GUISSART, RENÉ

(1888-1960)

Cinematographer and director. René Guissart was born in Paris but began his career in film in the United States. Guissart started out in cinema as a cinematographer during the silent-film era, working with companies such as Fox, Paramount, MGM, and Pathé's American division. While in the United States, Guissart worked with a number of silent-film directors. He was the cinematographer for director James Vincent on films such asSins of Men(1916),Ambition(1916),Love and Hate(1916), andSister against Sister(1917). He worked with Harley Knoles onStolen Orders(1918),The Cabaret(1918),Little Women(1918), andLand of Hope and Glory(1927).He also worked on other well-known silent films, such as Fred Niblo'sBen Hur(1925). Guissart also worked with both Maurice Tourneur andLéonce Perreton their American films. He worked with Tourneur on films such asWomen(1918),Treasure Island(1920), andWhile Paris Sleeps(1923), and with Perret onEmpire of Diamonds(1920),The Money Maniac(1921), andMadame Sans-Gêne(1924).

In the late 1920s, Guissart returned to Europe. He worked as a cinematographer in Great Britain, Germany, and France. He worked most notably withLouis MercantononChérie(1930), Charles de Rochefort onLe Secret du docteur(1930), and Alberto Cavalcanti onDans une île perdue(1930).

At about the same time, Guissart also began directing films himself. He made a number of films during the 1930s, includingRien que la vérité(1931),Tu seras duchesse(1931),Coiffeur pour dames(1932),La Poule(1932),Ah!Quelle gare! (1932),Le Père prématuré(1933),Primerose(1934),Dédé(1934),Prince de minuit(1934),Bourrachon(1935),Parlez-moi d'amour(1935),Ménilmontant(1936), andVisages de femmes(1938). He also codirected a number of films with various other directors, most notablyPassionnément(1932), codirected with Mercanton,On a volé un homme(1933), codirected withMax Ophiils, andLa Chance(1931) andSept homes. . .une femme(1936), andA nous deux,madame,la vie(1936), all codirected withYves Mirande.

For the most part, although there were some exceptions, Guissart's films were largely light, romantic, or sentimental comedies.Coiffeur pour dames(1932),Primerose(1934), and the films he codirected with Mirande are typically considered his best films. Guissart gave up the cinema after the 1930s.