From Cine Revue, August 1947- An Interview during the filming of The First Gentleman
In his first British movie
Jean-Pierre Aumont is Prince Leopold de Saxe Cobourg, future king of Belgium
By Dolores Gilbert, correspondent for Cine-Revue
It's at Nettlefold studios, in Walton-on-Thames, that Jean-Pierre Aumont, leaving Paris and Hollywood
behind, is making his first British movie "The First Gentleman", a film version of a play that was the rage in
London last season. These studios are the oldest in Great Britain, perhaps even in the whole world since they
were built in 1897. Ronald Colman made his debut there, as well as Clive Brooks. Of course, they've been
modernized and are currently being equipped with a television system.
Today, the action of "The First Gentleman" is taking place in a beautiful boudoir, in Clarmont House,
residence of the Prince Regent. Everything is in perfect good taste and, in harmony with the refined elegance of
the setting, here comes Jean-Pierre Aumont in person. He's wearing a wine-colored jacket, grey pants, and his
blond hair is combed to the left and curled according to the fashion of the period: all this gives plenty of local
color and director Alberto Cavalcanti is very satisfied. One more minute to go and they'll be ready to work.
I take advantage of this minute to get acquainted with the young actor who knows very well the art of
establishing a perfect cordiality between journalist and "victim". In doing so, Jean-Pierre Aumont soon seems
like an old friend.
-Will you be staying long in England?
-Until the middle of October. We'll be working relentlessly on this movie.
-Is this your first visit here?
-Yes, but I don't feel disoriented at all in your country. I have many friends here, the Oliviers for example. I
was a guest at their country house only a few days ago. Sir Laurence Olivier is an amazing man, Vivien
Leigh, perfection...
-Will you be making other movies in the British studios?
-Not this time around. I've just signed a new contract with United Artists and I'll be making one movie a year
with them. This will allow me to share the rest of my time between Paris and London. Among my current
projects, there's one that has been dear to my heart for a long time, that is to make a movie under the direction
of Jean Cocteau, for whom I have tremendous admiration and whose "La Machine Infernale" I created a few
years ago. It will be a great joy to work with him again.
-Do you sometimes miss Paris?
-Yes... sometimes..., despite the fact that we make up in Hollywood a very Parisian little circle, headed by
Charles Boyer. Charles is godfather to my little girl.
-Don't you have some amusing anecdote to share with the readers of Cine-Revue?
There is a mischievous glint in his eyes.
-When I first got here, I had to get the necessary ration book, and of course that implied waiting in a long line
at the windows of the "Food office". It so happened that one of the employees suddenly recognized me and
coming out from behind her bars, she took me by the arm, made me sit at a small table, and demanded an
autograph not only for herself but also for her friends, for some family members and some of her colleagues as
well. Her eyes were filled with gratitude and she thanked me profusely, then...
-She gave you your ration book right away?
-Oh no! With her most gracious smile, my admirer said: "Thanks a lot, Monsieur Aumont - and now, since
you left your place, you'll have to go back at the end of the line!"
And with that, he bursts out laughing heartily: it was impossible to resist his communicative good humor.
Cavalcanti suddenly appears next to us. They're going to start shooting.
-You know, adds Jean-Pierre Aumont, in "The First Gentleman" I play the role of Prince Leopold de Saxe
Cobourg, the future king of Belgium, the great-grand-father of the present King Leopold. It's a great honor
for me to have the opportunity to play such a role.
The scene I saw being filmed that day was a moving moment in the movie. In the boudoir, Leopold was about to
learn that his wife, Princess Charlotte, had just given birth to a son...
-A son!, says the Prince, overjoyed.
-A son who was stillborn, adds Sir Richard Croft.
Joy vanishes from Leopold's face, to be replaced by sorrow. Overwhelmed with grief, he turns back and goes
out - of the shot.
They redo the scene 6 different times. "The First Gentleman", a production of the American Columbia
Pictures company in Great Britain, also features Cecil Parker, Joan Hopkins, Ronald Squire, Margaretta
Scott, Athene Seyler. The movie will surely be one of the great productions of next season and will be further
proof of the vitality of the Anglo-American agreement.