''Les Cinq Gentlemen Maudits'', 1931 - art by Jean-Adrien Mercier
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Les Cinq Gentlemen Maudits'', 1931 - art by Jean-Adrien Mercier
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Poster
Description
A vintage French movie poster of ''Les Cinq Gentlemen Maudits'', also known as "The Five Accursed Gentlemen," is a French film released in 1931. It is a classic crime drama directed by Julien Duvivier and is often considered one of the early masterpieces of French cinema. The film is based on a novel of the same name by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain.
The story revolves around a group of five criminals who have committed various crimes and have managed to elude the authorities for years. These individuals are known as "The Five Accursed Gentlemen" due to their notorious activities. As the police close in on them, the criminals must use all their wits and cunning to evade capture.
The film features a mix of suspense, action, and drama as it follows the cat-and-mouse game between the criminals and the law enforcement officers who are determined to bring them to justice. It explores themes of crime, morality, and the consequences of one's actions.
"Les Cinq Gentlemen Maudits" is notable for its innovative cinematography and direction by Julien Duvivier, who was known for his innovative storytelling techniques. The film also boasts strong performances by its cast, which includes Harry Baur, René Lefèvre, and Charles Vanel.
Overall, "Les Cinq Gentlemen Maudits" is considered a classic of French cinema from the early sound era, and it remains an important part of the country's cinematic heritage. It has also contributed to the legacy of crime films in French cinema.
About the artist:
Jean-Adrien Mercier (August 12, 1899, Angers, France – May 15,1995, Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire) was a French illustrator, poster artist, and advertising designer.
He studied art at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts) in Angers and at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs (National School of Decorative Arts) in Paris in 1921. In 1924 he began working as a designer and painter of French film posters.
From 1925 through 1942, Mercier designed more than 120 movie posters, including many for leading directors such as Jean Renoir, Abel Gance, and Sacha Guitry. Collections of his work are currently held at museums and libraries in France.
Mercier's style is recognizable like a few others for its originality and formal purity. His images are almost always created with geometric shapes, stylized as if they were outlines, cut-outs of a more complex picture.
Because of their regular geometry, they almost look like images from the design of Russian Constructivism or schematic but flashy artworks of Second Futurism. The French artist uses primary colors -yellow, blue, red, but also white and black fields- on neutral backgrounds. There is order, cleanliness, essentiality. Mercier communicates in the most effective way possible: through disarming simplicity.
Search "Mercier" for other artwork.
Uploaded
January 28th, 2022
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