Charles Spaak
Country: Belgium
Total Credits at Criticker: 49 (Writer)
Biography submitted by xinet
Find more information about Charles Spaak at The Internet Movie Database
Titles you haven't rated - Writer (49)
During WW1, two French officers are captured. Captain De Boeldieu is an aristocrat while Lieutenant Marechal was a mechanic in civilian life (imdb)
The winner of the Louis Delluc Prize as the most outstanding French photo-play of 1936, as selected by the Young Independent Critics of France (an organization and not a description.) The film treats the imprisoning hold of poverty; the disheartening odds of people rising from such social despair, and the ease in which those in the upper spheres of Society may descend. (imdb)
When the village of Boom, in Flanders, learns a Spanish Duke and his troops plan to pass the night, the 4-man army deserts and the Mayor plays dead; so the Mayor's wife organizes the townswomen to greet the invaders and preserve the peace with womanly wiles. (imdb)
The film takes place at Christmastime in a small French village where the local children eagerly await the annual arrival of Santa Claus -- actually toymaker Cornuese (Harry Baur) in disguise. This year, however, a pall has been cast on the festivities: a valuable ring has been stolen from a reclusive baron, and another man dressed up like Santa has been found murdered. What, if anything, this has to do with the jovial Cornuese is a mystery that everyone is eager to solve. (nytimes.com)
The wife of a mechanic and former fighter pilot falls in love with the idea of flying herself. This soon becomes an obsession and she undertakes a lofty feat: the longest solo flight ever made by a woman. (imdb)
Those five are unemployed penniless workers. Together they win 100,000 Francs with the national lottery. Instead of sharing the money, they buy a ruin and build an open-air cafe. But difficulties come to split their friendly group apart: former wife, police tracking one of them (Spanish republican refugee), jealousy...
A married woman and a drifter fall in love, then plot to murder her husband... but even once the deed is done, they must live with the consequences of their actions. (imdb)
Rene is not a bright guy. He was taught to kill by the Resistance. But the WW2 is over and he keeps on killing. He is condemned to death. In jail, expecting the presidential pardon, he mets other condemned men. An anti-capital punishment drama, written and directed by a former lawyer. (imdb)
After a jury selection a trial ensues against a woman charged with murder for her lover's mercy killing.
Aged penniless actors are living in a old people's home. They always talk about their past glory or failures. (imdb)
When a common man saves a star by giving blood he becomes her protege, but his luck is short lived.
Pierre turns to a life of crime to support his wife. When he is discovered he decides to join the French Foreign Legion.
When his father is sent to prison Pierrot is adopted by the owners of a small gambling house and grows up to be a small time crook.
Story of a town in Flanders under Spanish occupation which is preparing for a festival when they learn that a Spanish duke hopes to arrive in town.
Under the codename Jericho British and French forces set their sights on the liberation of a Nazi camp in northern France.
A boy is kidnapped and murdered on the French riviera. The police, who had watched the delivery of the ransom to TWO men gives chase once they determine that the boy is dead. The police never loses sight of the TWO men who flee on a speedboat and run into an old lighthouse after landing. However, when the police surrounds the lighthouse, THREE men come out, each one claiming that he was there on a stroll and the following investigation can not determine who is lying. (imdb)
Smuggler's Ball is the English-language title for this French-Belgian seriocomedy. The action takes place along the borders separating Belgium, Holland and France. It is here that the worldly Pierre carries on a profitable smuggling operation, all the while romancing Siska, the daughter of a local customs official. Various subplots and secondary characters weave in and out as the plotline guides the viewer through the WW II years. (artistdirect.com)
After three weeks and a long, hot voyage across the Pacific, an ocean liner finally arrives at its destination, Ecuador. That evening, the event is marked by a masked ball and a magic show. Dainah, a liberated young woman who does not seem to have much affection for her husband, goes up on deck alone for a breath of fresh air. Here, she encounters the ship's engineer, Michaux (mubi.com)
The life of Ekaterina Mikhaïlovna Dolgoroukova, called Katia, from her years at a boarding school till her affair and her marriage with Czar Alexander II.
Edmond Dantes is falsely accused by those jealous of his good fortune, and is sentenced to spend the rest of his life in the notorious island prison, Chateau d'If. While imprisoned, he meets the Abbe Faria, a fellow prisoner whom everyone believes to be mad. The Abbe tells Edmond of a fantastic treasure hidden away on a tiny island, that only he knows the location of. After many years in prison, the old Abbe dies, and Edmond escapes disguised as the dead body. (imdb)
Raimu, one of the greatest French actors, plays the "strange" title hero, a respectable Toulon merchant who secretly operates as a fence for local thieves; after he murders a potential blackmailer, an innocent local shoemaker (Pierre Blanchar) is sent to prison for his crime. Seven years later the fall guy escapes, returns to Toulon to see his son, and, unaware of Victor's guilt, persuades the merchant to shelter him, then becomes involved with his wife.... (Jonathan Rosenbaum)
" Set in 1950, the film concentrates on five Parisian adolescents. Certain that the next war will herald the apocalypse, the youngster make plans to run off to a desert island and set up a new society. This, however, will require money, which is why the boys decide to pull off a "necessary" robbery. Idealism collapses in the face of cold reality, as the five youths suffer from the consequences of their actions. (NY Times)
Les Chouans is set during the dark days of the French Revolution. The title translates as "The Royalists," and indeed the protagonists are a group of French refugees loyal to the toppled royal family. Operating in Brittany, the royalists make a courageous if futile stand against the Republican army and the pro-revolution police. Based on a novel by Honore de Balzac, the film's screenplay was surreptitiously updated to include a few pro-left sentiments. (Hal Erickson, Rovi)
The adventures of a sailor (Lennard) from Mexico to a lagoon in the Pacific ocean, and the meeting with a lonely girl (Lilian White). (imdb)
Captain Justin Mollenard works for a company that sells armaments to the Far East. After an eventful stay in Shanghai, where he and his cargo are the victim of a malicious attack, he returns to his hometown of Dunkirk. Mollenard receives a frosty welcome from his wife Mathilde, who resents the way in which he has neglected his family for so many years.
A theater electrician's love to a ballet dancer is tested when he is elected minister. (imdb)
Henri Godot is the owner of a night-club in Paris. He hires young hit man Jo to kill his arch rival Boby. But Jo gets entangled with the intriguing femme fatale, Angele aka Maine, who is Bob's mistress.
One of the most expensive French films of the immediate postwar years, L'Affaire du Collier de la Reine is primarily a vehicle for the formidable Vivian Romance. The star plays an aristocrat in the court of Louis XVI, who helps engineer a scheme to divest the Queen of her royal necklace. On the verge of success, the "heroine" is found out, and forced to submit to whipping and torture. (KG)
On Christmas Eve, Françoise, a manicurist at the Paris-Palace-Hotel, is invited to celebrate by Henri Delormel, an attractive fifty-something man. She later meets a garage employee driving a Cadillac, and passes herself off as Delormel's daughter.
Modest bank employee and passionate billiard player in his spare time, Bernard Noblet is bored stiff.
Jacques Arnaud arrives in a small town somewhere in the province. Soon a citizen reports to him that strangers have broken into his house where they stole a mysterious "black dossier". (imdb)
André Noblet is a bit of a Casanova, but when he falls in love with the young and lovely Catherine, he decides to finally settle down. Still, he takes pleasure in remembering his past conquests: Christine, Minouche, Denise... Will he be able to get some peace at last? Perhaps - if Catherine allows it. (wikipedia.org)
In my "cellar" where case workers all the people of a great hotel, the head of the café, Donge, finds the corpse of Mrs Petersen, a rich client. The investigation by Maigret allows him to rub the husband of the victim, a Swede, Teddy, Ms Petersen's son, his housekeeper, a social dancer and Donge himself who is the natural father of Teddy. The child he will go to his real father or not he will leave the rich Petersen who adores? The murder mystery and enigma sentimental are resolved by Mai
Muichkine, a young Russian prince, returns home to St. Petersburg from a mental institution, determined to spread decency and kindness in the harsh and cruel world. He becomes betrothed to an innocent young girl while trying to save a less-innocent woman from her own travail, but jealousy and his own naivete conjoin to bring about unimaginable tragedy.
After an accident, Raymond has gone blind. His family treats him like a child. Fortunately, a nun comes to his rescue. She works in a center where blind people learn to read with the Braille alphabet. (imdb)
A banker responsible for a financial crisis dies, and his death is covered up. (imdb)
The story of the Swiss soldier, Henri Dunant (Jean-Louis Barrault), who was responsible for the founding of the Red Cross, and who was offered the first Nobel Peace Prize.
Roger Laroque is now a rich man. He returns to France under the name of William Farnell. There, he discovers that on the one hand his wife has died of a broken heart and on the other that his daughter Suzanne is in love with Raymond de Noirville, the son of his former mistress. With the help of a few friends, Roger coldly prepares his revenge. (imdb)
The young Suzy is a nightclub hostess in a cabaret in which Frehel is the star. Because one night she gets propositions from a rich widower who would like to have her as his girlfriend, Suzy wishes to leave this place, where she has no future, for a better one. Abandoned by her protector, a young hoodlum named Robert, she gets the occasion to get away from it. She decides to go on vacation on the Riviera and stay at the Chateau des Cedres.
Janvier, an embittered teacher, is fed up with his colorless, monotonous life. One day he breaks away and ends up becoming a circus clown. In his new world, he meets a beautiful acrobat nicknamed Lili and grows fonder and fonder of her every day of his life. The trouble is that the lady bestows her favors to two different lovers : wealthy married man Chardeuil and good-looking but listless young Antonio. He now considers his duty to make Lili recover her dignity.
An adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "Le Eternel Mari", a somber story of marital infidelity, revenge and near madness, and starring Raimu in his last film appearance.
A violinist passes on to his daughter three rings which represent three passions of his romantic past, and urges her to save each for men who truly deserve one. She squanders them all on one man who is undeserving.
Having found the fabulous treasure of which Abbé Faria had spoken to him, Dantès has only one idea left: revenge. He will succeed patiently, but will not however have the heart to break the poor Mercedes. Then he will leave for the East, accompanied by a lovely Levantine, Haydé, who served him to accomplish his revenge.
Glamorous French night-club singer plays the field of male admirers. (imdb)
An aristocrat instigates divorce proceedings against his son-in-law, a commoner and the ex-owner of night club “La Vie de Plaisir”.