France's Jean Seberg

In appendage to the wonderful post about the French actress, I would like to talk about almost forgotten at the moment, but a very talented actress, a woman with a very tragic fate, an American, who was able to become a truly "own" for French cinema - Jean Seberg.





Jin was born November 13, 1938 in the city of Marshalltown American Iowa. The actress Swedish (paternal) and German (mother) roots. Gene from a young age to play on the stage of the theater in school plays, and then to the theater productions of the University of Iowa. On the eve of high school graduation in 1956, classmates put it in first place in the survey to assess the prospects of students to achieve success in life. And so it happened.

19-year career began with the role of the Seeberg Joan of Arc in the movie Otto Preminger's "Saint Joan." The film's director chose Jean of the 18 million girls, however, despite widespread publicity, the film was not a success and critics found the play Seberg unconvincing.

Despite the failure of the debut film invites Preminger Gene in his new film - a melodrama "Bonjour Tristesse", a screen version of the acclaimed novel by Francoise Sagan. The film received mixed reviews, Jin much criticized, though they noted her appearance, and more Preminger it never took off.



However, during the filming of "Bonjour Tristesse", which took place on the Riviera, Jean meets a man who has turned her career. No, it's not a cult film director, producer and actor, is a regular lawyer Francois Morea. Jean to marry him and that Francois opened for her to France.

The couple settled in Paris, where the actress was taking French lessons, singing and acting. Her husband also began to take part in the cinema. In 1960 Seeberg appeared in the film "Change" written and sorezhissёrom which was Francois. This film, like "Hello, sadness" was the adaptation of the novel by Francoise Sagan. Shortly after the shooting Jean filed for divorce, accusing Francois cruelty.



Later, Gene says: My first marriage was not happy. I married him because she was impressed by how he ordered wine and left a business card. Ridiculous prichiny.Vot Jin spoke of France:

I do really like. I was incredibly lucky - this experience, the experience came to me at an age when you can still learn. But this does not mean that I will stay in France. I'm in Paris, because I work here. I do not ekspatriantka. I'll go where there is work for me. Life in France has its drawbacks. One of them - the ceremony, the need to comply with the established norms. Everything is built on the fact that you only give yourself wholly to their loved ones. Perhaps it is better than the other extreme - in Hollywood, where people devote themselves to public life so that nothing is left for the family. Yet American is difficult to get used to. I miss the freedom of circulation, the friendliness of Americans on what makes people smile. I miss blue jeans, milk shakes, thick steaks and supermarketov.Odnako leave France, she is no longer able, because the next movie forever changed her destiny.

In 1960, Gene co-starred with French director Jean-Luc Godard, one of the pioneers of the French New Wave, in the drama "Breathless."



This picture became the most famous film with her participation. Her co-star was Jean-Paul Belmondo. Jobs brought the actress a lot of popularity in France and the nomination for BAFTA. Critics have finally recognized that Jean really talented. This film is often called the manifesto of 60th generation. Due to the role of Patricia, that Jean has played in this film, it has become a cult figure in France. And its popularity has grown in the United States. In everyday life, even included the phrase "under the Jean Seberg haircut." Jin has become a symbol for the young Americans who dream to go to Paris and become a Jean Seberg.





In 1961, at the Seeberg he began an affair with the famous writer Romain Gary, who was older than her twenty-four years. They met in 1959 in Los Angeles and were married October 16, 1962. In July 1963, Jean gave birth to a son named Alexander Diego.

In the 60s the actress filmed a lot, both in France and in the United States, becoming a really well-known on both sides of the ocean. Jean played a role, gradually left their mark on her state of mind. So, in 1964, she starred in Russia, "Lilith," a role which she received the "Golden Globe". For the film, Jean watched the behavior of deeply mentally ill people in the hospital. One day when she will be treated, she will shout in desperation to the visitors: "I turned to Lilith!". Because of the role to the role of all the time she turned into someone else, forgetting herself. The nightmares became more frequent, alcohol helped briefly to cope with their own conditions.



At the end of the 60 new fad Seeberg was the policy, with the result that her name was involved in several scandals. So, the actress has supported the National Association of Colored People, advocated for the rights of Indians. In addition, it has provided financial assistance to the activists of "Black Panthers" - a party that fought for the rights of African Americans in the United States. As a result of the FBI, which at that time ruled Edgar Hoover tried to embarrass her by spreading a rumor in the press on the subject that the Seeberg, pregnant with her second child, conceived not by Gary, and by the black leader of the party. Because of nervous shock caused by these rumors and subsequent overdose of sleeping pills at the end of August 1970, the actress went into premature labor, and she gave birth to a girl who died two days later. To curb speculation, she called a press conference and showed photos of her white baby. The girl was buried in a transparent coffin for all to ensure whiteness of her skin. In the same year, followed by her divorce from Gary.



Despite the shock associated with the death of his daughter and break with her husband, she continued to work Seeberg. in 1972. Jean married again - this time for the actor and director Dennis Berry.

However, no work, no new marriage did not help her to forget about what happened - every year on the day smetri daughter Jean attempted suicide. In 1978, she miraculously survived after being thrown under the train of the Paris subway.

In the mid-70s her career gradually began to droop. The actress began to appear less frequently - in 1973 and 1974 came out just one film with her participation, and drama "The Wild Duck", filmed in 1976 in Germany, it was the last picture.

In the late '70s Seeberg started dating 29-year-old Algerian playboy Ahmed Hasni and 31 May 1979 to marry him, however, as her divorce from Berry has not been formalized, with Hasni marriage could not be considered legitimate. At the end of August 1979 Seberg was gone, and the police announced it wanted. Eleven days later, her body wrapped in a blanket found in the back seat of white "Renault", standing on the outskirts of Paris in the street of General Appert. In the blood, the actress found a high content of alcohol and sleeping pills as well as in her hand she had squeezed a suicide note with the words "I'm sorry, I can no longer live with their nerves", it was concluded that Jean Seberg committed suicide. The actress was only forty years. It rests in the cemetery of Montparnasse in France.

There were rumors of involvement in the death of actress FBI. For example, it remains unclear how she was able to drive the car in this condition, as well as without lenses, which have to use while driving. However, the facts in support of the role of the FBI in the death of the actress was not.





A year after the death of Jean Seberg Romain Gary committed suicide. Suicide note was as follows: Day D. No association with Jean Seberg. Fans of broken hearts, please do not worry. Of course, one can attribute it to depression. But then we must admit that I am in it all my life, and that she allowed me to take place as a writer & lt; ... & gt ;. I finally reached the limit samovyrazheniya.

1983 at the Royal National Theatre in London staged a musical titled "Jean Seberg».

In 1991, Jodie Foster acquired the film rights to the biography of Jean Seberg. Foster intended to produce the project and to play a major role. Two years later, the project was canceled.

In 2004, French writer Alain Abse Romanized published biography of Jean S. Seeberg Son Alexander Diego Gary, he sued the writer, trying unsuccessfully to prevent publication.

You can write about a lot of Jin and her tragic fate can not leave indifferent. Surely follow more than one screen version of her life, but it seems to me, is much better to remember Jean Seberg in her own movie ...