Pierre Brice, the Famous French Film Unknown

Pierre Brice, inconnu du cinema francais – French title

Winnetou darf nicht sterben – German title

Pierre Brice, the Famous French Film Unknown – English title

A 2006 French, German co-production [Ere Production, ARTE France, France 3 Alsace, (Paris),

Movieman Productions (Munich), NDR (Hamburg)]

Arte GEIE, Ere Productions (Berlin)]

Producers: Christian Mozinger, Hans-Jürgen Panitz

Director: Oliver Schwehm

Screenplay: Oliver Schwehm

Photography: Oliver Schwehm [color]

Music: Klimperei

Running time: 52 minutes

Cast: 

Pierre Brice (Pierre Le Bris), Rik Battaglia (Caterino Bertaglia), Marie-José Nat (Marie-Jose Benhalassa), Marie Versini, Damiano Damiani, Mario Adorf, Michael Petzel, Christopher Barker, Vince Froehly (Vincent Froehly), Christiane Krüger

A legend on the other side of the Rhine, Pierre Brice is unknown on this side! In France, his resemblance to Alain Delon may have overshadowed his cinema films. But in Germany, he is more famous than Claudia Schiffer.

Born in Brest in 1929, Pierre-Louis Le Bris made a timid debut in “Ça va barder” by John Berry in 1955, then turns in “Le Miroir à deux faces de Cayatte” and “Les Tricheurs de Carné”, alongside new comers Jean-Paul Belmondo, Laurent Terzieff and Jacques Charrier.

Aware that the competition between the young players will be tough, he sets out to try his luck in Italy and Spain. In 1962, he was spotted by a German producer who wanted to adapt the adventures of Winnetou, imagined by novelist Kark May. Pierre Brice learns his role phonetically and keeps his charming French accent. It gives the Apache Chief an exotic side that seduces the crowds. Henceforth, his portrait and the posters of his films will be placed in the rooms of all German teenagers ...

This tender and funny portrait leaves a lot to Pierre Brice who explains why the character of Winnetou is liked so much by the Germans and how it was difficult for him to play any other roles.

His life is marked by the eleven adapted adventures of the works of Karl May, by the TV series inspired by the hero (including Winnetou the Mescalero, 7x52mn, directed by Marcel Camus for Antenne 2) and the Return of Winnetou released in 1998!

YouTube link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C4taLOkN_4