A Prince Charming of French Cinema

On November 25, 1959, Gérard Philipe, a national star and the very hope of France, passed away at the tragically young age of 36, just nine days shy of his 37th birthday.



Evidence of this lies in the string of acclaimed films he made with the era's leading directors. He portrayed tragic heroes in 'The Devil in the Flesh,' 'The Red and the Black,' and 'Lust for Life'; romantic comedy leads in 'The Proud and the Beautiful'; seductive Don Juans in 'The Proud and the Beautiful'; and swashbuckling heroes in 'The Charterhouse of Parma' and 'The Sword of Damocles,' showcasing his versatility in each role. Philipe visited Japan in 1953 as a guest of the first French Film Festival, and photographs of top Japanese actresses mobbing him at Haneda Airport at the time attest to his incredible popularity.

An Actor of Rare Talent as Julien Sorel: Immerse Yourself in the Complete 192-Minute Version, Including Unseen Scenes

This year marks 50 years since his passing at the age of 36. His iconic film adaptation of Stendhal's novel, the literary epic 'The Red and the Black,' is being re-released in a digitally remastered version starting Saturday, November 28th, at Ginza Theatre Cinema in Tokyo, as part of a special 50th-anniversary retrospective.

This is a signature work of Gérard Philipe, who became synonymous with the role of Julien Sorel, the eternal hero created by Stendhal – a man who used love itself to navigate the era in pursuit of ambition and advancement. Produced in 1954, this epic three-hour film brought together the finest French cast and crew of the time. This newly completed 'The Red and the Black: Digital Remaster' will have its world premiere in Japan, and remarkably, it will be screened in its complete 192-minute form, including seven minutes of previously unseen footage.

This unique, grand-scale color epic, created in the year French cinema first embraced color, is now available in a digitally remastered version. We invite you to experience it on the big screen. For those captivated by Gérard Philipe, we also present a special program featuring seven of his other masterpieces, screened during morning shows. Please savor the charm of Gérard Philipe, an actor of unparalleled talent whose allure remains undimmed by time.