Hélène (1936)
Helene is based on Helene Wilfur, a novel by Vicki (Grand Hotel) Baum. Madeleine Renaud essays the title role, a young medical student in love with aspiring musician Pierre Regnier (Jean-Lous Barrault). Pierre's father, a noted surgeon, puts pressure on his son to give up music in favor of medicine. Unable to withstand his father's remonstrations, Pierre kills himself, prompting the grieving Madeleine to forget all about romance and dedicate her life to the cause of healing others. Wilfur avoids the usual soap-opera goo by offering realistic performances and credible dialogue (the English-language subtitles were composed by erudite film critic Herman G. Weinberg).
- Released
- 1936-10-17
- Genres
- Drama, Romance
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Status
- Released
- Directed / written by
- Jean Benoît-Lévy
- TMDB rating
- 5.5/10 from 4 votes
Cast
- Madeleine Renaud as Hélène Wilfur
- Jean-Louis Barrault as Pierre Régnier
- Constant Rémy as Professor Amboise
- Héléna Manson as Valérie
- Odette Joyeux as Françoise
- Robert Le Vigan as Doctor Regnier
- Georges Bever as The lab boy
- Jeanne Helbling as Yvonne Amboise
- Blanche Peyrens as The doctor
- Greta Buelens as Totoche
- Marguerite Daulboys as The widow
- René Dary as Marcel