He brought together two legends of French cinema, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Micheline Presle, in front of his camera in “A Man and His Dog”.
The actor Francis Huster was this time director of this feature film released in 2008. It was the last of Bébel, who was then 75 years old.
The doyenne of French cinema, who died this Wednesday February 21 at the age of 101, filmed around ten more.
“It went wonderfully,” remembers Francis Huster.
It was very moving to see Micheline and Jean-Paul side by side.
She loved the moment between
the engine
and
the cutoff
so much : as soon as she heard
engine
, time stopped and she was no longer old.
»
“Whether in the theater or the cinema, she was part of the family”
A legend who has become the doyenne of French cinema.
“There were four French actresses in the final four of French cinema: Michèle Morgan, Danielle Darrieux, Simone Signoret and Micheline Presle,” continues Francis Huster.
Micheline was the queen of clubs, the one who questioned herself in each role.
She was always unpredictable.
»
“She was neither a sexy actress nor a vengeful actress, not a diamond with a thousand facets like Michèle Morgan, who lights up everything in her path... Micheline Presle, she was a pearl, remembers the actor.
She was a woman before she was an actress.
Micheline has always been very human.
She had a heart of gold.
In fact, she was the equivalent of Bourvil: she was not an aristocrat, she never acted like a star... Or maybe she was the French star closest to us.
»
Also read “Being 100 years old?
Nothing special”: Micheline Presle rewinds the film of her life among the giants of cinema
“Micheline had the discretion of her immense talent.
Whether in theater or cinema, she was part of the family.
Every time we saw her in a role, we had the impression that we had already met her character because she never put distance between herself and her character.
Besides, we never had the impression that she was wearing makeup, he emphasizes.
We have no right to be sad about Micheline's disappearance because she had such a good life.
I wish the life of Micheline Presle to everyone.
And besides, I don't think she's gone: she's still with us.
»