Michel Bouquet departed us on April 13, 2022, at the age of 96. Respected and loved by both the public and the profession, the loss is great. A figure in theater and film, his oeuvre on stage and on screen demands admiration. Back on an amazing career.
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| Michel Bouquet |
His earliest efforts in dramatic art were guided by Maurice Escande during the war, after which he became a member of the Comédie-Française with his friend Gérard Philipe. His natural flair for the theatre brought him into contact with Jean Vilar and writer Jean Anouilh almost immediately.
Big screen roles of Michel Bouquet
Even if he achieves success on the stage, he will take a long time to get recognition in the cinema, even if he appears in the classic " Monsieur Vincent " film directed by Maurice Cloche and starring Pierre Fresnay in 1947. Success on the big screen came in the form of his partnership with François Truffaut on the film " The bride was in black ", in which he co-starred with Jeanne Moreau, " Borsalino " by Jacques Deray, or even " La rupture " by Claude Chabrol.
The actor is completely immersed in the Chabrolian cosmos, as shown in films such as "La femme infidèle," which was first shown on the big screen in 1969. In the film, Michel Bouquet accuses his wife - portrayed by Stéphane Audran - of having an affair. After hiring a private investigator who confirms his suspicions, Bouquet resolves to have the lover, played by Maurice Ronet, removed from the house. One of the actor's best roles comes from the talented director of " Beau Serge ", who dissects the lives of a married couple with a scalpel in this film. This is a wonderful classic.
The film "Two guys in the city" first appeared on the big screen in 1973. A substantial portion of this feature film was filmed in Montpellier, France, under the direction of José Giovianni, and it stars Jean Gabin and Alain Delon. Michel Bouquet plays the role of Inspector Goitreau, a police officer who is unfairly accused of pursuing a former criminal. Ultimately, this harassment will result in its defeat and the execution of Gino Strabliggi, played by Alain Delon. Michel Bouquet's interpretation of the challenging music, which is a powerful statement against the death sentence, is astounding.
As obstinate and stubborn as his character in the film " The Mississippi Mermaid ", directed by Francois Truffaut, the actor who plays the answer to two French cinematic monsters - Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Belmondo -, becomes one with his highly unsympathetic character and gives us a real comedy lesson is a real comedy lesson in itself.
His love for the theater
Throughout her professional life, she has maintained a strong desire to perform on stage. On several occasions, he has performed brilliantly and successfully in the works of Molière, Ionesco, and Samuel Beckett, among others. The miser and the phantom patient are two films that everyone recalls from his acting career. A desire to share his enthusiasm for the boards with aspiring performers led to his appointment as a lecturer at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art (formerly known as the National Conservatory of Theatre). In 2011, he stated that he would no longer be acting on stage, but he gradually returned to his original passion in the following years, triumphing in the play " The King is Dying " byor in the play " torts et à raisons " by the South African writer Ronald Harwood.
The actor's legacy is vast, and his death deprives us of a great artist who, even at the pinnacle of his profession, has always maintained a modest demeanor and maintained his integrity.