1962, Film: “Un singe en hiver”

The French comedy / drama film "Un singe en hiver" ("A Monkey in Winter" (USA) / "It's Hot in Hell" (UK)) was released on 11 May 1962 in France. The film, directed by Henri Verneuil and written by François Boyer, Henri Verneuil an Michel Audiard , was based on 1959 novel with the same title by the French writer Antoine Blondin. Main stars are Jean Gabin and Jean-Paul Belmondo, two actors from a different generation. Gabin was the most successful actor in pre-war French cinema and Belmondo came straight from the "Nouvelle Vague". The music was composed by Michel Magne.

Synopsis

Albert Quentinis (Jean Gabin), an hotel owner, vowed never to drink again if he, his wife and their hotel survived the second world war. They did, so Albert keeps his vow. Soon after the war, Albert comes in contact with Gabriel Fouquet, a young man with alcoholic problems. The divorced Gabriel came over to visit his young daughter Marie (Sylviane Margollé) in a nearby boarding school…

Jean-Paul Belmondo as Gabriel Fouquet and Jean Gabin as Albert Quentin

Jean Gabin as Albert Quentin

Main cast

• Jean Gabin as Albert Quentin
• Suzanne Flon as Suznne Quentin
• Jean-Paul Belmondo as Gabriel Fouquet
• Sylviane Margollé as Marie Fouquet
• Noël Roquevert as Monsieur Landru
• Paul Frankeur as Monsieur Esnault
• Gabrielle Dorziat as Madame Victoria
• Geneviève Fontanel as Marie-Jo
• Anne-Marie Coffinet as Simon
• Hella Petri as Georgina

Jean Gabin as Albert Quentin and Jean-Paul Belmondo as Gabriel Fouquet

Jean Gabin as Albert Quentin, Suzanne Flon as Suzanne Quentin
and Jean-Paul Belmondo as Gabriel Fouquet

Trivia

• Director Henri Verneuil makes a cameo in the film. When his name appears on the screen in the credits, he is the German officer who goes up the stairs.
• In the flamenco scene at cafe Esnault, Belmondo does not dance, he is doubled for close-ups by a Spanish dancer.
• The bullfighting scene with the cars is performed by Belmondo himself. The cars are: a Citroën DS, an unidentified car probably Alfa Romeo, a Cadillac 1956, a Peugeot 404, a Ford Anglia 105E and an unidentified English car probably Daimler.
• The film was shot in Villerville, France. In 2012 Villerville celebrated the 50th anniversary of the shooting with various events. The village was decorated with portraits of the two main actors.

Jean Gabin as Albert Quentin, Sylviane Margollé as Marie Fouquet
and Jean-Paul Belmondo as Gabriel Fouquet

Sylviane Margollé as Marie Fouquet
and Jean-Paul Belmondo as Gabriel Fouquet

"Un singe en hiver" Trailer (1962)