Director Francis Weber. Biography, scripts and films

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Francis Weber is a cult French director who directed the famous "Unlucky", "Toy" and many other film masterpieces. Films of this talented master, filmed in the 70-80s, we still watch. Having fun watching funny comedies, the audience not only laughs, but also think about serious problems, feel sad, empathize with the characters. We invite our readers to get acquainted with a short biography of Francis Weber and remember his magnificent work.

Short biography

So, Francis Weber was born in the small French town of Neuilly-sur-Seine on July 28, 1937. His father, Pierre-Gilles Weber, was an ethnic Jew and a very talented writer. His pen belongs to the very novel "Fanfan-Tulip", on which the famous film of the same name was shot. Francis' mother was an Armenian, her name was Ekaterina Aghajanyan.

In various interviews, Francis Weber called his mother a Russian Armenian and said that she always fed him pies and borscht. Francis was baptized by his mother immediately after birth. Orthodox Armenian Church, which subsequently saved him from the genocide of Jews when the Nazis occupied Paris.

Francis Weber, survived all the horrors of the war, grew up, served in the army, became a screenwriter and film director, made many films that have become popular all over the world. It was he who discovered the comedic talent of Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu, it was he who came up with funny stories for many funny films.

In the late 80s, Weber received an invitation to work in the United States at the W alt Disney Studios and went there with his family: his wife Francoise and two sons. Today he lives in Los Angeles.

Creator of the immortal image Francois Pignon

In 1972, the comedy film "The Tall Blond Man in the Black Shoe" was released, where the role of the eccentric Francois Pignon (Perrin) was brilliantly played by Pierre Richard, the scriptwriter was Francis Weber, and the director was Yves Robert.

Later, Weber admitted to reporters that he copied this image of the kind and funny Perrin from himself. It turns out that Weber has always been very clumsy, which constantly made others laugh. He transferred many traits of his character to the character - Pignon.

In 1976, the film "Toy" was released, which, according to its script, was shot by Weber himself. Well, then there were "The Unlucky", "Runaways", "Daddies", and in all these films the main character was the eccentric Perrin performed by Pierre Richard.

Movies

As a director, Francis Weber worked at 12pictures. In addition to the above films, these were:

• "In danger";
• "Three Runaways";
• "Jaguar";
• "Chameleon";
• "Unlucky" (remake);
• "Nerd";
• "Understudy";
• "Dinner with a jerk".

Movie scripts

In the credits of as many as 40 films, Francis Weber is listed as a screenwriter. Here are the most famous of them:

• "Once upon a time there was a policeman";
• "Gorgeous";
• "Fear over the city";
• "Goodbye Cop";
• "Cage for eccentrics";
• "Jaguar";
• "Understudy";
• "My father is a hero";
• "Chameleon";
• "Tell me I'm interested";
• "Headbutt";
• "Nerd".

The play "Dinner with a jerk"

Many films by Francis Weber ridicule the morals of the powerful - the rich and swaggering. He opposes them, albeit a little stupid and clumsy, but honest, kind and self-sufficient heroes.

This is exactly Francois Pignon - the hero of the script for the film "Dinner with a Jerk", according to which recently in Moscow, in the theater. Chekhov, the play "Dinner with a Fool" was staged, in which Gennady Khazanov and Oleg Basilashvili brilliantly play the main roles.

Simple Pignon receives a dinner invitation from a we althy amateur gentlemanlaugh at others in the company of their friends, the same self-confident mockers.

This is a story once invented by Francis Weber. Dinner with a fool does not turn out the way the owner planned. The simpleton Pignon, as always, is on a horse, and the owner turns into a laughing stock. This performance became a real event for the theatrical Moscow and was highly appreciated by Weber himself.