Louise

Louise

83 mins | April 16, 1939

What was it about opera diva Grace Moore that attracted the attention of filmdom's top directors? Moore's 1937 American movie vehicle When You're in Love had been directed by Josef Von Sternberg; two years later, her French starrer Louise was helmed by no less than Abel Gance, who a decade earlier had revolutionized the "historical epic" genre with the awesome Napoleon. There was, however, little that was revolutionary in this cinemadaption of Gustave Charpentier's opera. Moore plays Louise, a poor seamstress who is led astray by the rakish Julien (Georges Thill). After falling from grace (no pun intended), our heroine is rescued by her understanding father (Andre Pernet), who demonstrates his forgiveness by singing to her (it is, after all, an opera). Though it played to enthusiastic crowds in both London and Paris, Louise turned out to be Grace Moore's final film; conversely, Abel Gance continued to make commercial potboilers well into the 1970s.

Louise

83 mins | April 16, 1939

Louise
What was it about opera diva Grace Moore that attracted the attention of filmdom's top directors? Moore's 1937 American movie vehicle When You're in Love had been directed by Josef Von Sternberg; two years later, her French starrer Louise was helmed by no less than Abel Gance, who a decade earlier had revolutionized the "historical epic" genre with the awesome Napoleon. There was, however, little that was revolutionary in this cinemadaption of Gustave Charpentier's opera. Moore plays Louise, a poor seamstress who is led astray by the rakish Julien (Georges Thill). After falling from grace (no pun intended), our heroine is rescued by her understanding father (Andre Pernet), who demonstrates his forgiveness by singing to her (it is, after all, an opera). Though it played to enthusiastic crowds in both London and Paris, Louise turned out to be Grace Moore's final film; conversely, Abel Gance continued to make commercial potboilers well into the 1970s.
Producers SPPF
Original title Louise
Directors Abel Gance
Writers

Cast

Grace Moore

as Louise

Georges Thrill

as Julien

André Pernet

as Le père de Louise

Suzanne Desprès

as La mère de Louise

Félix Clément

as Casimir

Rivers Cadet

as Le chansonnier

Pauline Carton

as La première

Marcel Pérès

as Le sculpteur

Jacqueline Gauthier

as Alphonsine

Jacqueline Prévot

as Une cousette

Edmond Beauchamp

as Le philosophe

Robert Le Vigan

as Le peintre Gaston

Ginette Leclerc

as Lucienne

Claude Benedict

as (uncredited)

Roger Blin

as (uncredited)

Georges Douking

as (uncredited)

Renée Gardès

as (uncredited)

Simone Gauthier

as A seamstress (uncredited)

Philippe Janvier

as (uncredited)