Arlette and Love

Gaumont

Industry	Film production and distribution

Arlette and Love (original French title: Arlette et l'amour) is a 1943 French romantic comedy film helmed by director Robert Vernay. The cast features André Luguet, Josette Day, and André Alerme. This motion picture is an adaptation of Félix Gandéra's theatrical work Atout Coeur!, with the screenplay crafted by Marcel Pagnol. Filming was conducted at Marseille Studios alongside on-site shoots in Antibes and Aix-en-Provence. The visual environment was created under the guidance of art director Robert Giordani.

Synopsis

On her wedding night, Arlette discovers her new husband—who has been masquerading as a count—has stolen from her and vanished. Subsequently, her mother tracks down the authentic nobleman whose identity was falsely assumed, asserting that he is Arlette’s lawful spouse.

Cast

• André Luguet as The genuine Count Raoul de Tremblay-Matour
• Josette Day as Arlette Milloix
• André Alerme as Baron Gingleux
• Jimmy Gaillard as Maxime Noblet
• René Alié as The impostor Count de Tremblay-Matour
• Jean Aquistapace as The priest
• Andrée de Chauveron as Mme Millois – Arlette’s mother
• Alexandre Fabry as The innkeeper
• Albert Gercourt as Gilbert
• Pierre Labry as Jules – the servant
• René Lefèvre as The notary
• Robert Moor as Mathurin
• Henri Poupon as Breteuil
• Sylvette Saugé as Sylvie
• Jean Toulout as Count de Brulant

Publications

A sermon delivered by the priest, intended for the genuine count’s forthcoming nuptials and expressing his feeling of having been tricked by the counterfeit marriage, was incorporated by Norbert Calmels, abbot general of the Premonstratensians and acquaintance of Marcel Pagnol, into a compilation of sermons drawn from Pagnol’s oeuvre.

Bibliography

• Baylie, Claude. Marcel Pagnol, ou, Le cinéma en liberté. Editions Atlas, 1986.
• Oscherwitz, Dayna & Higgins, MaryEllen. The A to Z of French Cinema. Scarecrow Press, 2009.