Casque d'or (1952)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Jacques Becker

Writers:

Jacques Becker (scenario) and
Jacques Companéez (scenario) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 August 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

L'histoire d'une femme dont chaque amour fut...

Plot:

In an open-air dance hall, the members of Leca's gang are relaxing with their ladies. One of them, Marie...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Friendship | Blackmail | Paris | Sacrifice

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Simone Signoret	...	Marie 'Casque d'Or'
Serge Reggiani	...	Georges Manda
Claude Dauphin	...	Félix Leca
Raymond Bussières	...	Raymond
Odette Barencey	...	La mère d'Eugène
Loleh Bellon	...	Léonie Danard
Solange Certin
Jacqueline Dane
Daniel Mendaille	...	Le patron de la guinguette / Guinguette
Dominique Davray	...	Julie
Paul Barge	...	L'inspecteur Juliani / Police Insp. Giuliani
Paul Azaïs	...	Ponsard
Claude Castaing	...	Fredo
Jean Clarieux	...	Paul
Tony Corteggiani	...	Le commissaire / Superintendent
Émile Genevois	...	Billy (as Emile Genevois)
Marc Goutas	...	Guillaume
Gaston Modot	...	Danard
William Sabatier	...	Roland Dupuis
Fernand Trignol	...	Le patron de "L'ange Gabriel" / The restaurant keeper (as Trignol)
Anne Beressy
Marianne Bergue
Jacqueline Canterelle
Gisèle Delzen
Suzanne Grey	...	Une fille à la guinguette
Simone Jarnac
Yette Lucas	...	Adèle
Jacqueline Marbaux		(as Jacqueline Marbaut)
Pâquerette	...	La grand-mère d'Anatole (as Paquerette)
Pomme	...	La concierge
Georgette Talazac	...	Une bourgeoise à la guinguette
Yvonne Yma	...	La patronne de "L'ange gabriel"
Léon Bary	...	Un client chic de "L'ange Gabriel")
Dalphin
Abel Coulon
Jean Degrave	...	Un client chic de "L'ange Gabriel")
Max Lancourt
Pierre Leproux	...	Le gendarme du fourgon (as Pierre Le Proux)
Roland Lesaffre	...	Anatole (waiter)
Julien Maffre	...	Jacquet
Marcel Melrac	...	Un cocher
André Méliès	...	Un bourgeois à la guinguette
Bobby Mercier
Louis Moret
René Pascal
Raphaël Patorni	...	Un client chic de "L'ange Gabriel")
Léon Pauléon	...	Un cocher
Raymond Raynal	...	Un gendarme
Marcel Rouzé	...	Un gendarme
Roger Vincent	...	Le médecin / The doctor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Martine Arden	...	(uncredited)
Joëlle Bernard	...	Une fille à la guinguette (uncredited)
Solange Certain	...	(uncredited)
Jacqueline Danno	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Yvonne Legeay	...	(uncredited)
Maurice Marceau	...	Un client à "L'ange gardien" (uncredited)
Christiane Minazzoli	...	Madeleine (uncredited)

Directed by
Jacques Becker

Writing credits
Jacques Becker		(scenario) and
Jacques Companéez		(scenario)
Jacques Becker		(adaptation and dialogue)
Annette Wademant		(scenario collaborator) uncredited

Produced by
Raymond Hakim	....	producer
Robert Hakim	....	producer

Original Music by
Georges Van Parys

Cinematography by
Robert Lefebvre		(as Robert Le Febvre)

Film Editing by
Marguerite Renoir

Production Design by
Jean d'Eaubonne		(as Jean D'Eaubonne)

Set Decoration by
Maurice Barnathan

Costume Design by
Mayo

Makeup Department
Alex Archambault	....	hair stylist
Boris Karabanoff	....	makeup artist (as B. Karabanoff)
Maguy Vernadet	....	makeup artist (as M. Vernadet)

Production Management
Henri Baum	....	production manager
Ulrich Picard	....	assistant production manager (as U. Pickard)
Louis Théron	....	unit manager (as Louis Theron)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marcel Camus	....	assistant director
Michel Clément	....	second assistant director
Alain Jessua	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Émile Dechelle	....	set dresser (as Dechelle)
Marc Frédérix	....	assistant decorator
Alfred Marpaux	....	designer (as F. Marpaux)
Maurice Terrasse	....	property master (as Terrasse)

Sound Department
Gaston Ancessi	....	sound assistant (as Ancessi)
Auboiroux	....	sound assistant
Antoine Petitjean	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-Marie Maillols	....	assistant director of photography
Gaston Muller	....	assistant camera
Francis Rivolan	....	crane operator
Gilbert Sarthre	....	assistant camera
André Tixier	....	chief electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marcelle Desvignes	....	costume execution
Georgette Fillon	....	chief costumer
Marie-Rose Lebigot	....	costumer designer: corsets (as Marie Rose Le Bigot)

Editorial Department
Geneviève Vaury	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Colette Crochot	....	script girl
Maurice Vandair	....	publisher

Production Companies

• Robert et Raymond Hakim

Distributors

• Paris Film (1952) (France) (theatrical)
• Spéva Films (1952) (France) (theatrical)
• DisCina International (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Criterion Collection, The (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Studio Canal (2001) (France) (DVD) (special edition)

Other Companies

• Lanvin  costume makers (uncredited)
• Optihopne  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Golden Helmet
Golden Marie (USA)
Goldhelm (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Amores de Apache (Brazil) [pt]
Aquela Loira (Portugal) [pt]
Casco d'oro (Italy) [it]
Casque d'or (Belgium: French title) [fr]
Casque d'or (Argentina) [es]
Gouden helm (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Hrysoun kranos (Greece) [el]
Möte under stjärnorna (Sweden) [sv]
París, bajos fondos (Spain) [es]
Rakastajatar (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

96 min | USA:94 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Optiphone)

Certification:

UK:PG (2007) | UK:X (1952) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Annet-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France

Company:

Robert et Raymond Hakim

Trivia:

The original plotline for the film was about an executioner and a criminal, instead of the heartfelt romance that ultimately made up the plot.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Jackpot 2 (1982)

The blonde beauty

Jacques Becker's "Casque d'or" is a fine example of the best in the French cinema. At times, this splendid 1954 film, keeps reminding us about paintings of the impressionist school, especially Renoir, because it takes us back to that era. In fact, the beginning of the film almost gives the impression we are witnessing characters that inspired the painters of that art movement.

"Casque d'or" is enhanced by the magnificent black and white photography of Robert Lefevbre who has a poetic way to get the best of what M. Becker intended him to do. The atmospheric music of Georges Van Parys takes the viewer back to those places one has seen in different paintings of that era.

The lovely young woman at the center of the picture, Marie, gets taken with Manda the moment he enters the country restaurant where she is seen with some of the petty criminals she is friendly with. One realizes this is a passion that is not meant to be from the start. Marie belongs to one of the Felix Leca's gang. When Roland senses his girl has an eye for another man, he wants to take get rid of him.

Georges Manda has also been to jail, but now is a carpenter and trying to go straight. Fate is not kind to Manda, who, when provoked, reveals he is not to be made a fool. Leca, who is also quite smitten by Marie's beauty plans to get rid of Manda so he can have the blonde woman all to himself. Leca, who knows his way around the law, and is friendly with the police, will prove to be Manda's undoing.

What Jacques Becker achieved with this film was to create the right atmosphere to set his story. Working in France he had the access to the great movie locations one sees in the movie. The film evokes that period convincingly. The director adds touches, that even when watched today, are a delight to watch.

M. Becker got good performances out of his cast. Simone Signoret at that point of her life was at her prime. Her Marie is a fine example of what she was able to project without much effort. Her beauty is evident and she plays Marie with elegance. Serge Reggiani plays Manda with conviction. M. Reggiani covered quite a lot of ground in the French cinema. Aside from his good looks, he was an accomplished actor and singer. His contribution to our enjoyment of the film made "Casque d'or" to be a classic it became. Claude Dauphin is Felix Leca, the unscrupulous man in love with Marie who will stoop so low in order to get the woman that he wouldn't have otherwise. M. Dauphin conveys the evil in Felix Leca with an economy that works well in his portrayal of this sophisticated monster.

Finally, this is Jacques Becker's triumph. "Casque d'or" is one of the best films of all times.