In France, Maurice Chevalier is remembered as a giant of French chanson. What is often forgotten is that “the little guy from Ménilmontant” was also a pioneer of talking pictures. In 1928, invited by Paramount, he left for Hollywood, where he quickly became one of the most popular stars of the era. Over seven years, he appeared in around fifteen films, including five directed by his mentor, Ernst Lubitsch.

In the late 1950s, his collaborations with Billy Wilder (Love in the Afternoon) and Vincente Minnelli reopened the doors of Hollywood for a second American career. With his charming French accent, he came to embody, in the American imagination, the quintessential Frenchman: charming, seductive, easygoing, and slightly nonchalant.

This documentary dives into the golden age of Hollywood cinema, enriched with film excerpts that haven’t been seen in years.

Featuring contributions from Jeanine Basinger, Edward Baron Turk, Miles Kreuger, Olivier Barrot, Jacques Pessis, and Bernard Lonjon.