affair that ended in late 1930s.

He directed his elder brother Pierre in a detective film ‘La Nuit du Carrefour’ or ‘Night at the Crossroads’ in 1932 which was a brilliant piece of work but not seen much.

His next film was a delightful comedy, ‘Boudu sauve des eaux’ or ‘Boudu Saved from Drowning’ in 1932.

He produced ‘Madame Bouvary’ in 1934 starring Pierre Renoir and Valentine Tessier which was also a commercial success.

He followed this up with ‘Toni’ in 1934, ‘The Crime of Monsieur Lange’ in 1936, ‘La Vie est a nous’ or ‘People of France’ in 1936, ‘Une Partie de compagne’ or ‘A Day in The Country’ in 1936, ‘Les Bas fonds’ or ‘The Lower Depths’ in 1936, ‘La Grande Illusion’ or ‘Grand Illusion’ in 1937, ‘La Marseillaise’ in 1938, ‘Le Bete humaine’ or ‘The human Beast’ in 1938, and finally ‘La Regle du jeu’ or ‘The Rules of the Game’ in 1939.

He spent most of time in 1939 in Rome where he taught at the ‘Centro Sperimental di Cinematographia’.

In the spring of 1940 he started the production of a film version of ‘La Tosca’ but was interrupted as Italy joined the war and he had to escape to America.

He made ‘Swamp Water’ in 1941 under contract with ‘20th Century Fox’ which was a moderate success.

He tried his hand at a Deanna Durban musical but had to abandon the project after doing 2/3rd part.

His next film ‘This Land is Mine’ in 1943 for ‘RKO’ was accepted by the American public but was rejected by the French audience.

He tried to make amends with ‘Salute to France’ in 1944 but was unsuccessful though the American audience accepted it.

He directed the film ‘The Southerner’ for ‘United Artists’ in 1945 which received great acclaim.

He became a US citizen in 1946.

In 1947, he made the film ‘Woman on the Beach’ for ‘RKO Studios’ which was a masterpiece though it was cut drastically.

The film ‘The River’ shot in Calcutta, India, in 1950 based upon a book written by Rumer Godden on three young women growing up in India, was a great success and won him the first prize at the ‘Venice Film Festival’ in 1951.

He returned to France after 15 years and made the film ‘Le Carosse d’or’ or ‘The Golden Coach’ in 1952 that did not do very well. It was followed by ‘French Cancan’ in 1954, ‘Elena et les hommes’ or ‘Elena and her Men’ in 1956, ‘Le Testament du Dr. Cordelier’ in 1959, ‘Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe’ or ‘Picnic on the Grass’ in 1959 and ‘Le Caporal epingle’ or ‘The Elusive Corporal’ in 1962

In 1960 his film ‘Rules of the Game’, which he had made in 1939 and had been rejected by the public, was re-released and it was acclaimed a masterpiece.

During the 1950s he remained active in the theater by writing a play ‘Orvette’.

The films that he made during the later part of the 1960s were modestly successful and were used mainly for the TV. These included a short film ‘La Direction d’acteur par Jean Renoir’, in which he acted, and his last feature film ‘Le Petit Theater de Jean Renoir’ or ‘Little Theater of Jen Renoir’ in 1971.

After making these films he retired from films and dedicated himself to writing.

Major Works

Jean Renoir wrote ‘La Tosca’ in collaboration with Carl Koch and Luchino Visconti in 1940.

He wrote his father’s biography in 1966.

He wrote his memoirs ‘Ma Viet et mes Films’ or ‘My Lifetime and my Films’ in 1974.

Awards & Achievements

Jean Renoir won the first prize at the 1951 ‘Vienna Film Festival’ for ‘The River’.

In 1975 he was honored with an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement.

He received the ‘French Legion of Honor’ in 1977.

Personal Life & Legacy

He married Andree Madeleine Heuschling, his father’s model and an aspiring actress, in January 1920, and divorced her in 1930. He had a son named Alaine with her.

He married Dido Freire, his secretary, in February 1944.

Jean Renoir died in Beverly Hills, California, USA, on February 12, 1979, at the age of 84.

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Jean Renoir biography timelines

  • // 15th Sep 1894
    Jean Renoir was born in Paris, France, on September 15, 1894. His father was the famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his mother was Aline Victorine Charigot. He had an elder brother named Pierre and a younger brother named Claude.
  • // 1901
    He joined the ‘College Saint-Croix’ in 1901, then the ‘Ecole Sainte-Marie de Moneceua’ and finally the ‘Ecole Massena’.
  • // 1913
    He studied at the ‘University of Aix-en-Provence’ and received his degree in Arts in 1913.
  • // Jan 1920 To 1930
    He married Andree Madeleine Heuschling, his father’s model and an aspiring actress, in January 1920, and divorced her in 1930. He had a son named Alaine with her.
  • // 1924
    Jean Renoir directed his first moderately successful movie ‘La Fille de l’eau’ in 1924 starring Catherine Hessling (name changed from Andree Heuchling).
  • // 1926
    He made ‘Nana’ based on Emile Zola’s book in 1926 but went bankrupt when it flopped at the box office.
  • // 1927
    He made ‘Charleston’ in 1927 starring Hessling which was had limited success. He directed a commercial film ‘Marquitta’ the same year.
  • // 1928
    Renoir made his next significant film, a military comedy, titled ‘Tire-au-Flanc’ in 1928.
  • // 1931
    He produced the film ‘La Chienne’ or ‘The Bitch’ in 1931 edited by Marguerite Mathieu, with whom Renoir had an affair that ended in late 1930s.
  • // 1932
    He directed his elder brother Pierre in a detective film ‘La Nuit du Carrefour’ or ‘Night at the Crossroads’ in 1932 which was a brilliant piece of work but not seen much.
  • // 1932
    His next film was a delightful comedy, ‘Boudu sauve des eaux’ or ‘Boudu Saved from Drowning’ in 1932.
  • // 1934
    He produced ‘Madame Bouvary’ in 1934 starring Pierre Renoir and Valentine Tessier which was also a commercial success.
  • // 1935
    In the film ‘Crime et chatiment’ or ‘Crime and Punishment’ in 1935, Hessling played the lead role though Renoir and she were separated.
  • // 1939
    He spent most of time in 1939 in Rome where he taught at the ‘Centro Sperimental di Cinematographia’.
  • // 1939 To 1960
    In 1960 his film ‘Rules of the Game’, which he had made in 1939 and had been rejected by the public, was re-released and it was acclaimed a masterpiece.
  • // 1940
    In the spring of 1940 he started the production of a film version of ‘La Tosca’ but was interrupted as Italy joined the war and he had to escape to America.
  • // 1940
    Jean Renoir wrote ‘La Tosca’ in collaboration with Carl Koch and Luchino Visconti in 1940.
  • // 1941
    He made ‘Swamp Water’ in 1941 under contract with ‘20th Century Fox’ which was a moderate success.
  • // 1943
    His next film ‘This Land is Mine’ in 1943 for ‘RKO’ was accepted by the American public but was rejected by the French audience.
  • // 1944
    He tried to make amends with ‘Salute to France’ in 1944 but was unsuccessful though the American audience accepted it.
  • // Feb 1944
    He married Dido Freire, his secretary, in February 1944.
  • // 1945
    He directed the film ‘The Southerner’ for ‘United Artists’ in 1945 which received great acclaim.
  • // 1946
    He became a US citizen in 1946.
  • // 1947
    In 1947, he made the film ‘Woman on the Beach’ for ‘RKO Studios’ which was a masterpiece though it was cut drastically.
  • // 1950 To 1951
    The film ‘The River’ shot in Calcutta, India, in 1950 based upon a book written by Rumer Godden on three young women growing up in India, was a great success and won him the first prize at the ‘Venice Film Festival’ in 1951.
  • // 1951
    Jean Renoir won the first prize at the 1951 ‘Vienna Film Festival’ for ‘The River’.
  • // 1966
    He wrote his father’s biography in 1966.
  • // 1971
    The films that he made during the later part of the 1960s were modestly successful and were used mainly for the TV. These included a short film ‘La Direction d’acteur par Jean Renoir’, in which he acted, and his last feature film ‘Le Petit Theater de Jean Renoir’ or ‘Little Theater of Jen Renoir’ in 1971.
  • // 1974
    He wrote his memoirs ‘Ma Viet et mes Films’ or ‘My Lifetime and my Films’ in 1974.
  • // 1975
    In 1975 he was honored with an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement.
  • // 1977
    He received the ‘French Legion of Honor’ in 1977.
  • // 12th Feb 1979
    Jean Renoir died in Beverly Hills, California, USA, on February 12, 1979, at the age of 84.

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Jean Renoir's FAQ

  • What is Jean Renoir birthday?

    Jean Renoir was born at 1894-09-15

  • When was Jean Renoir died?

    Jean Renoir was died at 1979-02-12

  • Where was Jean Renoir died?

    Jean Renoir was died in Beverly Hills, California, United States

  • Which age was Jean Renoir died?

    Jean Renoir was died at age 84

  • Where is Jean Renoir's birth place?

    Jean Renoir was born in Paris, France

  • What is Jean Renoir nationalities?

    Jean Renoir's nationalities is French, American

  • Who is Jean Renoir spouses?

    Jean Renoir's spouses is Catherine Hessling (1920–1930) Dido Freire, Partner: Marguerite Renoir (1932-1939)

  • Who is Jean Renoir childrens?

    Jean Renoir's childrens is Alaine

  • Who is Jean Renoir's father?

    Jean Renoir's father is Pierre-Auguste Renoir

  • Who is Jean Renoir's mother?

    Jean Renoir's mother is Aline Victorine Charigot

  • What is Jean Renoir's sun sign?

    Jean Renoir is Virgo

  • How famous is Jean Renoir?

    Jean Renoir is famouse as Film Director, Actor, Producer