Jacques Tourneur
Jacques Tourneur (
November 12,
1904–
December 19,
1977) was a
French film director.
Born in
Paris, France, he was the son of noted director
Maurice Tourneur. As a young man, Jacques went to live in
New York City and proceeded to
Hollywood with his father. He is famous for directing three atmospheric "horror" movies (in fact, film noir–influenced films of understated terror) with producer
Val Lewton at
RKO Radio Pictures in the
1940s:
Cat People,
I Walked with a Zombie and
The Leopard Man. His
1957 film
Night of the Demon also enjoys a high reputation and is considered one of the best horror/supernatural films in movie history. Tourneur also directed one of the classics of
film noir,
Out of the Past, in
1947.
In 1964 Tourneur directed an episode of
The Twilight Zone, "
Night Call" (Episode 139,
February 7,
1964), which proved to be an excellent showcase for Tourneur's directing style. His television work also included episodes of
Adventures in Paradise ("A Bride for the Captain", 1962),
Bonanza ("Denver McKee", 1962), and
T.H.E. Cat (1966).
He met his wife, actress
Christiane Virideau, while assisting his father on the 1929 German film production
Das Schiff der verlorenen Menschen ("The Ship of Lost Men").
Jacques Tourneur died in 1977 in
Bergerac,
Dordogne, France.
Jacques Tourneur received recognition for his contribution to the film industry in
Chris Fujiwara's 1998 book
Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall.
Cat People (
1942)
I Walked with a Zombie (
1943)
The Leopard Man (1943)
Experiment Perilous (
1944)
Out of the Past (
1947)
Berlin Express (
1948)
Stars in My Crown (
1950)
The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
Stranger on Horseback (
1955)
Wichita (1955)
Great Day in the Morning (
1956)
Nightfall (
1957)
Night of the Demon (1957)
*
The Films of Jacques Tourneur
