The actor of the film "Old Gun" in 1976 was awarded the Cesar Award for Best Actor. Philippe Noiret embodied on the screen the image of a soft, intelligent man from whom the war made a cruel avenger. In world cinema, several similar characters were later created. But none of his colleagues managed to surpass the French actor.
In June 1944, the SS men destroyed the village of Oradour-sur-Glan, located in western France. Killed 642 people. Among them were children and women. These events formed the basis of the film "The Old Gun".
Actor Philippe Noiret
One of the greatest people in French cinema has played dozens of roles. According to critics, he performed the best of them in the films Life and Nothing More, Old Gun.
The actor was born in 1930 in a wealthy family. Childhood Noire passed in Toulouse. From an early age he studied music, loved to sing. He tried to enter the conservatory. When he failed the exams, he began to attend lectures on dramatic art.
Philippe Noiret played on the stage for many years. He made his film debut in the late 40s. But the first roles were episodic. Before filming the movie “The Old Gun”, the actor played in such films as “Zazi in the Metro”, “Cyrano and D'Artagnan”, “Night of the Generals”, “Topaz”.
Julien Dundier
Roberta Enrico - director of the film "The Old Gun". The actor described above played Julien Dundet, a surgeon at the Montauban hospital.
Julien Dundet treats resistance fighters. He is not interested in politics. In any case, that’s how he says to an SS officer who shamelessly burst into the hospital. Dundee is an idealist, harmless fat man who is used to honestly do his job. And he is madly in love with Clara and Florence.
Clara
Once before the war, Julien had a wife who gave birth to his daughter. Then she met another man, fell in love with him, and left her family. But Dundee never grumbled at fate. He is glad that daughter Florence remained with him, and he is happy when he meets an unusually beautiful woman named Clara.
The hero of the film "The Old Gun" is a kind and naive eccentric. And precisely for this, Clara fell in love with him. She becomes his wife and replaces Florence's mother. In their family, of course, quarrels occur. But small. Julien has a rare ability to love infinitely, and in his big heart there is no room for jealousy and suspicion.
The death of Clara and Florence
Dundier recalls his pre-war life in the summer of 1944, after a terrible event. In May, he sent his wife and daughter to his family estate, and a few weeks later, having arrived there, he saw that no one was left alive. Before his eyes, a destroyed church, the bodies of the dead. The daughter of the doctor is killed. The wife was dying a painful death: the SS men burned her alive from a flamethrower. And then the hero of the film finds an old gun and enters one battle with the Nazis. From now on, he lives only with revenge and memories of his wife and daughter.
"Old Gun" - actors and roles
The main female role in the film was played by the famous German actress Romy Schneider. In the seventies, she was at the peak of her fame. The role of a Frenchwoman killed by German soldiers is not her most vivid movie. In the filmography of Schneider, despite her short life, there are many main characters.
The actress brilliantly developed a career that did not bring happiness. In 1981, she lost her son, after which she began to abuse alcohol and medicines. The actress passed away seven years after the premiere of "Old Gun". The cause of death has not been established. Films with Romy Schneider: “In the Bright Sun”, “The Thief”, “The Killing of Trotsky”, “The Main thing is to love”, “The Light of a Woman”, “The Phantom of Love”.
The daughter of the protagonist at the age of 8 was played by Caroline Bonomme. At 9, Catherine Delaporte. Jean Bouise played the role of colleague Julien. The actor is known for the films "Nikita", "Underground", "Last Battle". Robert Hoffman, Joachim Hanzen, Madeleine Ozere also played in the film The Old Gun.