Jean Genet
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| '''Jean Genet''' ([[December 19]], [[1910]] – [[April 15]], [[1986]]), was a [[prominent]], sometimes [[infamous]], [[France|French]] writer and later [[political activism|political activist]]. Early in his life he was a [[vagabond]] and [[petty]] [[criminal]]; later in life, Genet wrote novels, plays, poems, and essays, including ''[[Querelle de Brest]]'', ''[[The Thief's Journal]]'', ''[[Our Lady of the Flowers]]'', ''[[The Balcony]]'', ''[[The Blacks (play)|The Blacks]]'' and ''[[The Maids]]''. | '''Jean Genet''' ([[December 19]], [[1910]] – [[April 15]], [[1986]]), was a [[prominent]], sometimes [[infamous]], [[France|French]] writer and later [[political activism|political activist]]. Early in his life he was a [[vagabond]] and [[petty]] [[criminal]]; later in life, Genet wrote novels, plays, poems, and essays, including ''[[Querelle de Brest]]'', ''[[The Thief's Journal]]'', ''[[Our Lady of the Flowers]]'', ''[[The Balcony]]'', ''[[The Blacks (play)|The Blacks]]'' and ''[[The Maids]]''. | ||
| - | '''''Un Chant d'Amour''''' ([[English language|English]]: ''A Song of Love'') is [[France|French]] writer [[Jean Genet]]'s only film, which he directed in [[1950 in film|1950]]. Because of its explicit (though artistically presented) [[homosexual]] content, the 26-minute movie was long banned and was also disowned by Genet later in his life. | ||
| - | The plot is set in a French prison, where a prison guard takes [[voyeurism|voyeuristic]] pleasure in observing the prisoners perform masturbatory sexual acts. In two adjacent cells, there are an older [[Algerian]]-looking man and a handsome convict in his twenties. The older man is in love with the younger one, rubbing himself against the wall and sharing his cigarette smoke with his beloved through a straw. | + | ===Film=== |
| + | In [[1950]], Genet directed [[Un Chant d'Amour]], a 26-minute black-and-white film depicting the [[fantasy (psychology)|fantasies]] of a gay male prisoner and his prison warden. | ||
| - | The prison guard, apparently jealous of the prisoner's relationship, enters the older convict's cell, beats him, and makes him suck on his gun in an unmistakably sexual fashion. However, the inmate drifts off into a fantasy where he and his object of desire roam the countryside. In the final scene, it becomes clear that the guard's power is no match for the intensity of attraction between the prisoners, even though their relationship is not consummated. | + | Genet's work has also been adapted for film and produced by other filmmakers. In 1982, [[Rainer Werner Fassbinder]] released ''[[Querelle]]'', his final film which is based on ''[[Querelle de Brest]]''. It starred [[Brad Davis (actor)|Brad Davis]], [[Jeanne Moreau]] and [[Franco Nero]]. Genet never saw this film because he would not have been allowed to smoke in a movie theatre. [[Todd Haynes]]' [[homoerotic]] movie ''[[Poison (film)|Poison]]'' was also based on the writings of Genet. |
| - | Genet does not use sound in his film, forcing the viewer to completely focus on closeups of faces, armpits, and semi-erect penises. Originally produced as a pornographic movie of sorts, the film's highly sexualized atmosphere has been recognized as a formative factor for works such as the films of [[Andy Warhol]]. | + | Several of Genet's plays were adapted into films. ''[[The Balcony]]'' (1963), directed by [[Joseph Strick]], starred [[Shelley Winters]], [[Peter Falk]], [[Lee Grant]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]]. |
| - | **Cast: | + | |
| - | *Java | + | [[Tony Richardson]] directed a film, ''[[Mademoiselle (film)|Mademoiselle]]'', which was based on a short story by Genet. It starred [[Jeanne Moreau]] with the screenplay written by [[Marguerite Duras]]. |
| - | *André Reybaz | + | |
| - | *Coco Le Martiniquais ... Second dancing prisoner (uncredited) | + | His play, ''[[The Maids]]'' was made into a film starring [[Glenda Jackson]], [[Susannah York]] and [[Vivien Merchant]]. |
| - | *Lucien Sénémaud ... (uncredited) | + | |
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Jean Genet (December 19, 1910 – April 15, 1986), was a prominent, sometimes infamous, French writer and later political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond and petty criminal; later in life, Genet wrote novels, plays, poems, and essays, including Querelle de Brest, The Thief's Journal, Our Lady of the Flowers, The Balcony, The Blacks and The Maids.
Film
In 1950, Genet directed Un Chant d'Amour, a 26-minute black-and-white film depicting the fantasies of a gay male prisoner and his prison warden.
Genet's work has also been adapted for film and produced by other filmmakers. In 1982, Rainer Werner Fassbinder released Querelle, his final film which is based on Querelle de Brest. It starred Brad Davis, Jeanne Moreau and Franco Nero. Genet never saw this film because he would not have been allowed to smoke in a movie theatre. Todd Haynes' homoerotic movie Poison was also based on the writings of Genet.
Several of Genet's plays were adapted into films. The Balcony (1963), directed by Joseph Strick, starred Shelley Winters, Peter Falk, Lee Grant and Leonard Nimoy.
Tony Richardson directed a film, Mademoiselle, which was based on a short story by Genet. It starred Jeanne Moreau with the screenplay written by Marguerite Duras.
His play, The Maids was made into a film starring Glenda Jackson, Susannah York and Vivien Merchant.
