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Maurice Delbez

Directing

Biography

Maurice Delbez was a French film director and screenwriter known for his contributions to mid-20th-century French cinema. Born in Bezons, he pursued his education at the Lycée Charlemagne in Paris. During World War II, Delbez joined the French Resistance, participating in student protests against the German occupation. After the war, he attended the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC). Delbez began his career as an assistant director, collaborating with filmmakers such as Maurice Cloche, Jean Grémillon, and Robert Bresson. He made his directorial debut with La Roue (1957) and gained recognition with À pied, à cheval et en voiture (1957), a box office success. His notable work, Rue des Cascades (1964), addressed themes of racism and interracial relationships. Delbez also directed television documentaries, including "La Mémoire aux images," broadcast on France 3. His autobiography, Ma vie racontée à mon chien cinéphile, was published in 2001.

Known For

First Taste of Love
8.0

Lucien, a modest engineering student, discovers that his steady girl friend Mireille is using him to cover up her dates with Mario, an older man. Lucien wanders about the streets of Paris and meets Joëlle, a sophisticated teenager who supports herself with a job in a sleazy nightclub. It is late when they meet, and Joëlle invites Lucien into the club and demonstrates her stripping act to her one-man audience. A feeling of rapport develops as they go from place to place seeking entertainment; in the morning the two discover they have fallen in love. Mireille learns of the romance and, on a bet, plots with Philippe and other friends to break up the affair. Neither Lucien nor Joëlle, however, succumbs to the propositions of Mireille and Philippe. Later at a nightclub, Mario gives the appearance of seducing Joëlle. Enraged, Lucien rushes at him and they fight. Lucien is reunited with Joëlle--he has learned of the complexities of love, and she has acquired from him a sense of stability.

First Taste of Love

1961Movie