Les Amants De Montparnasse (1958)

The final year in the life of the painter Amedeo Modigliani (Gerard Philipe). Impoverished and continually drunk, he finally meets the love (Anouk Aimee) of his life but it's too late. Begun by Max Ophuls (to whom the film is dedicated), he died early in the filming and was replaced by Jacques Becker (CASQUE D'OR). As with most film biographies, great license is taken and the film is not to be taken as a "true" story. The movie doesn't give us much insight into Modigliani's art nor any insight into why he was such a tortured soul. For much of the film, it seems to be one of those "I'm a great artist so I have the right to behave like a jerk to everyone" movies but the screenplay does have some marvelous moments. The meeting with the rich, gauche American (Frank Edwards) for example. The soulful eyed Philipe makes for an attractive if ill fated artiste and Anouk Aimee looks like she stepped right out of a Modigliani painting. I wish the narrative had given more time to Lilli Palmer (as Beatrice Hastings) whose character suggests all kinds of debauchery. With Lino Ventura (whose character defines despicable), Lila Kedrova, Gerard Sety, Lea Padovani and Jacques Marin.