Directing

Jean Benoît-Lévy

Born — Died

1888-04-25 — 1959-08-02

Place of birth

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Known for

Directing

Credits

29 titles

Jean Benoît-Lévy was a French film director, producer, and writer, recognized as a pioneer in educational and documentary filmmaking. Throughout his career, he directed over 400 films, focusing on social issues, public health, dance, and art. Notable works include La Maternelle (1933) and La Mort du Cygne (1937). His films often addressed societal themes, contributing significantly to French cinema's development in the early 20th century.

Known for

No artwork available
NR

Jean-Pierre is in love with Jeannette, the sister of his friend Paul. Although he is a good student, he has to quit school and work to help out his poor mother. As Paul finds a better job, his parents forbid him to see Jean-Pierre. As Jean-Pierre's hard work is rewarded with a raise, Paul is fired and turns to alcohol. He eventually ends up in the same factory where Jean-Pierre works. His former friend helps him and builds a house for his mother, Jeannette and him.

The House

1930

No artwork available
7.0

Filmed in French Morocco, Itto's dialogue is spoken primarily in the tribal Chleuh language. The jingoistic story concerns a series of clashes between French occupational forces and a rebellious Chleuh chieftain. Itto (Simone Berriau), chief's daughter, becomes embroiled in a romance with a Moroccan tribesman who has gone over to the French side. It is implied in Itto that it's okay to betray one's own people if it will preserve French colonialism in Africa. To modern viewers, the rampant chauvinism in Itto is a difficult pill to swallow.

Itto

1934

Ballerina poster
6.3

As its title indicates, La Mort du Cygne is set in the special world of the ballet. Young dance student Rose Souris idolizes her teacher-role-model Mademoiselle Beaupré, and will do anything to help Mademoiselle Beaupré further herself. Thus, when rival ballerina Nathalie Karine lands a much-coveted role, Rose arranges an accident causing Nathalie to break her leg. The girl comes to regret her rash behavior when it appears as though Nathalie will never dance again.

Ballerina

1937

Maternity poster
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Maternity

1930

Peachskin poster
6.6

On his way out of a wedding, a young boy named Peachskin finds a jewel by chance. Bringing it back to its owner, she becomes his benefactress in the years that pass.

Peachskin

1929

Hélène poster
5.5

Helene is based on Helene Wilfur, a novel by Vicki (Grand Hotel) Baum. Madeleine Renaud essays the title role, a young medical student in love with aspiring musician Pierre Regnier (Jean-Lous Barrault). Pierre's father, a noted surgeon, puts pressure on his son to give up music in favor of medicine. Unable to withstand his father's remonstrations, Pierre kills himself, prompting the grieving Madeleine to forget all about romance and dedicate her life to the cause of healing others. Wilfur avoids the usual soap-opera goo by offering realistic performances and credible dialogue (the English-language subtitles were composed by erudite film critic Herman G. Weinberg).

Hélène

1936

Behind the camera

No artwork available
NR

Jean-Pierre is in love with Jeannette, the sister of his friend Paul. Although he is a good student, he has to quit school and work to help out his poor mother. As Paul finds a better job, his parents forbid him to see Jean-Pierre. As Jean-Pierre's hard work is rewarded with a raise, Paul is fired and turns to alcohol. He eventually ends up in the same factory where Jean-Pierre works. His former friend helps him and builds a house for his mother, Jeannette and him.

The House

1930

No artwork available
NR

Jean-Pierre is in love with Jeannette, the sister of his friend Paul. Although he is a good student, he has to quit school and work to help out his poor mother. As Paul finds a better job, his parents forbid him to see Jean-Pierre. As Jean-Pierre's hard work is rewarded with a raise, Paul is fired and turns to alcohol. He eventually ends up in the same factory where Jean-Pierre works. His former friend helps him and builds a house for his mother, Jeannette and him.

The House

1930

No artwork available
7.0

Filmed in French Morocco, Itto's dialogue is spoken primarily in the tribal Chleuh language. The jingoistic story concerns a series of clashes between French occupational forces and a rebellious Chleuh chieftain. Itto (Simone Berriau), chief's daughter, becomes embroiled in a romance with a Moroccan tribesman who has gone over to the French side. It is implied in Itto that it's okay to betray one's own people if it will preserve French colonialism in Africa. To modern viewers, the rampant chauvinism in Itto is a difficult pill to swallow.

Itto

1934

Ballerina poster
6.3

As its title indicates, La Mort du Cygne is set in the special world of the ballet. Young dance student Rose Souris idolizes her teacher-role-model Mademoiselle Beaupré, and will do anything to help Mademoiselle Beaupré further herself. Thus, when rival ballerina Nathalie Karine lands a much-coveted role, Rose arranges an accident causing Nathalie to break her leg. The girl comes to regret her rash behavior when it appears as though Nathalie will never dance again.

Ballerina

1937

Ballerina poster
6.3

As its title indicates, La Mort du Cygne is set in the special world of the ballet. Young dance student Rose Souris idolizes her teacher-role-model Mademoiselle Beaupré, and will do anything to help Mademoiselle Beaupré further herself. Thus, when rival ballerina Nathalie Karine lands a much-coveted role, Rose arranges an accident causing Nathalie to break her leg. The girl comes to regret her rash behavior when it appears as though Nathalie will never dance again.

Ballerina

1937

Maternity poster
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Maternity

1930

Peachskin poster
6.6

On his way out of a wedding, a young boy named Peachskin finds a jewel by chance. Bringing it back to its owner, she becomes his benefactress in the years that pass.

Peachskin

1929

Peachskin poster
6.6

On his way out of a wedding, a young boy named Peachskin finds a jewel by chance. Bringing it back to its owner, she becomes his benefactress in the years that pass.

Peachskin

1929

Hélène poster
5.5

Helene is based on Helene Wilfur, a novel by Vicki (Grand Hotel) Baum. Madeleine Renaud essays the title role, a young medical student in love with aspiring musician Pierre Regnier (Jean-Lous Barrault). Pierre's father, a noted surgeon, puts pressure on his son to give up music in favor of medicine. Unable to withstand his father's remonstrations, Pierre kills himself, prompting the grieving Madeleine to forget all about romance and dedicate her life to the cause of healing others. Wilfur avoids the usual soap-opera goo by offering realistic performances and credible dialogue (the English-language subtitles were composed by erudite film critic Herman G. Weinberg).

Hélène

1936

Hélène poster
5.5

Helene is based on Helene Wilfur, a novel by Vicki (Grand Hotel) Baum. Madeleine Renaud essays the title role, a young medical student in love with aspiring musician Pierre Regnier (Jean-Lous Barrault). Pierre's father, a noted surgeon, puts pressure on his son to give up music in favor of medicine. Unable to withstand his father's remonstrations, Pierre kills himself, prompting the grieving Madeleine to forget all about romance and dedicate her life to the cause of healing others. Wilfur avoids the usual soap-opera goo by offering realistic performances and credible dialogue (the English-language subtitles were composed by erudite film critic Herman G. Weinberg).

Hélène

1936

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Heart of Paris

1931

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Heart of Paris

1931

No artwork available
8.0

Poor girl sells matches with brief flickering flame reflecting her span of life & dreams.

La jeune fille aux allumettes

1952

Âmes d'enfants poster
10.0

No synopsis available yet.

Âmes d'enfants

1928

No artwork available
NR

A French documentary short.

Cabinetmaking

1930

No artwork available
7.0

A man has lunch with his son and tells him about the dangers of syphilis, through the example of a group of three friends. The disease can lead to miscarriages, or birth defects, if it is not treated properly.

Il était une fois trois amis

1927

Fire in the Straw poster
10.0

Antoine Vautier is a failed actor. A director hires Christian, Antoine's son, for a film. He immediately becomes a star. Antoine suffers from it. Christian's second film is a disaster and faced with the collapse of his son, Antoine forgets his jealousy.

Fire in the Straw

1939

Fire in the Straw poster
10.0

Antoine Vautier is a failed actor. A director hires Christian, Antoine's son, for a film. He immediately becomes a star. Antoine suffers from it. Christian's second film is a disaster and faced with the collapse of his son, Antoine forgets his jealousy.

Fire in the Straw

1939

La Sériciculture poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

La Sériciculture

1925

Youth in Revolt poster
8.0

"Altitude 3.200" asks the question and provides the premise of what would happen if a group of young people----poor, rich, discontented, bored--- were given an idyllic community in which to live. Call it a colony. Call it a village. Call it one-world. Mainly call it a futile exercise in changing human nature, mores, culture and attitudes at any altitude. For t'ain't no time before clashing personalities, petty jealousy, violence and---that old demon---love create havoc. And isn't much longer before they become re-united in the face of an avalanche that threatens to destroy them. They all return to whence they came, sadder and wiser.

Youth in Revolt

1938

No artwork available
5.0

No synopsis available yet.

Le fou de la danse

1951

Children of Montmartre poster
6.7

When her father files bankruptcy and then dies, Rose's fiancé jilts her; she takes a job as a maid in a Montmartre kindergarten with 150 poor children. Rose gives each child loving attention, and soon she's their favorite. An especially needy child is Marie, a prostitute's daughter. Rose and she bond, and Marie is jealous of all attentions paid Rose, especially those of Dr. Libois, the school's physician. When Rose inadvertently guides the children through the educational experiment of a visiting scholar, and then discloses she has a college degree and is working beneath her station, the principal wants to fire her. Is there any way she can stay? And what will happen to Marie?

Children of Montmartre

1933

Children of Montmartre poster
6.7

When her father files bankruptcy and then dies, Rose's fiancé jilts her; she takes a job as a maid in a Montmartre kindergarten with 150 poor children. Rose gives each child loving attention, and soon she's their favorite. An especially needy child is Marie, a prostitute's daughter. Rose and she bond, and Marie is jealous of all attentions paid Rose, especially those of Dr. Libois, the school's physician. When Rose inadvertently guides the children through the educational experiment of a visiting scholar, and then discloses she has a college degree and is working beneath her station, the principal wants to fire her. Is there any way she can stay? And what will happen to Marie?

Children of Montmartre

1933

La federazione delle casse di risparmio dell'Emilia poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

La federazione delle casse di risparmio dell'Emilia

1934

Pasteur poster
6.5

Jean Benoît-Lévy & Jean Epstein's inventive documentary about the life of Louis Pasteur, a French chemist and one of the most important figures of medical microbiology, blends biographical drama with scientific recreations of his experiments, using Pasteur's actual instruments.

Pasteur

1922

No artwork available
NR

A French documentary short.

The marriage of roses or artificial hybridization

1930

No artwork available
NR

A French documentary short.

Rose culture

1930

No artwork available
NR

A lost short film directed by Jean Benoît-Lévy.

Le chant de la mine et du feu

1932

No artwork available
NR

A French documentary short.

A Modern Village

1930