Örökmozgó cinematheque commemorates Boyer, who was born 100 years ago with his films.
 Charles Boyer 15 KBytes |
Charles Boyer, the intellectual idol was born 100 years ago.
He was blessed with all the requisite physical attractiveness and
mental glory. His career started in Paris. As a university
student of Philosophy Department at Sorbon in Paris he attended
conservatory and studied drama. He debuted on the stage, and his
great success in films was thanks to his theatre practice... The
smart, good-looking actor was soon called in front of cameras,
and he became a well-known, busy film star in the middle of the
thirties. His melancholic and dreamy black eyes, his thick,
sensuous mouth, Greek profile, harmony of his perfect features
and his wonderful warm baritone was fated to enter the film art
as a great master of romantic passion. As an ardent lover he
conquered Marlene Dietrich's, Irene Dunne's, Greta Garbo's,
Ingrid Bergman's, Bette Davis's, Claudette Colbert's heart.
In his real life he lived in a happy marriage with the British
Pat Paterson from 1934. Two days after his wife's death and two
days before his 81st birthday he committed suicide.
We can know a lot about Boyer's character and the beginning of his career in Hollywood from his friend's, Maurice Chevalier's memoir. "Charles Boyer came from France to make French remake of Wallace Berry's great American movie, The Big House. He soon fell for Hollywood and decided to stay there and to take his chance in American films too. Apart from a few words he did not speak English so he started learning the language. Only the French people living in Hollywood knew who he really was. For American people he was absolutely unknown and the directors and actors did not take any notice of him. This did not worry him and I also wondered how a celebrated actor in all of France could bear this terrible disinterest. As if he had absolutely forgotten about the career he had had in France. I introduced him to everybody, but everywhere they see Maurice Chevalier's jolly good fellow in him... All of the tricks of his art were in his veins. He was very well read. Nobody could find any holes in his intelligence ... Months passed, Boyer stayed in California and he studied English night and day. Then one fine day he appeared in one of Jean Harlow's films as an extra. He appeared only for some seconds, he had to play a driver. One or two sentences, a little gesture, nothing else..., but it was enough for him to be talked about by actors and directors after the premiére...- "Listen Maurice, your friend is not bad! He knows something! He does it well! - Well, then I was able to explain to them that he was the best in France and I did not understand how he had been able to accept such a role. Charles may have decided to give himself another year, study the language well, and from zero he started a career and took his chance very honesty. No bluff, no advertisement. Charles Boyer, the top French actor was going to reach world wide success from the beginning!..." Now we know the story. He got more and more roles and after two years he was amongst the big stars. In the end he could say that everything was according to his calculations and his struggles ended with great success. He could occupy the high place he deserved in every respect in the American film world as well. |
 Charles Boyer 14 KBytes |
