The handsome fellow above is one Yves Montand born this day 1921, in Monsummano Terme, Italy to a family of poor peasants. It seems they still had peasants even in 1921, though I would argue that my parents could still be considered peasants even today. He moved to France at the age of two, and grew up in Marseille. He worked on the docks of Marseille for a while, and became a dance hall singer, where he was "discovered" by Edith Piaf (after moving to Paris). She became his mentor, and his lover. How lucky is this bastard? Edith fucking Piaf pulls you out of the slums of Paris, and start giving you the good stuff too? Clearly M. Montand was born under a lucky star. He managed to have two marriages in his life, one lasting 34 years, but still found the time for various affairs including one with Marylin Monroe. Did I mention he must have been born under a lucky star? He was once quoted as saying "I think a man can have two, maybe three affairs, while he is married. But three is the absolute maximum. After that, you're cheating." Now that is a Frenchman through, and through I do not care where he was born. Part of his hero status for me is that his voice was the model for Pepe Le Pew, the amorous skunk of Looney Tune fame. Though if you ever see his performances in Z (1969), The Wages of Fear (1953), and The War is Finished (1966), you will see a master craftsman at work. I highly recommend all of the above films as required viewing. One of the sadder incidents of his life occurred after his death when a woman accused him of being the father of her daughter, and sued him to obtain a DNA sample. He refused, but that woman persisted after his death. She obtained a court ruling, then his body was exhumed. On 11 March 1998, a paternity test showed that he wasn't the girl's father. Some way to treat a famous star! He died of a heart attack while still in harness on the film of his last movie in 1991, that is dedication to one's art. So, for making all those obscure French films that I still love to cozy up to today, and being one lucky bastard to boot, Yves Montand (October 13th-1921- November 9th, 1991 at the age of 70), you are my hero of the day.Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Z
The handsome fellow above is one Yves Montand born this day 1921, in Monsummano Terme, Italy to a family of poor peasants. It seems they still had peasants even in 1921, though I would argue that my parents could still be considered peasants even today. He moved to France at the age of two, and grew up in Marseille. He worked on the docks of Marseille for a while, and became a dance hall singer, where he was "discovered" by Edith Piaf (after moving to Paris). She became his mentor, and his lover. How lucky is this bastard? Edith fucking Piaf pulls you out of the slums of Paris, and start giving you the good stuff too? Clearly M. Montand was born under a lucky star. He managed to have two marriages in his life, one lasting 34 years, but still found the time for various affairs including one with Marylin Monroe. Did I mention he must have been born under a lucky star? He was once quoted as saying "I think a man can have two, maybe three affairs, while he is married. But three is the absolute maximum. After that, you're cheating." Now that is a Frenchman through, and through I do not care where he was born. Part of his hero status for me is that his voice was the model for Pepe Le Pew, the amorous skunk of Looney Tune fame. Though if you ever see his performances in Z (1969), The Wages of Fear (1953), and The War is Finished (1966), you will see a master craftsman at work. I highly recommend all of the above films as required viewing. One of the sadder incidents of his life occurred after his death when a woman accused him of being the father of her daughter, and sued him to obtain a DNA sample. He refused, but that woman persisted after his death. She obtained a court ruling, then his body was exhumed. On 11 March 1998, a paternity test showed that he wasn't the girl's father. Some way to treat a famous star! He died of a heart attack while still in harness on the film of his last movie in 1991, that is dedication to one's art. So, for making all those obscure French films that I still love to cozy up to today, and being one lucky bastard to boot, Yves Montand (October 13th-1921- November 9th, 1991 at the age of 70), you are my hero of the day.
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