Hélène
Synopsis
Helene is based on Helene Wilfur, a novel by Vicki (Grand Hotel) Baum. Madeleine Renaud essays the title role, a young medical student in love with aspiring musician Pierre Regnier (Jean-Lous Barrault). Pierre's father, a noted surgeon, puts pressure on his son to give up music in favor of medicine. Unable to withstand his father's remonstrations, Pierre kills himself, prompting the grieving Madeleine to forget all about romance and dedicate her life to the cause of healing others. Wilfur avoids the usual soap-opera goo by offering realistic performances and credible dialogue (the English-language subtitles were composed by erudite film critic Herman G. Weinberg).
Top Cast
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Madeleine Renaud
Hélène Wilfur
Jean-Louis Barrault
Pierre Régnier
Constant Rémy
Professor Amboise
Héléna Manson
Valérie
Odette Joyeux
Françoise
Robert Le Vigan
Doctor Regnier
Georges Bever
The lab boy
Jeanne Helbling
Yvonne Amboise
Blanche Peyrens
The doctor
Greta Buelens
Totoche
Marguerite Daulboys
The widow
René Dary
Marcel
Maurice Baquet
Durant Tout Court
Paul Escoffier
The judge
Armand Lurville
The dean
Tsugundo Maki
The Japanese student
Roger Toziny
The bookstore
Juozas Miltinis
The Russian
Release History & Theatrical Window
Venice Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
January 21, 1938
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Jean Benoît-Lévy
- Screenplay & Story
- Marie Epstein, Vicki Baum, Jean Benoît-Lévy
- Original Score
- Marcel Lattès
- Original Title
- Hélène
- Country of Origin
- France
- Spoken Languages
- French
- Runtime
- 1h 49m
- Production Studios
- Les Films Marquise
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Jean Benoît-Lévy
Marie Epstein, Vicki Baum, Jean Benoît-Lévy
Marcel Lattès
Léonce-Henri Burel, Philippe Agostini
Department Leadership Roster
Jean Benoît-Lévy
Director
Marie Epstein
Writer
Jean Benoît-Lévy
Writer
Léonce-Henri Burel
Director of Photography
Philippe Agostini
Director of Photography
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Hélène.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hélène
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Hélène about?
Helene is based on Helene Wilfur, a novel by Vicki (Grand Hotel) Baum. Madeleine Renaud essays the title role, a young medical student in love with aspiring musician Pierre Regnier (Jean-Lous Barrault). Pierre's father, a noted surgeon, puts pressure on his son to give up music in favor of medicine. Unable to withstand his father's remonstrations, Pierre kills himself, prompting the grieving Madeleine to forget all about romance and dedicate her life to the cause of healing others. Wilfur avoids the usual soap-opera goo by offering realistic performances and credible dialogue (the English-language subtitles were composed by erudite film critic Herman G. Weinberg).
Who directed Hélène?
Hélène was directed by Jean Benoît-Lévy.
Who stars in Hélène?
The principal cast of Hélène includes Madeleine Renaud, Jean-Louis Barrault, Constant Rémy, Héléna Manson, Odette Joyeux.
When was Hélène released and how long is it?
Hélène was released in 1936 with a total runtime of 1h 49m.
Who composed the musical score for Hélène?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Hélène was composed by Marcel Lattès.
Is Hélène based on a book or true story?
Hélène is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Vicki Baum".