In 1963, Cahiers du Cinema co-founder and former co-editor Jacques Doniol-Valcroze played the starring role in novelist and filmmaker Alain Robbe-Grillet's L'Immortelle. What follows is the beginning of the review of that film in the May 1963 issue of Cahiers in which J D-V who now only on rare occasion wrote for Cahiers explains how it happens that he is reviewing a film which he starred in.

That I am writing here about L'Immortelle is not beyond a certain indecorum. I realize that perfectly. So, I owe the reader an explanation. It is simple. No member of the staff at Cahiers, presently, agreed to take pen in hand other than to summarize the general opinion at Cahiers as Rohmer had gently forewarned me. "They seem to have mixed in some reels of Benazeraf's during the editing." The old rule at Cahiers that it is the one who likes the film who speaks of it, in preference to the one who did not like it should be sufficient reason since I am the only one for.
Cahiers du Cinema, May 1963, page 54 (my translation)

In May 1963's conseil des dix, among Cahiers regulars, the film was bulleted by Jacques Rivette and Jean Douchet while Doniol-Valcroze gave the film 3 stars. The non-Cahiers critics who participated on that panel ran the gamut in their assessments of the film: Claude Mauriac gave the film 4 stars, Jean-Louis Bory gave it 3 stars, Georges Sadoul 2 stars, Henri Agel and Bernard Dort both gave it 1 star while Michel Aubriant and Pierre Marcabru each bulleted the film.

English Films French Critics Part V 1960

This post which continues from English Films French Critics 1959 is the last installment English Films French Critics series.

January 1960
Horrors of the Black Museum, I was Monty's Double, and King's Rhpasody were listed by Cahiers du Cinema as English films which had been released in Paris in the previous month. None was considered by the conseil des dix.

February 1960
The Hound of the Baskervilles, Killers of Kilimanjaro, The Moonraker, The Mummy and Upstairs and Downstairs were listed as having been released in Paris by Cahiers. The conseil des dix did not consider any of them.

March 1960
Long Distance, The Mouse that Roared and Sapphire were listed by Cahiers as having been released in Paris in the previous month.
The Mouse that Roared received 3 star - 1 from Cahiers regular Luc Moullet and 1 each from Jean de Baroncelli and Georges Sadoul. It was bulleted by Eric Rohmer and Jean Domarchi as well as Pierre Braunberger. Jacques Rivette and also Henri Agel, Pierre Marcabru and Claude Mauriac all abstained.
Sapphire received 7 stars - 2 each from Henri Agel and Georges Sadoul and 1 apeice from Pierre Marcabru, Jean de Baroncelli and Claude Mauriac. Luc Moullet was the only bullet. Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer, Jean Domarchi and also Pierre Braunberger all abstained.
Additionally, the Anglo-American production of George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple was listed with the American films. This film received 3 stars from the conseil - 1 each from Jacques Rivette, Jean Domarchi and also Jean de Baroncelli. It was bulleted by Henri Agel and Pierre Braunberger while Eric Rohmer, Luc Moullet plus Georges Sadoul, Pierre Marcabru, and Claude Mauriac.

April 1960
Carol Reed's Our Man in Havana was the only film listed as English in the films released in Paris section of Cahiers. It received 2 stars from the conseil - 1 each from Jacques Rivette and Luc Moullet. It was bulleted by Jean Douchet and also Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger, Pierre Marcabru and Claude Mauriac. Both Eric Rohmer and Georges Sadoul abstained.
The Anglo-American production The Wreck of the Mary Deare was cited with the American films. It also received 2 stars from the conseil - this time Jacques Rivette and Jean Douchet. It was bulleted by Pierre Marcabru. Cahiers regulars Eric Rohmer and Luc Moullet plus Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger, Claude Mauriac and Georges Sadoul all abstained.

May 1960
Ferry to Hong Kong, I'm All Right Jack, The Safecracker and Together were the English films listed as having been released in Paris in this issue of Cahiers.
Ferry to Hong Kong was bulleted by Cahiers co-editor Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and "young turks" Jean Douchet and Luc Moullet as well as Jean-Pierre Melville, Jean de Baroncelli and Pierre Marcabru. Three other "young turks" - Jacques Rivette, Louis Marcorelles and Fereydoun Hoveyda - plus critic Claude Mauriac all abstained.
Louis Marcorelles had reviewed the film Together which was directed by an Italian woman, Lorenza Mazzetti, in June 1956 as part of the coverage of the Cannes Film festival coverage. He wrote a second review four years later in this issue of Cahiers and gave the film 3 stars as did Arts critic Pierre Marcabru. Fereydoun Hoveyda bulleted the film. Jacques Rivette, Jean Douchet, Luc Moullet, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Jean de Baroncelli, Jean-Pierre Melville and Claude Mauriac all abstained.
Louis Marcorelles placed Together on his "10 best films" list for 1960.

June 1960
Cahiers du Cinema recorded The Battle of the Sexes, Northwest Frontier, Blood of the Vampire, Subway in the Sky and Too Many Crooks as English films released in Paris in this issue. None was considered by the conseil.

July 1960
Sink the Bismark, Beyond This Place, Carry on Nurse, The Seventh Sin, Sons and Lovers and Time without Pity were the films from England listed as having been released in Paris.
American director Joseph Losey's Time without Pity received 21 stars from the conseil. "Young turk" Jean Douchet gave the film 4 stars while "young turk" Luc Moullet gave it 3 stars as did Pierre Marcabru and Georges Sadoul. Two stars each came from Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer Louis Marcorelles as well as Jean de Baroncelli. Finally, Claude Mauriac and Pierre Braunberger gave the film 1 star each. No on bulleted the film and no one abstained.
Jean Douchet, Jean Domarchi and Fereydoun Hoveyda from among the "young turks" plus Henir Agel and Pierre marcabru placed Time without Pity on their "10 best films" lists for 1960.
Sons and Lovers received a total of 8 stars - 2 from Louis Marcorelles, and 1 each from Jacques Rivette, Jean Douchet and also Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Marcabru, Claude Mauriac and Georges Sadoul. The lone bullet came from Pierre Braunberger while Eric Rohmer and Luc Moullet both abstained.

August 1960
Lucky Jim was the only English film listed as released in Paris. It was not considered by the conseil.
However, Cahiers had mistakenly classified Fiend without a Face as an American film. Fiend without a Face was considered by the conseil. It received 1 star each from Fereydoun Hoveyda and Louis Marcorelles while Jacques Rivette bulleted the film. Eric Rohmer and Luc Moullet as well as Henri Agel, Pierre Braunberger, Pierre Marcabru, Claude Mauriac, Georges Sadoul all abstained.

September 1960
Three English films - Davy, Hell is a City and SOS Pacific were listed as having been released in Paris. Only SOS Pacific was considered by the conseil. Charles Bitsch, Claude de Givray, Jean-Luc Godard, Luc Mouller Michel Mourlet and Jacques Rivette - all young Cahiers critics - bulleted the film. Jean Domarchi, Fereydoun Hoveyda plus Henri Agel and Jean-Pierre Melville abstained.

October 1960
A Terrible Beauty, Jack the Ripper, The League of Gentlemen, The Scapegoat and Too Hot to Handle were all listed as English films released in Paris.
A Terrible Beauty received 2 stars from Jacques Rivette and 1 star from Jean Douchet. The other eight panelists - Eric Rohmer, Fereydoun Hoveyda plus Henri Agel, Michel Aubriant, Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Marcabru, Claude Mauriac and Georges Sadoul all abstained.
The League of Gentlemen received 3 stars from Claude Mauriac and 1 each from Jean Douchet, Fereydoun Hoveyda plus Jean de Baroncelli and Pierre Marcabru. Five panelists abstained - Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer as well as Henri Agel, Michel Aubriant and Georges Sadoul.
Too Hot to Handle was bulleted by Jean Douchet and also Michel Aubraint, Pierre Marcabru and Claude Mauriac. It was passed on by Jacques Rivette, Fereydoun Hoveyda, and Eric Rohmer as well as Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli and Georges Sadoul.

November 1960
Three English films - Malaga, Peeping Tom, and Oscar Wilde - were listed as having been released in Paris and all three were considered by the conseil.
Oscar Wilde received 3 stars from the conseil - 2 from Claude Mauriac and 1 from Jean Douchet. Georges Sadoul bulleted the film. Seven critics abstained - Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer, and Fereydoun Hoveyda among the Cahiers contingent and Henri Agel, Michel Aubriant, Pierre Marcabru, and Jean de Baroncelli among other Paris critics.
Peeping Tom received 1 star from Michel Aubriant and it was bulleted by one other critic Pierre Marcabru. As with the preceding film, eight critics abstained - Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer, Jean Douchet and Fereydoun Hoveyda among the Cahiers contingent and Henri Agel, Claude Mauriac, Jean de Baroncelli and Georges Sadoul among other Paris critics.
Malaga was bulleted by five panelists - Jean Douchet from Cahiers and Henri Agel, Michel Aubriant, Pierre Marcabru, and Claude Mauriac. Five panelists abstained - Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer, Fereydoun Hoveyda, from Cahiers and Jean de Baroncelli and Georges Sadoul.

December 1960
Look Back in Anger, The Square Peg and The Stranglers of Bombay were listed as English films released in Paris.
Look Back in Anger received 7 stars. 2 from Cahiers regular Louis Marcorelles as well as 2 from Jean de Baroncelli. And 1 from Cahiers regular André S Labarthe as well as 1 each from Michel Aubriant and Claude Mauriac. The film was bulleted by Jean Douchet and Jacques Rivette while Eric Rohmer as well as Henri Agel and Georges Sadoul abstained.

English Films, French Critics Part IV 1959

So here is the fourth installment in the series continuing from English Films, French Critics 1958

January 1959
Carve Her Name with Pride, The Flesh is Weak, The Horse's Mouth, Task Force, The Tommy Steele Story, and The Vicious Circle were all recorded in the "Films released in Paris" section of Cahiers du Cinema as English films released in Paris.
Only The Horse's Mouth rated consideration by the conseil des dix. There, it was awarded 1 star each by five critics - two Cahiers "young turks", Jacques Rivette and Charles Bitsch and three non-Cahiers critics, Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli, and Georges Sadoul. Two panelists bulleted the film - older Cahiers critic, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and young Cahiers critic, Jean Domarchi. Eric Rohmer, plus Pierre Braunberger and Claude Mauriac all abstained.

February 1959
A Passionate Stranger was the only English listed as released in Paris. It did not come up for consideration by the conseil.

March 1959
Horror of Dracula, Passport to Shame,the Anglo-American co-production Me and the Colonel and the Franco-Italian co-production The Widow which was directed by American director Lewis Milestone were listed as English films released in Paris.
Me and the Colonel was considered by the conseil. Seven panelists gave the film 1 star, Jacques Rivette and Luc Moullet from Cahiers plus Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger, Claude Mauriac and Georges Sadoul. Three Cahiers regulars abstained - Jean-Luc Godard, Eric Rohmer and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze.
The Widow received 2 stars from Georges Sadoul and 1 star each from Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger and Claude Mauriac. Luc Moullet and Jacques Rivette bulleted the film. Jean-Luc Godard, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze plus Henri Agel all abstained.

April 1959
Only The Camp on Blood Island was listed and it was not rated by the conseil.

May 1959
This issue saw The Bandit of Zhobe, Blue Murder at St Trinian's and Dangerous Exile listed as being released in Paris. None were considered.

June 1959
Battle of the V-1, Sea of Sand and Three Steps to the Gallows were listed but none was rated by the conseil.

July 1959
Count Five and Die, Harry Black, Ice-Cold in Alex, A Night to Remember, Son of Robin Hood and Room at the Top were listed as "released in Paris."
Only Room at the Top was considered by the conseil. Jean de Baroncelli gave it 2 stars. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, plus Pierre Braunberger and Georges Sadoul gave it 1 star. The film was bulleted by Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette and also Henri Agel and Claude Mauriac. It was passed on by Jean Douchet and Eric Rohmer.

August 1959
Law and Disorder, Windom's Way and A Hill in Korea were all released in Paris. None was considered by the conseil.

September 1959
Operation Amsterdam and Orders to Kill were listed as being released in Paris. The conseil des dix did not consider either.

October 1959
The Gypsy and the Gentlemen, The One that Got Away, Tiger Bay, The Wind Cannot Read were listed as English films released in Paris while the Anglo-American-Irish co-production Shake Hands with the Devil was listed under American films released in Paris
Only Tiger Bay rated consideration from the conseil. One panelist - producer Pierre Braunberger - gave it 3 stars. Those were the only stars it received. Three "young turks" Claude Chabrol, Jacques Rivette and Luc Moullet plus older Cahiers hand Pierre Kast all bulleted the film. Five panelists abstained - 3 younger Cahiers regulars, Charles Bitsch, Jean Domarchi and Jean Douchet plus Henri Agel and Georges Sadoul.

November 1959
Floods of Fear, Yesterday's Enemy and Ralph Thomas's remake of The 39 Steps were released in Paris.
Only the remake of The 39 Steps was considered by the conseil. There, one critic, Georges Sadoul gave the film its total of 1 star. Two younger Cahiers critics - Jean-Luc Godard and Jean Douchet - and an older Cahiers critic - Pierre Kast - bulleted the film. The other six panelists abstained - younger Cahiers critics - Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer and Luc Moullet - and non-Cahiers panelists - Henri Agel, Pierre Braunberger and Claude Mauriac.

December 1959
One film was listed as released in Paris - First Man in Space. It was not considered by the conseil.

The series concludes with English Films, French Critics 1960.

English films, French critics Part III -- 1958

This continues the series on the reaction of French critics to English films in the 1950s which I began with "English films, French critics Nov '55 - Dec '56" and "English Films, French Critics Part II -- 1957".

January 1958
House of Secrets and The Curse of Frankenstein were listed in this issue as released in Paris in the previous month. Neither was considered by the conseil.

February 1958
Checkpoint, Geordie, High Flight, The Naked Truth, Manuela, Wicked as They Come and The Bridge on the River Kwai all were listed as being released in Paris in this issue. None of these was graded by the conseil.
The Bridge on the River Kwai had been considered by the conseil des dix in the January issue. There, it received 19 stars. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze gave it 4 stars as did Pierre Braunberger. Jean de Baroncelli gave it 3 stars. André Bazin and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Georges Sadoul gave the film 2 stars. Eric Rohmer and also Henri Agel gave it 1 star. "Young Turk" Claude de Givray bulleted the film while Jacques Rivette abstained. The film was placed on the "ten best films for 1958" of Cahiers regulars Pierre Kast and Jean-Pierre Vivet and also Pierre Braunberger and Roger Leenhardt.

March 1958
The Long Haul, The Man in the Sky, Breakin' the Circle, Hell-Drivers and the documentary The Bolshoi Ballet were cited as having been released in Paris in the previous month. Hell-Drivers was the only film considered by the conseil. It received 3 stars, Georges Sadoul awarded it 2 stars and Positif's Robert Benayoun gave it 1 star. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Jacques Rivette bulleted the film. There were 6 abstentions - André Bazin and Eric Rohmer, plus Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger and Claude Mauriac.

April 1958
Only All at Sea is listed as being released in Paris. It was not considered by the conseil.

May 1958
She Played with Fire, Quartermass 2 and Seven Thunders were listed as being released in Paris in this issue. Only Quartermass 2 was evaluated by the conseil. One panelists - Robert Benayoun - awarded its complete score of 2 stars. Jacques Rivette as well as Henri Agel and Alan Doremieux bulleted the film. Charles Bitsch, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Jacques Demy, Pierre Braunberger and Georges Sadoul all abstained.

June 1958
None of the three films - Across the Bridge, Doctor at Large and Ill Met by Moonlight - listed as being released in Paris - was rated by the conseil. July 1958 Happy is the Bride and Gideon of Scotland Yard were the only 2 English films entered as being released in Paris.
Of them, only Gideon of Scotland Yard which was directed by the American John Ford, a Cahiers favorite, was considered by the conseil. Jacques Rivette, as well as Robert Benayoun and Pierre Braunberger each gave the film 1 star. Charles Bitsch and Jean-Luc Godard as well as Henri Agel and Georges Sadoul bulleted the film. The editorial triumvirate at Cahiers - André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Eric Rohmer .- all abstained.
Louis Marcorelles placed Gideon of Scotland Yard on his "10 Best films" list for 1958

August 1958
Carry On, Admiral, The Secret Place and The Yang-Tse Incident were released in Paris. None was considered. September 1958 Eight English films were listed as being released in Paris. Action of a Tiger, Seagulls over Sorrento, Dangerous Youth, Robbery under Arms, The Silent Enemy, The Story of Esther Costello, The Whole Truth and Woman in a Dressing Gown. There was no conseil that month.

October 1958
The Admirable Crichton and The Naked Earth were listed. Again,no conseil.

November 1958
Six English films were listed as being released in Paris. They were- The Abominable Snowman, Campbell's Kingdom, Chase a Crooked Shadow, The Smallest Show on Earth, The Revenge of Frankenstein and The Key.
Director Carol Reed's The Key which was written and produced by American expatriate Carl Foreman and starred William Holden and Sophia Lauren was the only one of the 6 to come before the conseil. It received 5 stars - one each from Jacques Rivette, Jean-Luc Godard, Charles Bitsch, Jean Domarchi, and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Jean de Baroncelli. The lone bullet was from Eric Rohmer. André Bazin, as well as Henri Agel and Pierre Braunberger abstained.

December 1958
3 films - The Big Money, Dunkirk and Intent to Kill. No conseil.


This series continues with English Films French Critics 1959

English Films, French Critics Part II -- 1957

This is the second part of my study of the attitudes of French critics to English cinema in the 1950s. It follows for English Films, French Critics Nov '55 - Dec '56.

January 1957
Four English films were released in Paris for this issue - The Night My Number Came Up, The Green Man, It's Great to be Young and Richard III. Also, the magazine cited Run for the Sun, an Anglo-American production directed by Ray Boulting with the American films.
Only Richard III was considered by the conseil des dix. There it collected a total of 20 stars. Pierre Braunberger gave it 4 stars, while Jean-Pierre Vivet gave it 3 stars. Also, among Cahiers regulars, André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Pierre Kast gave the film 2 stars, while Eric Rohmer gave the film 1 star. Among the non-Cahiers panelists, Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli and Positif's Robert Benayoun all gave the film 2 stars. François Truffaut was the only abstention .

February 1957
There were no English films released in Paris reported for this issue.

March 1957
There were 3 films listed under English in the "films released in Paris" section this month - Cast a Dark Shadow, The Long Arm and The Man Who Never Was. Of these, only the Anglo-American production The Man Who Never Was was considered by the conseil des dix. It received a total of 3 stars - 2 from Georges Sadoul and 1 from Robert Benayoun. André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, François Truffaut and Eric Rohmer all bulleted the film as did Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli and Pierre Braunberger. Jacques Rivette provided the only abstention.

April 1957
A Town Like Alice, The Black Tent, Father's Doing Fine and The Stranger Came Home were all listed under "Films released in Paris - English" in this issue of Cahiers. Only A Town Like Alice received consideration from the conseil. Four panelists - Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, Henri Agel, Georges Sadoul and Jean-Pierre Vivet - each gave it 1 star. Five - François Truffaut, Eric Rohmer plus Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger and France Roche - bulleted the film. André Bazin abstained.

May 1957
No English films listed.

June 1957
Seven films appeared under the rubric "English" on the "films released in Paris" section for this month. The Battle of the River Plate, Meet Mr Callaghan, Private's Progress, Pennywhistle Blues, The Quartermass Experiment, Zarak and the Anglo-American production Saint Joan directed by Cahiers favorite Otto Preminger.
Only Saint Joan was considered by the conseil. It received 5 stars - 3 from Jacques Rivette and 1 each from George Sadoul and Henri Agel. François Truffaut and Eric Rohmer bulleted the film as did Jean de Baroncelli and France Roche. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, J-P Vivet and Pierre Braunberger all abstained.
Jacques Rivette, Jean-Luc Godard, and Charles Bitsch all placed Saint Joan on "10 best films for 1957" lists published in January 1958.
François Truffaut placed the film Pennywhistle Blues on his "10 best films for 1957" list published in January 1958.
Additionally, the Anglo-American film Around the World in 80 Days directed by Michael Anderson was released in Paris for this issue. It garnered 12 stars from the conseil - 3 from France Roche, 2 from François Truffaut and also Henri Agel and Jean de Baroncelli, and 1 from Jacques Doniol-Valcroze as well as Pierre Braunberger and Georges Sadoul. J-P Vivet bulleted the film. Both Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer abstained.
In January 1958, "Robert Lachenay" listed Around the World in 80 Days in his "10 best films for 1957". Whether this is actually Robert Lachenay's list or an attempt by François Truffaut to provide two "10 best films for 1957" lists, I cannot confirm. Significantly, there is no overlap between Truffaut's list and Lachenay's.

July 1957
Interpol, Lost and Odongo were listed in the "films released in Paris - English" section. None got consideration from the conseil.

August-September 1957
Men of Sherwood Forest, Spin a Dark Web, Three Men in a Boat, True as a Turtle and The Iron Petticoat were the "films released in Paris" for this issue of Cahiers.
Three Men in a Boat received a lone star from France Roche. It was bulleted by Fereydoun Hoveyda and Jean-Luc Godard, plus Jean de Baroncelli and Henri Agel. While Charles Bitsch, Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze plus Pierre Braunberger all abstained.
The Iron Petticoat - an English production which co-starred Katherine Hepburn and Bob Hope - received 2 stars - one each from France Roche and Henri Agel. It was bulleted by Eric Rohmer, Fereydoun Hoveyda, and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, as well as Jean de Baroncelli. The remainder of the panelists - Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette, Charles Bitsch plus Pierre Braunberger all abstained.

October 1957
"Films released in Paris - English" this month included The Baby and the Battleship, Brothers in Law and the Anglo-American production Seven Waves Away (American title - Abandon Ship!) was credited anong American films.
Neither The Baby and the Battleship nor Brothers in Law were considered by the conseil.
Seven Waves Away/Abandon Ship! received a total of 10 stars - 3 from Pierre Braunberger, 2 each from Charles Bitsch, Jacques Rivette and Jean-Luc Godard and 1 from Jacques Doniol-Valcroze. Positif's Robert Benayoun was the lone bullet. André Bazin and J-P Vivet, plus Henri Agel and Georges Sadoul all abstained.

November 1957
In this issue, Cahiers cited The Colditz Story, How to Murder a Rich Uncle, Reach for the Sky and Town on Trial as English films "released in Paris" in the previous month. Only How to Murder a Rich Uncle got any consideration from the conseil. It was given 2 stars by Henri Agel, and 1 each from Jean de Baroncelli and Robert Benayoun. J-P Vivet bulleted the film. André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer, plus Pierre Braunberger and Georges Sadoul all abstained.

December 1957
This issue listed The Steel Bayonet, Charlie Chaplin's A King in New York, and Laurence Olivier's The Prince and the Showgirl as English films "released in Paris".
The Chaplin film was awarded a total of 33 stars. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, Jacques Rivette, and Charles Bitsch from Cahiers, plus Pierre Braunberger and Georges Saduol gave the film 4 stars. André Bazin, plus Jean de Baroncelli and Robert Benayoun gave the film 3 stars. Henri Agel and J-P Vivet gave it 2 stars.
The Olivier film received 6 stars. 2 stars each from Jean de Baroncelli and J-P Vivet and 1 star each from Charles Bitsch and Robert Benayoun. Only Jacques Doniol-Valcroze bulleted the film. André Bazin and Jacques Rivette, plus Henri Agel, Pierre Braunberger, and Geroges Sadoul all abstained.
Four Cahiers regulars, Charles Bitsch, Jacques Rivette, Jean Domarchi and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze placed A King in New York 1st on their "10 best films" list for 1957. Other Cahiers regulars citing the film were Claude Chabrol, Jean-Luc Godard, Fereydoun Hoveyda, Luc Moullet and Françis Truffaut. Non-Cahiers staffers citing the film were Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger and Georges Sadoul.

This series follows with English Films, French Critics 1958

English films, French critics Nov '55 - Dec '56

François Truffaut is noted for having written in Arts in May 1957, "The British cinema is made of dullness and reflects a submissive lifestyle, where enthusiasm, warmth, and zest are nipped in the bud. A film is a born loser just because it is English." I have wondered what were the exact films he was referring to, what did the other "young turk" critics think of these films, and what did the other critics at Cahiers and in Paris think of these films. In order to get some idea as to the answers to my questions, I have turned to two features of Cahiers; first, the "films released in Paris between x-date and y-date" feature which appeared at the back of each issue listing the films between those dates by country of origin, and second, the "conseil des dix" where panelists not only from Cahiers but also from other leading French newspapers and magazines posted their ratings of these films. One minor issue crops up and that is the problem of Anglo-American co-productions. I have elected to include all films categorized as "English" and also to include films by major English directors - e.g. David Lean, Carol Reed - listed under the rubric of "American"

November 1955
The Constant Husband and Trouble in the Glen were released in Paris for that month. Neither film attracted the attention of the conseil des dix.

December 1955
Simba was the only English film released in Paris that month. It was not considered by the conseil des dix.
David Lean's Summertime was also released in Paris that month but, not surprisingly, Cahiers classified it as an American film. It was considered by the conseil where five panelists gave the film a total of 7 stars and the other five bulleted it. François Truffaut and Jacques Rivette bulleted the film, as did non-Cahiers regulars, Ado Kyrou, Pierre Braunberger and Henri Agel. André Bazin and Jacques Doniol-Valcroze both gave the film 1 star as did non-Cahiers regular Georges Sadoul. Alain Resnais and Simone Dubreuilh gave the film 2 stars.

January 1956
Peter Glenville's The Prisoner was released in Paris that month but was not considered by the conseil.
Touch and Go was described on "films released in Paris" page as an "agreeable little English comedy", nevertheless, the film received only 1 star on the conseil, from Pierre Braunberger. François Truffaut, Ado Kyrou and Jean de Baroncelli all bulleted the film. Jacques Rivette, André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, Pierre Kast and non-Cahiers regulars Henri Agel and Simone Dubreuilh all abstained..
The third English film released in Paris that month was The Deep Blue Sea based on a Terence Ratigan play which Cahiers called "dubious", while qualifying both Vivien Leigh's performance and Anatol Litvak's direction as "excellent". for all of that, The film received only 2 stars on the conseil des dix - 1 each from the only two panelists to consider it - Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Simon Dubreuilh Jacques Rivette, André Bazin, Pierre Kast and Jean-Pierre Vivet from Cahiers and Henri Agel, Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger and Georges Sadoul all abstained.

February 1956
The only English film for that month released in Paris was That Lady. It was not considered by the conseil des dix.

March 1956
Three English films were released in Paris for this month. Only A Prize of Gold (directed by the American Mark Robson and starring Richard Widmark) was considered by the conseil des dix. It received 5 bullets - André Bazin and François Truffaut, plus Georges Sadoul, Simon Dubreuilh and Henri Agel. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, Pierre Kast, J-P Vivet and also Jean de Baroncelli and Pierre Braunberger all abstained.
Both Lilacs in the Spring and The Ladykillers were released in Paris but not considered by the conseil. Commenting on The Lady-killers on the "films released in Paris" page, Cahiers wrote, "Some people are mad for this kind of humor. They will be served. No relationship to Monsieur Verdoux."

April 1956
Abdulla the Great and The Dambusters were both released in Pairs for that month. The Dambusters did not come in for consideration by the conseil. Abdulla the Great received 3 stars on the conseil, 1 each from André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and non-Cahiers regular Simone Dubreuilh. Two non-Cahiers regulars bulleted the film - Armand Cauliez and Georges Sadoul. François Truffaut abstained as did J-P Vivet, Pierre Kast and non-Cahiers regulars Jean de Baroncelli and Pierre Braunberger.

May 1956
Not one of the three English films - Confession, You Know What Sailors Are and Doctor at Sea - released in Paris for that issue were considered by the conseil des dix.

June 1956
Five English films were released in Paris for the month. To Paris with Love, Tiger by the Tail, Above Us the Waves, Simon and Laura and Joe Macbeth.
Joe Macbeth and Simon and Laura were considered by the conseil des dix. There Joe Macbeth received a total of 4 stars - 2 from Pierre Braunberger and 1 each from Henri Agel and Simon Dubreuilh. Four Cahiers regulars - André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, François Truffaut and J-P Vivet - bulleted the film. Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Kast and Georges Sadoul all abstained.
Simon and Laura received its only star from Simone Dubreuilh. Pierre Braunberger and Francois Truffaut both bulleted the film and the other seven panelists abstained.

July 1956
Three English - Break to Freedom, The Star of India and Mad about Men - films were released in Paris for this month. Only Mad about Men was considered by the conseil des dix. It was bulleted by François Truffaut, André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Eric Rohmer. The lone star it received was from Simone Dubreuilh. Jacques Rivette. Pierre Kast and also Henri Agel, Pierre Braunberger, and Georges Sadoul abstained

August-September 1956
The only English film listed in this issue of Cahiers was Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?; however, Cahiers classed Storm over the Nile as an American film. I can find nothing in the credits of that film to justify it being considered American. Neither film was considered by the conseil des dix.

October 1956
Two English films were released in Paris in that month. Oh Rosalinda and Loser take All. Neither film was considered by the conseil des dix. The comment for Oh Rosalinda on the "films released in Paris page" read, "For several lustrum, Powell and Pressburger each count on the other to insure the mise-en-scene of the films which each believe the other to have written the screenplay of. If they persist in making films, it is necessary to eat: a matter of life and death."

November 1956
Three English films were listed on the "films released in Paris" section, I Am a Camera, Escape Route and Value for the Money. Additionally, two films group with the American films - Trapeze (directed by Carol Reed) and The Cockleshell Heroes (directed by José Ferrer but with an all-English -except for José - cast) could also be considered English. Only Trapeze was considered by the conseil. It was bulleted by 6 panelists - François Truffaut, Eric Rohmer, Pierre Kast, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and J-P Vivet from Cahiers and Henri Agel. André Bazin, and also Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Braunberger and Claude Mauriac all abstained.

December 1956
2 English films -Josephine and Men and Recoil - were listed on the films released in Paris page as English. Also, Terence Young's Safari was classed with the American films. None were considered by the conseil.

The series continues for the years -- 1957 -- 1958 -- 1959 -- 1960

Stanley Kubrick and Cahiers du Cinema to Dr. Strangelove

July 1957
The first article in Cahiers du Cinema to feature Stanley Kubrick appeared in the this issue. A writer named Raymond Haine published his only contribution to Cahiers, a short interview with Kubrick.

February 1958
Jean-Luc Godard contributes a short review of "The Killing" published in the "Notes on Other Films" section. This review begins, "This is the work of a good pupil, no more." He, then, compares Kubrick and the film unfavorably to John Huston and "The Asphalt Jungle", Robert Aldrich and "Kiss Me Deadly" and Max Ophuls and "Le Plaisir".
He goes on to say in the second paragraph, "If the screenplay is not particularly original and the final episode more so, on the other hand, The adroitness of the adaptation which, adopting systematically a "dechronology' of action, ably interests us in a plot that otherwise does not leave the beaten track."
In the conseil des dix, the film received 19 stars from 9 critics (Eric Rohmer abstained). Positif's Robert Benayoun gave the film 3 stars. Henri Agel (La Revue Francaise), Jean de Baroncelli (Le Monde), Georges Sadoul (Les Lettres Francaises) and producer Pierre Braunbarger all gave the film 2 stars, as did Cahiers regulars Charles Bitsch, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Feroun Hoveyda.
J-L G was the only critic to give the film 1 star.
The film was ranked second by the conseil that month. "The Sweet Smell of Success" was the top ranked film that month. That film got 19 stars, one more than "The Killing". Unusually, every critic gave both films the same rating, except Jean de Baroncelli who gave Sweet Smell 3 stars.

March 1958
Charles Bitsch writes a short peice for the monthly "Le Petit Journal du Cinema" detailing the censorial problems faced by the film "Paths of Glory". There were riots in Brussels when the film was shown there and so it was withdrawn from circulation. Then, students protests brought about its reinstatement before a final interdiction.
Bitsch describes the film as being "full of quality".

April 1958
The monthly Petit Journal du Cinema usually published short pieces on current events in the world of film. However, this article about "Paths of Glory" signed by R L (Robert Lachenay and thus almost certainly the work of François Truffaut) is really a review of the film which would not be shown officially in France for many years.
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" "Paths of Glory" is to war films what "The Killing" is to film noir, nothing more, nothing less. Stanley Kubrick has talent; more, by me, than Richard Fleischer, Mark Robson or Robert Wise, less, certainly than Robert Aldrich, Robert Mulligan, or Sydney Lumet. The only audacity in this film arises simply from the fact that it excoriates the French Army which has never been inquired upon on the screen. But, is this audacity or simply an astucious manner of presenting an already proven product in a different package? "Paths of Glory" reveals the same drawbacks as "Attack" -- an objectivity which is compromised two-thirds of the way into the film -- and only some of its qualities. One retains from Kubrick's work, rather than a direction of actors non-chalantly energetic, a fine simplification of line, and, most of all, a sort of very seductively hammered rhythm, a frenzied rapidity and, let's agree on it, a filmic inspiration."

November 1961
The release of the film "Spartacus" is noted in "Films Released in Paris" section with the comment, "The most beautiful subject in the world (the birth of the idea of liberty, the Christs of Revolution) tarnished in vulgarized by a heavy-handed direction which seeks systematically for effect and botches at every shot. The titles by Saul Bass are the only great moment of the 3 hours."
The film was given no other review.
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In the conseil des dix
2 stars -- Henri Agel
1 star -- Michel Aubriant (Paris-Presse), Jean Douchet, Morvan Lebesque (L'Express), Louis Marcorelles, and Jacques Rivette.
bullet -- Jean de Baroncelli, Pierre Marcabru (Arts)
abstain -- Claude Mauriac (Le Figaro), Eric Rohmer

July 1962
"Killer's Kiss" is reviewed by Claude Beylie. It reads in part, "This title is as exciting as one could wish, the photography grimy, but finally provoking a genuine displacement, able editing (too able with its canned "slices of time", a process perfected in "The Killing"), the interpretations of a clumsy savor, and the general ambiance of an inexpensively made film, down with very small methods. Sympathetic."
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In the conseil des dix
2 stars -- Jean de Baroncelli, Claude Beylie, Georges Sadoul
1 star ---- Henri Agel, Jean-Louis Bory (Arts), Michel Delahaye, Jean Douchet, and Jacques Rivette.
bullet -- Michel Mardore, Bertrand Tavernier

October 1962
Jean Douchet in a round-up of films shwon at that year's Venice Film Festival wrote this regarding "Lolita" (page 46, my translation)

Thursday, August 30: Stanley Kubrick, up until now, has only had subjects which he could approach as a "grandstander", hence his unwarranted reputation. But Lolita allows easy effects only with difficulty. The result: a catastrophe. Shooting his film in England, Kubrick has adopted the cinematic style of the country -- tepid, gruel-like and spiceless. We are far from La Jeune fille, in my opinion Bunuel's best film.

March 1963
A review of "Lolita" written by Louis Marcorelles is published. Speaking of this films lack of acceptance by most French critics, he wrote, "not one from among them would think about giving Kubrick's film a second chance and see if that were not mistaken." Of the film, he will say " 'Lolita', which is one of the most biting and sarcastic films ever presented under the logo of the old MGM lion, needs to be ferociously defended."
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The film was considered by the conseil des dix two months before in January.
3 stars -- Jacques Rivette
2 stars -- Bernard Dort
1 star --- Jean Douchet
bullet --- Henri Agel, Jean-Louis Bory, Claude Mauriac, Georges Sadoul,
abstain -- Jean de Baroncelli, André S Labarthe, Pierre Marcabru

December 1963/January 1964
Jean-Luc Godard's thumbnail critique of Kubrick is printed in the special American Cinema issue. I have provided a translation of that thumbnail which is available at:
http://jdcopp.blogspot.com/2006/08/godards-american-director-thumbnails.html

May 1964
"Dr. Strangelove" reviewed by Jean Narboni. He sums his review up by saying, "Here, thus, Kubrick in his seventh film becomes poet and moralist."
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Conseil des dix
4 stars --- Robert Benayoun
3 stars --- Jean-Louis Comolli, Michel Delahaye, Jacques Rivette, Jean-Louis Bory
2 stars --- Albert Cervoni, Jean Collet, Jean Douchet
1 star ---- Georges Sadoul
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Top Ten Lists (1964) published in Cahiers du Cinema -- January 1965
Jean de Baroncelli, Robert Benayoun, Charles Bitsch, Michel Cournot, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, Claude Gautier, Albert Juross, Jean Narboni, Claude Ollier.

Julien Duvivier and Cahiers du Cinema

We have all read many times of how the young critics at Cahiers du Cinema have savaged Julien Duvivier. Rarely, though, is an attempt made to specify what was said and done during these "attacks'. This is an attempt to begin to draw up a ledger of the reaction of these young critics to Duvivier.
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Some Notes.
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The conseil des dix was a tableau where the reactions of ten critics to recently released films were recorded. Usually it would break down to about 5 Cahiers regulars and five critics from other newspapers or magazines. Some critics from other venues who would regularly weigh in would be Claude Mauriac, Jean de Baroncelli, Henri Agel, Georges Sadoul and Positif's Robert Benayoun.
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The system could be described as:
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4 stars -- See it even if you have to go out of town to.
3 stars -- Go across town if need be to see it.
2 stars -- See it but wait till it is playing in your neighborhood.
1 star -- If you are going to the theater and it is playing, go -- it won't hurt you.
bullet -- No reason to go see it.
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4 stars was used only from mid-1957 onward.
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Voici le Temps des Assassins...
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This film was reviewed in the May 1956 issue of Cahiers by André Labarthe. He spoke Duvivier’s techinique being "as fluid as that of Dassin" and "of a faultless appearance. He bares witness to a straightforwardness rather rare among our directors"
Nine critics gave the film eleven stars, including two from François Truffaut and two from Jacques Donoil-Valcroze. No one bulleted the film, André Bazin abstained.
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In his recapitulation of French film for the year 1956 published in the final issue of ARTS-LETTRES-SPECTACLES of that year, Francois Truffaut would write this about this film:

"Even though Julien Duvivier isn’t a young filmmaker, "Le Temps des Assassins", made with an exemplary probity and a touching love for welldone work, is attractive, naive, falsely gloomy, and, all in all, an enterprise generous in spirit."

NOTE: The reference to "young filmmmaker" was occasioned by Truffaut's having just praised films by the younger directors Henri Verneuil and Claude Boissol.
From "The Early Film Criticism of François Truffaut" edited by Wheeler Winston Dixon and translated by Sonja Kropp.
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L’Homme à l'Imperméable
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This film was not reviewed by Cahiers. The March 1957 issue noted its release in Paris and commented, “Fernandel soaked in a dark story, but Duvivier does not wish to get himself wet.”
Five panelists gave the film one star, including François Truffaut. André Bazin was the lone bullet. Among the abstainers were Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer.
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Pot-Bouille
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François Truffaut reviewed this film in the December 1957 issue of Cahiers. My translation of that review is available:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0245213/board/flat/43330214?d=44136515#44136515
Six critics gave the film nine stars in total, including two each from Pierre Braunbarger and Jean de Baroncelli. Jacques Rivette and Charles Bitsch abstained.
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La Femme et le Pantin
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Luc Moullet reviewed this film for the April 1959 issue. He said that it was more a film starring Brigitte Bardot than a film directed by Julien Duvivier.
Two critics (Moullet and Braunbarger) gave the film one star each. Seven bulleted it (Godard, Rivette and Louis Marcorelles plus Henri Agel, Georges Sadoul, Claude Mauriac and Jean de Baroncelli). Eric Rohmer abstained.
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Marie-Octobre
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This film’s release was noted in the June 1959 issue. It was called a sort of reverse “Twelve Angry Men” whose “authors hold the 90 minutes only by a series of techniques and plot twists completely artificial. The direction goes accordingly.”
Two critics gave it a total of two stars. It was bulleted by five critics, including Rivette, Godard and Moullet. While Jacques Demy, Charles Bitsch and Eric Rohmer all abstained.
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Das Kunstseidene Mädchen
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This film’s release was noted in the September 1960 issue with a two sentence plot summary and it was not considered by the conseil.
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Boulevard
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This film’s release was noted in the January 1961 issue without any allusion being made to Duvivier.
Two critics (Michel Aubriant and Jean de Baroncelli) gave it one star each.
Two from among the younger Cahiers staff (Jacques Rivette and André Labarthe) bulleted the film. Claude Mauriac and Jacques Donoil-Valcroze also bulleted the film.
Eric Rohmer abstained.
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La Chambre Ardente
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Release noted in the July 1962 issue with the comment, “…It is no longer necessary to speak of an unawareness or an incapacity, but of a pure and simple shoddiness.”
The film received one lone star from Paris-Presse critic Michel Aubriant. Six panelists bulleted the film, including, Jacques Rivette, André Labarthe and Jean Douchet. Michel Delahaye and Louis Marcorelles abstained.
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Le Diable et les Dix Commandements
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Not reviewed, its release was noted in the November 1962 issue with the comment, “The devil has dropped two or three commandments, but this monotonous Heptalogue or Hexalogue is ample enough to prove to us that, in the comic or the sentimental as well as in the saucy, Beelzebub is stripped of humor and talent.”
The film received its only star from Georges Sadoul. It was bulleted by five panelists including two from the younger staff at Cahiers, Jacques Rivette and Jean Douchet. Others bulleting the film were Henri Agel and Michel Aubriant. Eric Rohmer and André Labarthe abstained.
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Chair de Poule
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Not reviewed, its release was noted in the Dec63-Jan64 issue with the comment, “…flat, skimpy, without any attempt at intellectual justification.”
This film received not one star. Six panelists bulleted the film including Jacques Rivette and Jean-Luc Godard. Also bulleting the film were Godard-nemesis and Positif critic Robert Benayoun, Georges Sadoul, Jean de Baroncelli and Jean-Louis Bory.
Jean Douchet was among the abstainers.
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Diaboliquement Vôtre
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The February 1968 issue noted its release and Jean Narboni wrote, “…constantly flat or rehashed.”
Two critics gave it one star, including Michel Aubriant. Seven bulleted the film, including, Positif’s Robert Benayoun, Narboni, Jean-André Fieschi and Michel Delahaye .

Jacques Rivette on "le conseil des dix" ------ Introduction

The November 1955 issue of “Cahiers du Cinema” saw the inauguration of a new heading “Le conseil des dix”. Ten contributors rating the films that had been released in the preceding month. A box on the facing page explained in part,

“...The feature that we introduce in this issue aims to conciliate the subjectivity of our critics (who will continue to be found meanwhile under their customary signatures) with the exhaustivity and objectivity legitimately expected by our readers.Our idea is to propose to ten carefully chosen personalities a list of the principal films released during the month. Each will indicate with a conventional sign whether the film does not merit being seen (bullet), merits being seen "only if one likes that" (1 star), merits being seen (2 stars), merits being seen "absolutely" (3 stars). If the box is left blank that shows an abstention. Either our correspondent has not seen the film or he waives expressing an opinion.”

One of the ten panelists on that first “conseil” was future Cahiers editor and film director Jacques Rivette. Serving also were François Truffaut and Alain Resnais. It would be the first of ninety-six conseils that Rivette would participate on, the being in the month of September 1966. In all Cahiers would convoke “le conseil des dix” one hundred and thirty-eight times before discontinuing it after the May-June 1968 issue.

In July 1963 Rivette would begin his tenure as the editor of Cahiers. A note at the end of the monthly Petit Journal du Cinema feature which is not credited but most probably written by him describes le conseil as,

“...not a "judgment", a final sentence, beyond appeal, not a flat out judgment but a bit of advice similar to the one that you give to a friend whom you meet in the street who asks you, "What is there that is “must see” right now? And is it really worth seeing?" To which you reply quickly between red lights, "Yes, it is really worth it". Or rather, "if you have nothing else to do and you like that kind of thing". Or even "You'd be better off stating home and watching TV or listening to Webern - that can't hurt you". Or "Go tonight. Cancel your dinner plans or your date with Albertine". The only exception to this rule is the citation 4 stars "masterpiece" - a personal bet on the future, an intimate little pleasure, an ontological, political or phenomenological certainty or all of these at the same time.”

The ninety-six conseils that JR made a part of considered one thousand six hundred and eighty films. What follows here is a record of how Jacques advised. I have tried to list all the films that he rated at three or four stars. Below that I have tried to list all films from directors whose films he was known to have a penchant for, (e.g. Robert Aldrich, Nicholas Ray, Robert Mulligan), directors who are usually spoken of as “qualité francaise” (e.g. Claude Autant-Lara, René Clément), and other situations that interested me.

The numbers below the month are:
number of films rated: 4 stars-3stars-2stars-1star-bullet-abstain

The “four stars” rating was not begun until late 1956.

Continued http://jdcopp.blogspot.com/2006/07/jacques-rivette-on-le-conseil-des-dix_26.html
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Jacques Rivette on "le conseil des dix" 1955-1959 part two

continued from
http://jdcopp.blogspot.com/2006/07/jacques-rivette-on-le-cons_115392214095642765.html

Nov ‘55

17 x-3-1-2-3-8

(3 stars) Kiss Me, Deadly (Robert Aldrich), Les Mauvaises Rencontres (Alexander Astruc), Run for Cover (Nicholas Ray)

(2 stars) Les Grandes Manoeuvres (René Clair)

(1 star) East of Eden (Elia Kazan), Bad Day at Black Rock (John Sturges)

(bullet) Death of a Cyclist (J A Bardem), Marty (Delbert Mann), Strategic Air Command (Anthony Mann)

(abstain) Chiens Perdus sans Collier (Jean Delannoy), The White Shiek (Federico Fellini), Je Suis un Sentimental (John Berry)

Dec ‘55

18 x-3-3-0-4-8

(3 stars) Land of the Pharaohs (Howard Hawks), The Blackboard Jungle (Richard Brooks), The Big Knife (Robert Aldrich)

(2 stars) Man without a Star (King Vidor) Hallelujah (King Vidor), Silver Lode (Allan Dwan)

(bullet) Les Héros sont Fatigués (Yves Ciampi), Summertime (David Lean), Soldier of Fortune (Edward Dmytryk)

Jan ‘56

17 x-4-0-3-1-9

(3 stars) To Catch a Thief (Alfred Hitchcock), Lola Montès (Max Ophuls), The Man from Laramie (Anthony Mann) Ordet (Carl Theodore Dreyer)

(bullet) La Pointe Courte (Agnes Varda)

(abstain) Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa)

Feb ‘56

16 x-0-3-2-6-5

(2 stars) Senso (Luchino Visconti), House of Bamboo (Sam Fuller), Northwest Passage (King Vidor)

(1 star) The Big Combo (Joseph H Lewis), The Tall Men (Raoul Walsh), I Died 1000 Times (Stuart Heisler)

(bullet) Papa, Maman, ma Femme et Moi... (Jean-Paul Le Chanois), Helen of Troy (Robert Wise), Marguerite de la Nuit (Claude Autant-Lara), The Princess Sen (Kiego Kimura), The Ladykillers (Alexander Mackendrick)

Mar ‘56

A note at the bottom of the conseil tableau records a long list, among them JR, that “recommend more than warmly” Federico Fellini’s “Il Bidone”.

Apr ‘56

Beneath the conseil table, we are informed that Edgar G Ulmer’s “The Naked Dawn” is “recommended warmly” by a group that includes JR.

Jun ’56

JR among others “recommends” Henri-Georges Clouzot’s “Le Mystère Picasso” and he “advises” Otto Preminger’s “The Man with the Golden Arm”


Jul ’56

14 x-3-2-2-2-5

(3 stars) Mr. Arkadin (Orson Welles), Lifeboat (Alfred Hitchcock) Toni (Jean Renoir)

(2 stars) Artists and Models (Frank Tashlin), The Lieutenant Wore Skirts (Frank Tashlin)

(bullet) Smiles of a Summer Night (Ingmar Bergman)

(abstain) The Gold Rush (Charles Chaplin)


Aug-Sep ’56

17 x-3-3-4-0-7

(3 stars) It’s Always Fair Weather (Stanley Donen / Gene Kelly), Brigadoon (Vincente Minelli), My Sister Eileen (Richard Quine)

(2 stars) The Revolt of Mamie Stover (Raoul Walsh), The Harder They Fall (Mark Robson), Bob the Gambler (Jean-Pierre Melville)

(1 star) Gervaise (René Clément), The Magnificent Matador (Budd Boetticher)

A note at the foot of the table also records that JR “recommends” Jean Renoir’s “Elena and Her Men”

Oct ‘56 15 x-3-2-1-3-6

(3 stars) The Last Frontier (Anthony Mann), While the City Sleeps (Fritz Lang), La Peur (Roberto Rossellini)

(1 star) The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (Otto Preminger),

(bullet) Wild Love (Mauro Bolognini), Walk into Paradise (Marcel Pagliero)

Jan ‘57

A note at the foot of the table listed JR among those who “recommend” Roger Vadim’s “And God .... Created Woman”

Feb ‘57

15 0-0-2-2-5-6

(2 stars) Hot Blood (Nicholas Ray), Tennessee’s Partner (Allan Dwan)

(1 star) The Burning Hills (Stuart Heisler), The King and I (Walter Lang)

(bullet) Lust for Life (Vincente Minelli), The Solid Gold Cadillac (Richard Quine)

(abstain) Folies-Bergere (Henri Decoin)

Mar ‘57 15 1-2-2-1-2-7

(4 stars) Bigger Than Life (Nicholas Ray)

(3 stars) Time in the Sun (Sergei Eisenstein / Gregory Alexandrov) L' Amour a la Ville (sketch film -- various)

(2 stars) Assassins et Voleurs (Sacha Guitry)


Apr ‘57

A note at the bottom of the table informs us that “ ’The Wrong Man' by Alfred Hitchcock wins the suffrage of the ’Hitchoockeans’ (sic), but you knew that already.”
Another note informs us that JR “recommends most warmly” Frank Tashlin’s “The Girl Can’t Help It”.

Jun 57

19 3-2-3-2-4-5

(4 stars) The Girl Can’t Help It (Frank Tashlin), The Crucified Lovers (Kenji Mizoguchi), Hollywood or Bust (Frank Tashlin)

(3 stars) St. Joan (Otto Preminger), The Wrong Man (Alfred Hitchcock)

(2 stars) Les Trois font la Paire (Sacha Guitry), The Forty-first (Grigory Chukhrai), The Incredible Shrinking Man (Jack Arnold)

(1 star) Storm Center (Daniel Taradash)

(bullet) Celui qui Doit Mourir (Jules Dassin), The Burmese Harp (Kon Ichikawa), The Crucible (Raymond Rouleau)

(abstain) Around the World in 80 Days (Michael Anderson), Somebody Up There Likes Me (Robert Wise), Le Cas du Dr. Laurent (Jean-Paul Le Chanois)


Aug-Sep ‘57

13 1-1-1-0-3-7

(4 stars) The True Story of Jesse James (Nicholas Ray)

(3 stars) The Last Hunt (Richard Brooks)

(2 stars) Seven Men from Now (Budd Boetticher)


Oct ’57

16 0-0-2-3-4-7

(2 stars) Twelve Angry Men (Sidney Lumet), Abandon Ship (Richard Sale)

(1 star) Oklahoma (Fred Zinneman)

(bullet) Island in the Sun (Robert Rossen), Oeil pour Oeil (André Cayatte)


Nov ’57 17 1-4-1-2-2-7

(4 stars) Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Fritz Lang)

(3 stars) Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (Frank Tashlin), A Face in the Crowd (Elia Kazan), The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz (Luis Bunuel), An Affair to Remember (Leo McCarey)

(2 stars) Nights of Cabiria (Federico Fellini)

(1 star) Portes des Lilas (René Clair), The Wings of Eagles (John Ford)

(bullet) La Casa del Angel (Leopoldo Torre Nillson), Les Espions (Henri-Georges Clouzot)


Dec ‘57

16 1-3-2-0-2-8

(4 stars) A King in New York (Charles Chaplin)

(3 stars) Sawdust and Tinsel (Ingmar Bergman), Toute la Mémoire du Monde (Alain Resnais), Street of Shame (Kenji Mizoguchi)

(2 stars) Les Maîtres Fous (Jean Rouch), Mister Cory (Blake Edwards)


Jan ‘58 17 0-3-0-2-4-8

(3 stars) Fear Strikes Out (Robert Mulligan), Aparajito (Satyajit Ray), Bitter Victory (Nicholas Ray)

(1 star) A Hatful of Rain (Fred Zinneman), The Sun Also Rises (Henry King) The Pride and the Passion (Stanley Kramer)


Mar ‘58 17 1-2-3-4-4-3

(4 stars) You Only Live Once (Fritz Lang)

(3 stars) No Down Payment (Martin Ritt), The Tin Star (Anthony Mann)

(2 stars) Kiss Them for Me (Stanley Donen), Interlude (Douglas Sirk), The Wayward Bus (Victor Vicas)

(1 star) Witness for the Prosecution (Billy Wilder), Pal Joey (George Sidney)


Apr ‘58

14 1-1-2-3-3-4

(4 stars) Bonjour Tristesse (Otto Preminger)

(3 stars) Something of Value (Richard Brooks)

(2 stars) Le Temps des Oeufs Durs (Norbert Carbonnaux), The Garment Jungle (Vincent Sherman)

(1 star) Kanal (Andrzej Wajda)

(bullet) A Farewell to Arms (Charles Vidor), Sayonara (Joshua Logan), Peyton Place (Mark Robson)


May ‘58

14 1-2-3-4-3-1

(4 stars) The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman)

(3 stars) Les Girls (George Cukor), Montparnasse 19 (Jacques Becker)

(2 stars) Le Chatte (Henri Decoin), Juvenile Jungle (Ko Nakahira)

(bullet) The Young Lions (Edward Dmytryk), The Brothers Rico (Phil Karlson)


Jun ‘58

12 1-2-1-3-4-1

(4 stars) White Nights (Luchino Visconti0

(3 stars) Illicit Interlude (Ingmar Bergman), The Pajama Game (George Abbott/Stanley Donen)

(2 stars) This Angry Age (René Clement)

(1 star) Mon Oncle (Jacques Tati), The Brothers Karamazov (Richard Brooks)


Jul ‘58

11 1-1-1-3-2-3

(4 stars) Touch of Evil (Orson Welles)

(3 stars) Baby Face Nelson (Don Siegel)

(2 stars) L’Eau Vive (François Villiers)

(1 star) The Cranes Are Flying (Mikhail Kalatozov), The Long, Hot Summer (Martin Ritt), Gideon of Scotland Yard (John Ford)


Aug ‘58

11 0-1-1-4-2-3

(3 stars) The Quiet American (Joseph L. Mankiewicz)

(2 stars) Legend of the Lost (Henry Hathaway)

(1 star) Jet Pilot (Joseph von Sternberg), The Cobweb (Vincente Minelli), Tea and Sympathy (Vincente Minelli), From Hell to Texas (Henry Hathaway)

(bullet) Edge of the City (Martin Ritt), The Buster Keaton Story (Sidney Sheldon)

(abstain) The Delicate Delinquent (Don McGuire)

Nov ‘58

19 1-3-3-6-3-3

(4 stars) The Grand Illusion (Jean Renoir)

(3 stars) Dreams (Ingmar Bergman), The Left-Handed Gun (Arthur Penn), The Goddess (John Cromwell)

(2 stars) Une Vie (Alexander Astruc), Tarnished Angels (Douglas Sirk), La Vie à Deux (Clement Duhour)

(1 star) En Cas du Malheur (Claude Autant-Lara), Les Tricheurs (Marcel Carné), God’s Little Acre (Anthony Mann)

(bullet) Desire Under the Elms (Delbert Mann)


Jan ‘59

20 0-3-5-6-5-1

(3 stars) Dreams (Ingmar Bergman), Secrets of Women (Ingmar Bergman), Les Mistons (François Truffaut)

(2 stars) Il Grido (Michelangelo Antonioni), Indiscreet (Stanley Donen), Lettre de Sibéria (Chris Marker), Rising of the Moon (John Ford)

(1 star) Les Amants (Louis Malle), The Horse’s Mouth (Ronald Neame)

(bullet) Le Jouer (Claude Autant-Lara), The Barbarian and the Geisha (John Huston)

(abstain) Les Fils de L’Eau (Jean Rouch)


Feb ‘59 12 1-0-4-1-4-2

(4 stars) Man of the West (Anthony Mann)

(2 stars) The Last Hurrah (John Ford), The Vikings (Richard Fleischer), South Pacific (Joshua Logan)

(1 star) The Roots of Heaven (John Huston)


March ‘59

14 1-3-3-2-5-0

(4 stars) Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock)

(3 stars) Les Rendez-vous du Diable (Haroun Tazieff), A Time to Love and a Time to Die (Douglas Sirk), Run of the Arrow (Sam Fuller)

(2 stars) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Richard Brooks)

(bullet) Raintree County (Edward Dmytryk), La Loi (Jules Dassin), The Defiant Ones (Stanley Kramer)


April ’59

14 1-1-1-1-10-0

(4 stars) Brink of Life (Ingmar Bergman)

(3 stars) Le Beau Serge (Claude Chabrol)

(bullet) Gigi (Vincente Minelli), Guingette (Jean Delannoy), Le Petit Prof’ (Carlo Rim), La Femme et le Pantin (Julien Duvivier), The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (Mark Robson), Separate Tables (Delbert Mann), The Philosopher’s Stone (Satyajit Ray)


May ‘59 21 2-5-3-5-5-1

(4 stars) Ivan the Terrible (Sergei Eisenstein), Ugetsu (Kenji Mizoguchi)

(3 stars) Les Cousins (Claude Chabrol), Moi, un Noir (Jean Rouch), Wind Across the Everglades (Nicholas Ray), Head Against the Wall (Georges Franju), The Devil’s Wanton (Ingmar Bergman)

(1 star) Bell, Book and Candle (Richard Quine)

(bullet) The Big Country (William Wyler)


June ‘59

14 0-2-5-1-6-0

(3 stars) Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman), Goha (Jacques Baratier)

(2 stars) Rock-a-Bye, Baby (Frank Tashlin), Tripes au Soleil (Claude Bernard-Aubert), I Want to Live (Robert Wise), Auntie Mame (Morton DaCosta)

(1 star) Les Draguers (Jean-Pierre Mocky)

(bullet) Marie-Octobre (Julien Duvivier), The Black Orchid (Martin Ritt), The Proud Rebel (Michael Curtiz)


Jul ‘59

14 2-2-2-3-5-0

(4 stars) Hiroshima, Mon Amour (Alain Resnais), The 400 Blows (François Truffaut)


(3 stars) Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks), Middle of the Night (Delbert Mann)

(2 stars) Some Came Running (Vincente Minelli), The Fabulous World of Jules Verne (Karel Zeman)

(1 star) The Fly (Kurt Neumann)

(bullet) The Sound and the Fury (Martin Ritt), Compulsion (Richard Fleischer), Room at the Top (Jack Clayton)


Aug ‘59

14 1-0-3-4-4-2

(4 stars) The Empress Yang Kwei Fei (Kenji Mizoguchi)

(2 stars) Buchanan Rides Alone (Budd Boeticcher), The Last Mile (Howard W Koch), The Warrior and the Slave Girl (Vittorio Cottafavi)

(1 star) Black Orpheus (Marcel Camus), Al Capone (Richard Wilson), Pork Chop Hill (Lewis Milestone)


Sep ‘59 12 1-1-2-1-4-3

(4 stars) Hindu Tiger (Fritz Lang)

(3 stars) Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys (Leo McCarey)

(2 stars) Tiger of Bengal (Fritz Lang)


Oct ‘59 18 0-2-3-4-9-0

(3 stars) Trial (Mark Robson), Ten Seconds to Hell (Robert Aldrich)

(2 stars) Hot Summer Night (David Friedkin), Double Agents (Robert Hossein), Big Deal on Madonna Street (Mario Monicelli)

(1 star) Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (Edward Cline), Diary of Anne Frank (George Stevens), Westbound (Budd Boeticcher)

(bullet) Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Roger Vadim), Babette Goes to War (Christian-Jaque)



Nov ‘59

14 1-2-2-4-2-3

(4 stars) Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger)

(3 stars) Some Like it Hot (Billy Wilder), The Horse Soldiers (John Ford)

(2 stars) Ossessione (Luchino Visconti), Two Men in Manhattan (Jean-Pierre Melville)

(1 star) The Magician (Ingmar Bergman), Destiny of a Man (Segei Bondarchuk)


(abstain) L’Ambiteuse (Yves Allegret)


Dec ‘59 15 1-2-1-3-4-4

(4 stars) Dejeuner sur L’Herbe (Jean Renoir)

(3 stars) General Della Rovere (Roberto Rossellini), North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock)

(2 stars) The Buccaneer (Anthony Quinn)

(1 star) Diamonds and Ashes (Andrjez Wajda), A Hole in the Head (Frank Capra), They Came to Cordura (Robert Rossen)

(bullet) La Jument Verte (Claude Autant-Lara)


Continued http://jdcopp.blogspot.com/2006/07/jacques-rivette-on-le-cons_115388446776302867.html