Habib Benglia
Actor · 1895 – 1960 · Oran, Algeria
Habib Benglia, born August 25, 1895 in Oran (Algeria) and died December 2, 1960 at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Paris 4th, is a French actor and dancer. He was the first black French artist to experience such success in the 1920s. Married, he was the father of two children. Born to caravan parents, originally from Mali (then called French Sudan), he lived his entire childhood in Timbuktu, before arriving, with his parents, in mainland France to deliver camels to the acclimatization garden where the exhibition was held. colonial "Les Nègres", in 1912. He decided to stay in France and began his career in 1913, both in theater and in cinema, after having met the actress and dancer Régine Flory, who introduced him to Cora Laparcerie, director of the Théâtre de la Renaissance. Mobilized for the First World War, he then joined Firmin Gémier's theater company which ended up at the Théâtre National de l'Odéon with Gaston Baty in 1922. Benglia was thus the first black to play roles from the classical repertoire, and he found himself also performing the title role of The Emperor Jones at the Odéon in 19234, at the age of 27. However, he explored other aspects of his art: dance, revues, vaudeville... Theater in all its forms remained his passion for more than 36 years. It was primarily through theater that he played a major role in Parisian cultural life between the wars. Benglia was also interested in cinema, but French cinema hardly offered him good roles. He is most often found in small roles in second-rate films, but also in a few colonial propaganda films, sometimes in ridiculously exotic roles. A few exceptions: Benglia stars in “Daïnah La Métisse”, he has interesting passages in “Sola ou Les Mystères de Paris”, then he makes a brief appearance in “Les Enfants du Paradis”, a film in which he only worked two days (December 5 and 6, 1943). In total, he appeared in around sixty films. It was the range of his deep voice which was most remarkable and which determined the roles entrusted to him. He died on December 2, 1960 at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Paris.
Movies24
Movie8.0DramaRomanceIn a chaotic 19th-century Paris teeming with aristocrats, thieves, psychics, and courtesans, theater mime Baptiste is in love with the mysterious actress Garance. But Garance, in turn, is loved by three other men: pretentious actor Frederick, conniving thief Lacenaire, and Count Edouard of Montray.
Movie7.9DramaHistoryA group of French soldiers, including the patrician Captain de Boeldieu and the working-class Lieutenant Maréchal, grapple with their own class differences after being captured and held in a World War I German prison camp. When the men are transferred to a high-security fortress, they must concoct a plan to escape beneath the watchful eye of aristocratic German officer von Rauffenstein, who has formed an unexpected bond with de Boeldieu.
Movie7.3DramaCaptain Justin Mollenard works for a company that sells armaments to the Far East. After an eventful stay in Shanghai, where he and his cargo are the victim of a malicious attack, he returns to his hometown of Dunkirk. Mollenard receives a frosty welcome from his wife Mathilde, who resents the way in which he has neglected his family for so many years. Mollenard’s only wish is to get back to sea as soon as he can, but a sudden heart-attack leaves him paralysed and entirely in his wife’s power...
Movie5.6ComedyThe old Valmorin died 200 years ago. The notary tells the family about the inheritance: the one who is terminally ill will receive the money. They all try their luck with getting ill before the other so one family member pretends to be deaf, another pretends to have a terrible back ache and so on...
Movie6.0ComedyIn the village of Sableuse, the local manor has been bought out by a nouveau riche, Emile Cousinet. When his wife Lisette, a former music hall actress, flees to Paris with young Pierre de Sableuse, Cousinet asks Father Pellegrin, the village vicar, to bring the lost sheep back home.
Mon curé chez les riches
1938 · 2 votes
Movie9.0AdventureAn adventurer tries to seize oil deposits in Mongolia .
Tempête sur l'Asie
1938 · 1 votes
Movie8.0At sea, sailors have got to make do with what they have. François is in love with.... the figurehead, the bust of a gorgeous woman.
Movie6.4ComedyCharming and innocent, Candide is vigorously chased away by the Baron, for his close encounters with the pretty Cunégonde. World War II breaks out, and when he is drafted and taken prisoner, he is forced to take German nationality and ends up guarding the camp where he was imprisoned. He crossed into Switzerland, but as he had no bank account, he was incarcerated for eight days for trespassing. Hunted by the Gestapo, he kills two men to free Cunégonde, who has finally been found. They both flee to Argentina, and their world tour begins. In Paris, Moscow, New York, Borneo and Alexandria. They try to follow Dr. Pangloss' optimistic rule of life. Tossed about, separated, they find themselves grown old and wiser, thinking only of cultivating their garden on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Movie7.5DramaHervé is a tough sea captain in command of the "Duchesse Anne", a rum-trading ship. But the sea dog hides a tender heart and he allows Marie-Douce, a poor slum girl who dreams of seeing the wide world,on board. To have her accepted by the crew, he passes her off as his niece. A seasoned master like him, wise enough to ban alcohol use on his ship, should have known better : a beautiful girl on the deck cannot but unleash the savage instincts of all those men without women.
Le Bateau à soupe
1947 · 2 votes
Movie10.0DramaTowards the end of the 19th century, the Duke of Gerolstein traveled to Paris. Sixteen years earlier he had a daughter who was taken from him by her mother who was chased out of the palace. After many dramatic adventures, the Duke finds his daughter in the person of Fleur de Marie, martyred throughout her childhood by the Owl and the schoolmaster.
Movie10.0In 1318, in Morocco, a bandit kidnapped the marabout's daughter as a hostage, demanding that the gates of the city be opened to her. The boss, fiance of the young girl, learns that she is safe and sound and organizes the resistance. He puts the bandit and his band to flight and brings back the young girl.
Movie10.0Yasmina, a rich Tunisian Princess, daughter of a French lady and a Muslim gentleman, is betrothed by a father to a rich fifty year old man named Afsen. She reluctantly accept the marriage but soon becomes ill from boredom and she falls in love with the French doctor called from Tunis to take care of her, Hector Grandier, who also happens to be a childhood friend. Her husband finds out and Yasmina sticks a knife in her own bosom in a middle of a fight. The Princess's maid, Athima, accuses the old husband of attempting to kill the girl and he is sentenced to death. Hector rescues him from his fate and the two lovers are free to love each other in the eyes of the law.
Yasmina
1927 · 1 votes
Movie10.0DramaDreaming of heroic deeds, a young missionary soon becomes disillusioned.
Movie9.0ComedyWhoever brings the Countess back her stolen necklace will receive a bonus of ten thousand francs. Honoré, the vagabond, who involuntarily finds himself in possession of the jewel, offers it to a little peasant girl who had been charitable towards him and with a touch of melancholy, resumes his journey.
Les Gaietés du palace
1936 · 1 votes
Movie7.0DramaHistoryA Dutch slave captain, on a voyage to Cuba, faces a revolt fomented by a newly captured African slave, Tamango. The slaves capture the captain's mistress, forcing a showdown.
Tamango
1958 · 11 votes
Movie10.0DramaA little Métis girl, Kalina is saved from a massacre by Taraor, a black man from Sudan. Having become a great and beautiful dancer from the South, she meets Captain Portal, in garrison in Marrakech. This is the beginning of a great love story. But that's counting without Taraor's jealousy.
La Danseuse de Marrakech
1950 · 1 votes
Movie5.9DramaThe spahi Jean Peyral is very in love with the flirtatious Cora. When he realizes that she betrays him, he tries to kill himself. He is saved by the tenderness of a young native, Fatou.
Le Roman d'un spahi
1936 · 5 votes
Movie9.0ComedyCruchadouze and Castaniet are two inseparable friends. One day they decide to leave Arcachon to try the adventure in Bordeaux. After various odd jobs, they come into contact with Betty Florent, the banker's wife. This one has just been contacted by a former accomplice who blackmails him by offering him an insurance scam. A big bonus on the head of a simpleton. Cruchadouze was passing by.
Les Rois de la flotte
1938 · 1 votes
Movie6.4DramaDuring a French construction project in the Sudan, a military doctor fights against leprosy and the natives seek protection against witch doctors.
- Movie10.0Drama
A young man arrives on an African island where he falls in love with the queen of a tribe, a beautiful singer. He takes her to Paris, but on the night of her stage debut, she faints, frightened. He returns with her to her island and settles there permanently.
La Femme et le rossignol
1931 · 1 votes
Movie10.0Said Ali, an old and sick noble Arab, living on an island in the Red Sea, has no other occupation than collecting pearls. The spiteful Nadir tries to take possession of the treasure, he kills Said Aly but finds a terrible death by desecrating his tomb.
Movie6.6DramaAfter three weeks and a long, hot voyage across the Pacific, an ocean liner finally arrives at its destination, Ecuador. That evening, the event is marked by a masked ball and a magic show.
Movie8.0Comedy"Tu seras duchesse!" ("You'll Be a Duchess!") With these words, self-made industrialist Poisson orders his daughter Lucie to marry a wealthy Duke. The duke's father objects to the union, whereupon Poisson arranges another marriage for his daughter, this time to an impoverished and sickly young marquis. Poisson's strategy runs something like this: the Marquis is expected to die soon, whereupon the widowed Lucie will become a marquess, and thus a worthy bride for the Duke. But the Marquis foils these plans by staging a miraculous recovery. The explanation? The Marquis and Lucie have been in love all along, and this was the only way that they could wed with Poisson's blessing. Darned clever, these Frenchmen!.
Movie7.0CrimeDramaL'empreinte rouge
1937 · 1 votes