Richard Thorpe

Thursday, JULY 12, 2018

After announcing Jane Fonda as the Lumière Award recipient and The Lord of the Rings trilogy all-nighter at the Halle Tony Garnier, Lumière unveils a third element of the festival program: a tribute to American filmmaker Richard Thorpe (1896- 1991), the director Ivanhoe, The Prisoner of Zenda and the Tarzan movies starring Johnny Weissmuller. The retrospective will not be complete, however; in all, Thorpe completed no less than 183 films!

Between 1923 and 1967, Richard Thorpe tried his hand at all genres, directing the likes of Elisabeth Taylor, James Mason, Joan Fontaine and Robert Taylor... Fast and efficient (often considering the first take the right one), respectful of schedules and budgets, Richard Thorpe was a heavyweight at MGM in its heyday. Although he was an essential cog of the studio system, it would be wrong to reduce his role to solely that of a "good craftsman." By casting ambiguous and unsettling heroes in Manichean themes of the era’s productions, he quickly moved away from the norms of the day by never failing to add his personal touch.

Patrick Brion, film historian, creator and host of the television series Midnight Cinema (France 3), who has always defended the cinema of Richard Thorpe, will come to Lyon to present the retrospective at the Lumière festival. "I tremendously admire Richard Thorpe. Like most directors with a huge career - John Ford, Michael Curtiz or Allan Dwan - there are admirable movies and minor ones. He certainly loved filming. He débuted during the era of silent films, notably shooting westerns and serials. He would become one of the pillars of MGM from the 1930s until his death. In short, a studio man! And although he may not be an auteur like Ford or Hitchcock, Richard Thorpe is a true director."

With the support of   

Hollywood Moments: Richard Thorpe 

Seven films by Richard Thorpe will be screened at the Lumière festival.
Seven times in 35mm, seven times in rare 35mm prints.

Night Must Fall by Richard Thorpe (1937, 1h57)
Institut Lumière Sat.13 5:45pm | Lumière Terreaux Sun.14 9:45pm | Pathé Bellecour Thu.18 10:45am

Above Suspicion by Richard Thorpe (1943, 1h30)
Institut Lumière Tue.16 5pm | Cinéma Opéra Wed.17 2:15pm | Pathé Bellecour Sat.20 2:30pm

The Thin Man Goes Home  by Richard Thorpe (1945, 1h40)
Cinéma Opéra Tue.16 7:15pm | Villa Lumière Thu.18 4pm

On an Island with You by Richard Thorpe (1948, 1h47)
Villa Lumière Mon.15 2pm | Lumière Bellecour Thu.18 2:30pm

Black Hand by Richard Thorpe (1950, 1h32)
Cinéma Opéra Mon.15 9:45pm  | Comœdia Wed.17 5:30pm | Lumière Terreaux Sat.20 4:15pm

Three Little Words by Richard Thorpe (1950, 1h42)
Pathé Bellecour Wed.17 4:45pm | Villa Lumière Fri.19 7:30pm | Lumière Terreaux Sat.20 1:45pm

The Prisoner of Zenda  by Richard Thorpe (1952, 1h36)
Pathé Bellecour Sun.14 2:45pm | Comœdia Tue.16 2:30pm | Cinéma Opéra Thu.18 5:30pm