France in the mid-20th century … How many associations arise with this phrase! French cinema is an integral part of them. Today we will talk about the king of supporting roles, mainly known for the movie "Rum Boulevard" and the mini-series "Cursed Kings" - about Roger (Roger) Jacques.
Biography
Roger Jacquet was born in France in April 1928. Unfortunately, no one has the exact date of birth.
It became quite late to act in films, at the age of twenty-seven. He got his last role shortly before his death. The melodrama “Fou d'amour” (Crazy about love) was released in 2015, a year later.
Roger Jacquet died after a long illness at his home in 2014. Then he was buried in the Pere Lachaise cemetery (62nd division).
Creation
As mentioned earlier, Roger Jacquet's career in cinema began at the age of 27, despite the fact that he received his acting education several years earlier.
The first work of the actor in 1955 was the series "En votre ame et conscience" ("In your soul and conscience"), filmed in the detective genre. The protagonist Pierre Dumaye (Rene Alon) uncovers a large court case, referred and assessed, and then invites the defense to appear in court again, leaving the audience to the role of a jury to review the case in accordance with their laws of conscience. Roger Jacquet got the small role of a man named Langlois.
It was from this, in essence, an imperceptible appearance in the frame that Roger Jacquet's great career began, almost sixty years long and twenty-four roles.
This was followed by the film "Les affreux" ("Bandits") in 1959 and the series "Le theater de la jeunesse" ("Youth theater"), released in France from 1960 to 1968. In the series, he got the role of a Cossack.
1961 was a very important year in Roger Jacquet's career. It was during this period that the short film "La riviere du hibou" ("Owl Stream") was released. Here he got the role of the central character named Peyton Farquhar. The film was based on a story by Ambros Bierce called "The Incident on the Bridge over the Owl Creek." The action of the short film takes the viewer during the Civil War to the State of Alabama. They want to hang the main character, who is a southerner by birth, for trying to blow up a railway bridge. However, something incredible happens - the rope breaks and the unfortunate man gets a chance to escape. Peyton had a wife and the first thing he did was go to her. But he was not destined to hug his beloved woman and he died. The film so impressed critics that in 1964 it won an Oscar for Best Short Film. In 1963, on the wave of success, a full-length film was shot, called “Au coeur de la vie” (“At the heart of life”).
The next picture with Roger Jacquet's participation was released in 1965 and was called “Les grandes gueules” (“Woodcutters”) with Bourville and Lino Ventura in the lead roles. This tape is well known not only to the French, but also to Russian viewers. The film tells about Hector, who had to return to his native land at the sawmill, which he inherited. It is located in the wrong place, and even a competing neighbor puts a spoke in the wheel. The loggers Laurent and Rolland come to the aid of Hector, who also bring in prisoners to revive the sawmill together. And in the end, the guys succeeded, but other problems appeared. The film raises very important issues such as work, family, friendship, honesty and protest. Roger played Capester, one of the characters in the saga.
After a long hiatus in 1971, Jacquet returned to the screens again with the TV film “La nuit tourne mal” (“The night goes wrong”).
Next is another famous film "Boulevard du Rhum" ("Rum Boulevard"), which gained worldwide fame thanks to the participation of Lino Ventura and Brigitte Bardot. The picture transports viewers to the times of Prohibition. The main character Carnelius is engaged in delivering alcohol to drinkers on his steamer. He called his sea transport "Lady of my heart" and dedicated it to the film star. And now fate throws him an acquaintance with her. Of course, the role of the diva went to Brigitte Bardot. Love, rum, romance and seascapes are what awaits the viewer. It is not surprising that the film is so loved in France and far beyond its borders. Roger played in Lusel's film.
In 1972, another TV film with Roger's participation "Father Goriot" was released. He also became widely known in his homeland.
Perhaps the most iconic appearance on the screen for Roger was the series "Cursed Kings", based on the whole cycle of the same name of novels by Maurice Druon. This is a unique opportunity to see how the royal nobility lives. The events of the series show the life of seven generations from the Capetian and Valois dynasties. Legend has it that the misfortunes that befell the lives of the kings began to happen to them as a result of the terrible curse of the head of the Templars. He cursed Philip IV (nicknamed the Handsome) and this brought a lot of pain and suffering for all subsequent rulers. The film adaptation was recognized as very successful and will appeal to all lovers of court mysteries and intrigues. Jacquet had the honor to play the role of Jean de Forez in the series. Later, in 1982, Roger will again have the opportunity to play in the historical film - "Edward II", where he appeared as Spencer's father.
1974 saw the release of the series "Les brigades du Tigre" ("Squads of Tigers"). Events unfold at the beginning of the 20th century. In the center of the plot - the first police brigade, dissecting through the city on motorcycles. It is for this quality that their members are called tigers. Jacquet was played by Albin Bergeval.
The rest of Roger Jacquet's work was not so successful. His fame faded and the audience recognized him more from old films and TV shows.
Personal life
Roger Jacquet was not a hero of secular chronicles, and he does not like scandals. Unlike his colleagues in the workshop, he avoided cameras in his daily life. Therefore, the general public does not know whether he has a wife or a child, how many novels he had in his life. Fans can only study information about his work in cinema.
