In
Les Tontons flingueurs
the editing of the film, without ever a downtime, contributed to his impeccable genius.
These scissor cuts, this magical “cut” as the Anglo-Saxons say, are due to the talent of Georges Lautner, of course, but also of his favorite editor, the gifted Michelle David.
On March 1, Sotheby's organized the sale of his memorabilia and other cult artefacts from his cinematographic work.
This little treasure was presented by an expert in
Tontons flingueurs
, Michael Devaux, professor at the University of Caen and writer of a “thesis” entitled:
The Tontons flingueurs and the discourse on the method.
To read alsoThe Tontons flingueurs, subject of study at the Sorbonne, from the bourre-pif to Descartes
Michelle David (1920-2007) worked with the crème de la crème of filmmakers of her time: Pierre Schoendoerffer, Yves Boisset, Michel Audiard, but it was obviously with Georges Lautner that she most often shared her talents.
The buyers were not mistaken.
By jumping on lots 69 to 75 dedicated to
Tontons
de Lautner, this sale has once again demonstrated the immortality of this thriller with a humor as “brutal” as it is irresistible.
The distinguished philosopher and “tontonophile”, Michael Devaux, is not surprised by this craze:
“You realize: 37 auctions for these famous souvenirs!
It must be said that there were the unique goldsmith work sheets of Michelle David.
Everything that allowed him to achieve this famous final cut of the
Tontons
.
But I must say that his collaboration on Les Monocles and Les Barbouzes also raised the stakes.
13,000 euros while the estimate was around 2,500 euros, it's still a great result.
Les Tontons flingueurs
by Georges Lautner in 1963, dialogue by Michel Audiard, editing by Michelle David, music by Michel Magne, with Lino Ventura, Bernard Blier, Francis Blanche, Sabine Sinjen...
Lautner's Fetish Editor
Michelle David will have shared the destiny of filmmaker Georges Lautner in no less than thirty-six films.
This cinematographic vocation was certainly born by observing his mother, herself a technician in the studios of Épinay-sur-Seine.
In 1942, she made her debut as an editor in
Le Voile bleu
directed by Jean Stelli with Gaby Morlay, Elvire Popesco and Pierre Larquey.
This film is one of the great cinematographic successes of the time.
From 1946 to 1948, she worked tirelessly as an editor and then chief editor.
In forty-six years of career, she will sign the cutting of about fifty listed films.
His long and brilliant collaboration with Georges Lautner began in 1958 with
La Môme aux Buttons
and ended in 1987 with
La Maison Assassinée
.
This talented woman, member of the Académie des César, has always shunned honors.
The success of this posthumous auction just demonstrated that his work as a filmmaker has not been forgotten.
Le Monocle rit jaune
by Georges Lautner in 1964, edited by Michelle David, with Paul Meurisse, Robert Dalban...