Jean-Paul Rappeneau Dies: ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ Director Was 94
He was not on the list.
French director and screenwriter Jean-Paul Rappeneau, who was best known internationally for the 1990 Oscar-nominated drama Cyrano de Bergerac, died on September 2 his family has announced. He was 94.
Born on April 8, 1932 in the town of Auxerre in central France, Rappeneau’s career spanned more than 50 years of French cinema history.
His early screenwriting credits include Louis Malle’s Zazie
in the Metro ((1960)and A Very Private Affair (1962) as well as Philippe de
Broca’s classic thriller That Man From Rio starring Jean-Paul Belmondo.
He broke into feature film directing in 1966 with A Matter of Resistance, a romantic comedy set on the eve of France’s World War Two liberation starring Catherine Deneuve.
The pair would work together again on his 1975 film Le Sauvage, co-starring Yves Montand as a man living a solitary on a Caribbean island who becomes entangled with a runaway bride.
Other directorial credits include All Fired Up (1982) and Horseman on the Roof (1995). He is best known internationally, however, for his big screen adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 stage play Cyrano de Bergerac starring Gerard Depardieu in the titular role.
After world premiering in 1990 in Cannes, where Depardieu won Best Actor, the film enjoyed a buzzy awards season garnering five nominations in the lead up to the 63rd Academy Awards, including for Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film. It missed out on both prizes, but won Best Costume Design for Franca Squarciapino.
Rappeneau’s last feature-length directorial credit was the
comedy drama Families starring
Mathieu Amalric as a Shanghai-based French financier who
returns home to find the family mansion is being sold off.
Writer
Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume de Tonquédec, André Dussollier,
Nicole Garcia, Gilles Lellouche, Karin Viard, Gemma Chan, and Marine Vacth in
Families (2015)
Families
5.7
scenariooriginal idea
2015
Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu, Peter Coyote, Virginie
Ledoyen, Yvan Attal, and Grégori Derangère in Bon Voyage (2003)
Bon Voyage
6.7
scenarioadaptation
2003
Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez in The Horseman on the
Roof (1995)
The Horseman on the Roof
7.0
written by
1995
Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)
Cyrano de Bergerac
7.5
written by
1990
Isabelle Adjani and Yves Montand in All Fired Up (1982)
All Fired Up
6.1
scenario and dialogue
1982
Catherine Deneuve and Yves Montand in Le sauvage (1975)
Le sauvage
6.5
scenario
1975
Jacqueline Bisset and Jean-Paul Belmondo in Le Magnifique
(1973)
Le Magnifique
7.1
writer
1973
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Marlène Jobert in The Swashbuckler
(1971)
The Swashbuckler
6.5
scenarioadaptation
1971
A Matter of Resistance (1966)
A Matter of Resistance
6.8
written by
1966
Les survivants (1965)
Les survivants
TV Series
dialogue
1965
Anthony Quinn, Orson Welles, Omar Sharif, Horst Buchholz,
Grégoire Aslan, Robert Hossein, Noël Howard, Elsa Martinelli, and Akim Tamiroff
in Marco the Magnificent (1965)
Marco the Magnificent
5.3
screenplay (as J.P. Rappeneau)
1965
That Man from Rio (1964)
That Man from Rio
7.0
screenplayadaptation
1964
Le combat dans l'île (1962)
Le combat dans l'île
6.5
dialogue
1962
A Very Private Affair (1962)
A Very Private Affair
5.6
screenplay
1962
Saint-Tropez Blues (1961)
Saint-Tropez Blues
5.6
adaptation (uncredited)
1961
Catherine Demongeot in Zazie in the Metro (1960)
Zazie in the Metro
6.9
Writer
1960
Robert Lamoureux and Alida Valli in Signé: Arsène Lupin
(1959)
Signé: Arsène Lupin
6.3
writer
1959
Director
Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume de Tonquédec, André Dussollier,
Nicole Garcia, Gilles Lellouche, Karin Viard, Gemma Chan, and Marine Vacth in
Families (2015)
Families
5.7
Director
2015
Henri Langlois vu par... (2014)
Henri Langlois vu par...
3.5
Short
Director
2014
Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu, Peter Coyote, Virginie
Ledoyen, Yvan Attal, and Grégori Derangère in Bon Voyage (2003)
Bon Voyage
6.7
Director
2003
Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez in The Horseman on the
Roof (1995)
The Horseman on the Roof
7.0
Director
1995
Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)
Cyrano de Bergerac
7.5
Director
1990
Isabelle Adjani and Yves Montand in All Fired Up (1982)
All Fired Up
6.1
Director
1982
Catherine Deneuve and Yves Montand in Le sauvage (1975)
Le sauvage
6.5
Director
1975
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Marlène Jobert in The Swashbuckler
(1971)
The Swashbuckler
6.5
Director
1971
A Matter of Resistance (1966)
A Matter of Resistance
6.8
Director
1966
Chronique provinciale
Short
Director
1958
Second Unit or Assistant Director
Appelez le 17
Short
assistant directorfirst assistant director
1957
Les suspects (1957)
Les suspects
5.5
second assistant director
1957
Les biens de ce monde
Short
assistant director
1956
Fruits of Summer (1955)
Fruits of Summer
5.3
second assistant director
1955
Thanks
The Edge of the Blade (2023)
The Edge of the Blade
6.6
the director wishes to thank
2023
Small Country: An African Childhood (2020)
Small Country: An African Childhood
6.6
thanks
2020
Romain Duris and Marine Vacth in The Confession (2016)
The Confession
6.5
thanks
2016
Death in This Garden: Jean-Paul Rappeneau on 'The Horseman
on the Roof'
Video
special thanks
2006
Carol Kane in The Games of Countess Dolingen (1981)
The Games of Countess Dolingen
6.0
thanks
1981
Self
Il était une fois Michel Legrand (2024)
Il était une fois Michel Legrand
7.4
Self
2024
Filmer la résistance: de La bataille du rail à Papy fait de
la résistance (2024)
Filmer la résistance: de La bataille du rail à Papy fait de
la résistance
TV Movie
Self
2024
Philippe de broca ou l'art de la mélancolie (2022)
Philippe de broca ou l'art de la mélancolie
TV Movie
Self
2022
Frédéric Beigbeder in Le Cercle (2006)
Le Cercle
5.2
TV Series
Self
2018
1 episode
L'invité (2000)
L'invité
3.7
TV Series
Self
2018
1 episode
Cyrano de Bergerac- Interview mit Jean-Paul Rappeneau (2018)
Cyrano de Bergerac- Interview mit Jean-Paul Rappeneau
TV Special
Self
2018
Patrick Dewaere, drôle d'histoire (2018)
Patrick Dewaere, drôle d'histoire
TV Movie
Self
2018
In the Tracks Of (2007)
In the Tracks Of
6.6
TV Series
Self
2007–2017
2 episodes
Un jour, un destin (2007)
Un jour, un destin
6.8
TV Series
Self
2009–2017
3 episodes
Dustin Hoffman, Mark Wahlberg, and Denzel Washington in Días
de cine (1991)
Días de cine
6.8
TV Series
Self - Interviewee
2016
1 episode
Grands reportages (1989)
Grands reportages
5.3
TV Series
Self
2016
1 episode
Antoine de Caunes in Le grand journal de Canal+ (2004)
Le grand journal de Canal+
5.9
TV Series
Self
2015
1 episode
Henri Langlois vu par... (2014)
Henri Langlois vu par...
3.5
Short
Self
2014
Tout est une question de rythme
Video
Self
2014
Le Magnifique: Comment détruire la réputation du plus
célèbre agent secret?
Video
Self
2013
Frères de cinéma: la collaboration Jean-Paul Rappeneau -
Philippe de Broca
Short
Self
2013
L'Homme de Hong-Kong
Video
Self
2013
Les Aventures d'Adrien: L'Affaire Catalan
6.8
Video
Self
2013
Il était une fois... (2003)
Il était une fois...
7.2
TV Mini Series
Self
2011
1 episode
A City Runs Through the Festival (2007)
A City Runs Through the Festival
6.9
Self
2007
Mémoires du cinéma francais, de la libération à nos jours
(2006)
Mémoires du cinéma francais, de la libération à nos jours
TV Series
Self
2006
2 episodes
Death in This Garden: Jean-Paul Rappeneau on 'The Horseman
on the Roof'
Video
Self
2006
Le cinéma de Jean Giono
Video
Self
2004
Fanny Ardant in La nuit des César (1976)
La nuit des César
5.5
TV Series
Self - WinnerSelf - Nominee
1991–2004
3 episodes
Claude Sautet ou La magie invisible (2003)
Claude Sautet ou La magie invisible
7.5
Self
2003
Absolument cinéma
TV Series
Self
2000
1 episode
100 films par 100 personnalités (1998)
100 films par 100 personnalités
TV Series
Self
1999
1 episode
Bernard Pivot in Bouillon de culture (1991)
Bouillon de culture
6.6
TV Series
Self
1995
1 episode
Le cercle de minuit (1992)
Le cercle de minuit
5.4
TV Series
Self
1993
1 episode
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina in Pierrot le fou (1965)
Cannes Film Festival
6.7
TV Series
Self - Jury Member
1991
1 episode
De película (1982)
De película
8.2
TV Series
Self - Interviewee (as Jean Paul Rappeneau)
1990
1 episode
Cinéma cinémas (1982)
Cinéma cinémas
6.8
TV Series
Self
1990
1 episode
François Truffaut, Claude Chabrol, Michel Audiard, Jean
Carmet, Patrick Dewaere, Annie Girardot, Yves Montand, Marie-France Pisier,
Claude Sautet, and Simone Signoret in Spécial cinéma (1974)
Spécial cinéma
3.7
TV Series
Self
1982
1 episode
Ciné regards (1978)
Ciné regards
6.7
TV Series
Self
1981
1 episode
Allons au cinéma (1975)
Allons au cinéma
TV Series
Self
1975
1 episode
Apropos Film (1967)
Apropos Film
5.5
TV Series
Self
1975
1 episode
Pour le cinéma
TV Series
Self
1975
1 episode
Archive Footage
Pierre Lescure in Beau geste (2023)
Beau geste
4.3
TV Series
Self (archive footage)
2023
1 episode
Catherine Deneuve, à son image (2023)
Catherine Deneuve, à son image
6.6
TV Movie
Self (archive footage)
2023
Deneuve, la reine Catherine (2022)
Deneuve, la reine Catherine
7.4
TV Movie
Self (archive footage)
2022
Isabelle Adjani, 2 ou 3 choses qu'on ne sait pas d'elle...
7.5
TV Movie
Self (archive footage)
2013
Court-circuit (2001)
Court-circuit
5.9
TV Series
Self (archive footage)
2010
1 episode
