Jean-Pierre Aumont: A Shadow in His Smile
I’ve been spending time starting a new practice of tutoring a wonderful Dutch actor in standard American dialects. A standard dialect in the United States is basically represented as Midwestern.While at B.U., part of my undergraduate training was studying dialects under the exceptional supervision of my speech teacher, Daisette McKelvie. Recognizing that I had an excellent ear, I eventually assisted her in drilling students in various dialects by implementing my own technique of listen and repeat.
Maurice, the talented young man I referred to, is a highly disciplined graduate of a prestigious European Arts Institute. He’s been invited into some important auditions recently and is intently dedicated to getting our foreign phrasing and pronunciation under his belt. And, for me, his progress has been rewarding to witness. He realizes that once muscle memory is in place, freedom is soon to follow—and with that, risk taking and play will lead you in a merry dance of discovery.
It amazes me how some international actors are able to show such spirit and confidence when working in a foreign tongue. Learning a text phonetically so often leads to a too cerebral end result. But, on the other hand, there are those talented few who fly with what they’ve learned phonetically, and confidently open a door allowing spirit to play a significant part in our comprehension. We understand that THEY understand what they’re bringing across and somehow communication is established—an often heightened form of communication.
Case in point—Jean-Pierre Aumont. I know little of his background. My first familiarity with his work came with my purchasing the Original Broadway Cast Recording of TOVARICH, a musical that won Vivian Leigh her Best Actress Tony Award. I bought the LP for love of Vivien. But, I walked away after my first listening utterly charmed by Jean Pierre. Everything he sang on that LP seemed to be filtered through a smile. I couldn’t imagine a more charismatic and engaging leading man for Ms. Leigh to have played opposite.
Recently, I watched a film called ASSIGNMENT IN BRITTANY. I believe that I’m correct in thinking that this was Jean Pierre’s first English speaking picture after his being offered a contract at MGM. Apparently, the film in many ways mirrored his own experiences as a Free French Resistance Fighter at the onset of the Occupation there. The film isn’t very good. There’s something of the swashbuckler in the studio’s odd choice to propagandize the film. Self conscious and predictable in its style, it attempts to do what Warner Brothers so often succeeded in doing during this same period. Unfortunately, the MGM sentiment overwhelms this particular enterprise turning it into patriotic dribble. But, Mr. Aumont is fascinating to watch. He may be a bit difficult to understand, but his actions are completely comprehensible based on his physical verve, his dedication and, most significantly, his spirit. He made only one other film for MGM, THE THE CROSS OF LORRAINE, before re-joining the Free France Movement and utilizing his soulfully
fired talents to serve the greatest good. Fortunately for us, he returned to films all wide-eyed and charming.
But there’s always, at least as met by my eye, an underlying sense of his having been witness to the extremes of human experience. Maybe that’s what draws me so closely to him. The sadness I sense behind that wistful smile.
