The names of the actors of the film "Angelica - Marquise of the Angels" of 1964 have been heard for decades by fans of the saga of a beautiful decanter who dared to go against the will of the king of France. The story has 13 novels written by Anne and Serge Golon, describing their alter ego in the adventures of a romantic couple.
The main roles and the actors who played them
Filmed in 1964, the film "Angelica - Marquise of the Angels" thundered throughout Europe, and is still one of the best adaptations of a series of novels about a woman rebel from the 17th century.
Who played the leading characters of this movie beloved by many, especially among the romantically minded young ladies?
- Angelica Sanse de Montelou, future Countess de Peirac. She was played by the amazing Michel Mercier, who at that time was 25 years old. The role of Angelica was offered by the famous then Catherine Deneuve, Bridget Bardot and even Jane Fonda, but by coincidence, they all had to refuse, and with a laid-back filing of the film's director, the role was offered by Michelle, who already proved herself to be a diverse actress. In life, Ms. Mercier was married four times, but could not find simple female happiness, despite her most famous role. Photos of the actors of the film "Angelica - Marquise of the Angels" (1964) are presented later in the article.
- Geoffrey de Peirac, Count of Toulouse. Actor Robert Hossein at first sight conquered millions of spectators with his charismatic appearance and great game. Hossein met Michelle five times on the set, living the life of the heroes of a popular novel and tormenting the hearts of fans. He is married for the third time, and his first wife was Marina Vladi, who was also offered the role of Angelica - the Marquise of the Angels in 1964.
- In the film, actor Jean Rochefort played Francois Degreux - a police officer, moonlighting as a private detective and secretly in love with Angelica. The actor attracted the director Borderi with his unusual appearance and manners, ideal for the role of Degre: chivalry and sophistication of movements. Unfortunately, the actor died in October 2017.
- Handsome Nicolas, childhood friend of Angelica. His role was ideally played by the Italian Giuliano Gemma, in which thousands of young girls went crazy. His expressive appearance and natural charm helped to play the role of the Parisian vagabond king as well as possible. In the fall of 2013, the actor died in an accident in Italy. By most accounts, his role was the best of all versions of Nicolas played by the actors.
Plot of the film
“Angelica is the Marquise of Angels” (1964) is the first film from the five adapted films about a recalcitrant woman that fate has experienced many times for strength, trying to break her spirit. It all starts with the fact that the impoverished baron gives his young beautiful daughter a lame count, whose wealth is a byword and the envy of the Sun King himself. Initially, Angelica fiercely hates Peyrak, who scares her with her appearance, but pretty quickly changes her anger to mercy, seeing in him a subtle soul and sharp mind.
Love flashes between them of unprecedented power, but the enemies do not sleep and imprison Joffrey, accusing him of witchcraft. The pregnant Angelica confiscated all the property, but she suddenly meets a childhood friend Nicolas, who is still in love with her. In the final scene, against the backdrop of a burned man with a bag on his head, in which Count de Peirac is seen by everyone, Angelica vows to avenge his death.
Photo then and now
Actors of the film "Angelica - Marquise of the Angels" (1964) now look very different. But at the same time, you can still guess in their features famous heroes. I can not believe that so much time has passed since the film was released on screen.
The main character about the film
Michel Mercier claims that she is remembered only as a marquise, despite the fact that she played more than 50 different women, and the film "Angelica - Marquise of the Angels" (1964) and the actors who starred in it are associated with the audience only with the heroes of the picture.
The actress recalls how earnestly she fought with the director for every bare piece of her body, because raised in a strict Puritan family, she was horrified by frankly erotic scenes at that time. She even glued red tape on the body so that the cameraman did not dare to shoot it lower than expected, and during the filming of the famous bathing scene, she completely removed everyone from the set, leaving only the director and cameraman. Michelle mentions that the performer of the role of Geoffrey, Robert Hossein, tried to start an affair with her, but was immediately and unconditionally put in place.
Hossein himself laughingly recalls how he and other actors spied on Michelle because of the scenery during explicit scenes, while she thought that only the cameraman saw her.
Moreover, the actor initially wanted to abandon his role due to the fact that his character was physically disabled, but the director Bernard Borderi was able to convince him.
When a remake is worse than the original
The actors of the films “Angelica - the Marquise of Angels” of 1964 and 2013, shot from the same novel, differ significantly from both external and acting data, and the majority of viewers surveyed almost unanimously called Michelle and Robert more suitable and relevant the images described by Anna and Serge Golon.