Cinéma 1944: Cinquante Ans de Cinéma [WITH 5 ORIGINAL LITHOGRAPHS]

Paris: Oeuvres Sociales du Cinéma, 1944. First edition. Softcover. g- to vg. Octavo (8 1/2 x 7 1/4"). Unpaginated. Original spiral bound illustrated wrappers by Gilberte Vigué. Laid in, the first two pages of a four-page program for the 1944 edition of "La Nuit du Cinéma," a French event whose primary purpose was the raising of funds to help the unemployed of the movie industry. Bound in at rear is a tombola-ticket for the above mentioned event.

This elegant brochure was published to comemorate the fourth year of the "Comité d'Organisation de l'Industrie Cinématographique" (COIC: Committee for the Organization of the Cinema Industry), an organization created by the Nazis in the first months of the occupation. The COIC was to oversee and manage film production in occupied France.

"Cinéma 1944" is profusely illustrated throughout with 22 pages of b/w photographic reproductions, five original lithographs (by Jean Colin, Grau Sala, Touchagues, Ray Bret Koch, Jean Effel), and features a series of delightful b/w and color sketched portraits of some of the most celebrated French actors of the period, such as:

- Raimu; Pierre-Richard Willm; actor and singer Tino Rossi; Claude Genia; actor and director Sacha Guitry; Noel Roquevert; Raymond Rouleau; Michèle Alfa; Jeanne Fusier-Gir; Fernandel; Michel Simon; Charles Vanel; Jean Tissier; Fernand Ledoux; Fernand Gravey; Mila Parely; Suzy Carrier, and Jacques Dumesnil.

The brochure contains also a preface and a photo-illustrated article on the fiftieth anniversary of the French movie industry, as well as advertisement pages for the following movie companies:

- Gaumont, Pathé Cinéma, France-Actualités, Minerva, Tobis, ACE, Consortium du Film, Continental Films, UFA, Continental Films, Francinex, Films Roger Richebé, Regina, Scalera Film, Sirius, Eclair, Les Films Raoul Ploquin and Les Productions Camille Tramichel.

Includes advertisements for the following movies:

- Les Visiteurs du Soir; L'Eternel Retour; Paméla; Le Merle Blanc; Le Ciel est à Vous, La Nuit Fantastique, Les Visiteurs du Soir, Pontcarral, Les Anges du Péché, Goupi Mains Rouges, Le Corbeau, Paméla: l'Enigme du Temple, etc..

Also includes advertisements for the following magazines and newspapers:

- "Sensations," "Actu," "Le Film Complet," "Vedettes," "Ciné-Mondial," "Le Petit Parisien," "Le Miroir des Sports," "Ciné-Miroir," Paris-Soir," and "Le Matin."

The last section contains advertisements for high end Parisian fashion, jewelry, and fragrance companies (Lucien Lelong, Rolex, Paquin, Phebel, Worth, Marin, Jeanne Lanvin, Cherigan, A la Ville du Puy, Kriegck, L. Larsen & Co., Renoir, Chanel, Robel, Armand Gabriel, La Samaritaine de Luxe, Heyraud, etc..), as well as restaurants, cabarets and French mineral water, wines and spirits (Chateau Bagatelle, Bar François Ier, Champagne de Saint-Marceaux, Calvados Blanchard, Perrier, Cognac Rouyer, Kressmann, Chateau Cheval Blanc St. Emilion, Cognac Larsen, St. Emilion Jean-Jacques Galhaud, Chateau d'Yquem, St. Emilion Chateau Ausone, St. Emilion Chateau Belair, and Cognac Camus.

Wrappers partly foxed and age-toned. Fore-edge of front cover partly and slightly water-stained. Text in French. Wrappers in overall good-, interior in good+ to very good condition.