Jacques Tourneur

1.1. Birth and Early Life

Jacques Tourneur was born on November 12, 1904, in Paris, France. He was the son of Fernande Petit and the esteemed film director Maurice Tourneur. At the age of 10, Jacques moved to the United States with his father, embarking on a formative period that shaped his future in filmmaking.

1.2. Emigration and Early Film Beginnings

While still attending high school in the United States, Tourneur began his career in cinema, working as an extra and later as a script clerk on various silent films. In 1925, both Jacques and his father, Maurice, returned to France after Maurice completed work on the film The Mysterious Island. This period marked his initial immersion into the practical aspects of film production.

1.3. Death

Jacques Tourneur passed away on December 19, 1977, at the age of 73. He died in Bergerac, Dordogne, France, the country of his birth.

2.1. Early Directorial Work in France

Tourneur started his career as an editor and assistant director. He made his directorial debut with the French film Tout ça ne vaut pas l'amour^French in 1931. While in France, particularly after his return in 1928, he frequently served as an assistant director or editor for his father, Maurice Tourneur. His credits during this period include working on Le Navire des hommes perdus (1929), Accusée, Levez vous (1930), Maison de danses (1931), Partir (1931), Au nom de la Loi (1932), Les Gaités de l'escadron (1932, as editor), Les Deux Orphelines (1933, as editor), Lidoire (1933), Obsession (1933, uncredited), Le Voleur (1933), and Rothchild (1934, as editor). He also held an editing credit for Jacques Natanson's La Fusée (1933).

2.2. Hollywood Debut and MGM

In 1934, Tourneur moved to Hollywood, where he secured a contract with MGM Studios. During his time at MGM, he worked as a second unit director on films such as A Tale of Two Cities (1935), for which he notably directed the war sequences, including the storming of the Bastille, and The Winning Ticket (1935). It was during this period that he first met film producer Val Lewton. He directed numerous short films and low-budget B-movies for the studio. His feature directorial debut in Hollywood came in 1939 with the film They All Come Out. Other early features he directed for MGM included Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939), Phantom Raiders (1940), and Doctors Don't Tell (1941).

2.3. RKO Pictures and Horror Films

After his contract with MGM concluded in 1941, Tourneur was recruited by Val Lewton to work on a series of acclaimed low-budget horror films for RKO Studios. His collaboration with Lewton proved highly influential, beginning with Cat People (1942). This film, despite its B-movie classification and limited budget, achieved significant commercial success and was distinguished by a groundbreaking style of lighting and cinematography that has been widely imitated in subsequent horror cinema. Tourneur continued to direct for Lewton, helming the atmospheric and psychologically rich I Walked with a Zombie (1943) and The Leopard Man (1943), further solidifying his reputation for creating suspense through suggestion rather than explicit gore.

2.4. Film Noir and Other Genre Films

Following his successes in the horror genre, Tourneur was promoted to the A-list at RKO. During this phase, he directed films such as Days of Glory (1944), Experiment Perilous (1944), Canyon Passage (1946), the iconic film noir Out of the Past (1947), and Berlin Express (1948). His contract with RKO concluded in 1948. In the 1950s, Tourneur became a freelance director, working across various genres. His films from this period include Easy Living (1949), Stars in My Crown (1950), The Flame and the Arrow (1950), Circle of Danger (1951), Anne of the Indies (1951), Way of a Gaucho (1952), Appointment in Honduras (1953), Stranger on Horseback (1955), Wichita (1955), Great Day in the Morning (1956), Nightfall (1956), and the critically acclaimed horror film Night of the Demon (1957). He also directed The Fearmakers (1958), Timbuktu (1959), Frontier Rangers (1959), and Giant of Marathon (1959). His final two feature films were produced for American International Pictures and starred Vincent Price: The Comedy of Terrors (1963) and War-Gods of the Deep (1965).

2.5. Television Directing

After completing his work in feature films, Tourneur transitioned to directing episodes for various television series. His television directorial credits are extensive and include:

• General Electric Theater (4 episodes: The Martyr (1955), Into the Night (1955), Aftermath (1960), Star Witness: The Lili Parrish Story (1961))
• The Jane Wyman Show (3 episodes: The Liberator (1956), Kristi (1956), The Mirror (1956))
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1 episode: Outlaw's Boots (1957))
• The Walter Winchell File (3 episodes: The Steep Hill (1957), House on Biscayne Bay (1958), The Stopover (1958))
• Cool and Lam (CBS Productions, 1958)
• Northwest Passage (8 episodes: The Gunsmith (1958), The Burning Village (1958), The Bond Women (1958), The Break Out (1959), The Vulture (1959), The Traitor (1959), The Assassin (1959), The Hostage (1959))
• Bonanza (1 episode: Denver McKee (1960))
• The Alaskans (1 episode: The Devil Makers (1960))
• The Barbara Stanwyck Show (11 episodes: The Mink Coat (1960), Ironbark's Bridge (1960), The Miraculous Journey of Tadpole Chan (1960), Frightened Doll (1961), The Choice (1961), Sign of the Zodiac (1961), Adventure on Happiness Street (1961), The Golden Acres (1961), Confession (1961), Dragon by the Tail (1961), Dear Charlie (1961))
• Adventures in Paradise (1 episode: A Bride for the Captain (1962))
• Follow the Sun (1 episode: Sergeant Kolchak Fades Away (1962))
• The Twilight Zone (1 episode: Night Call (1963))
• T.H.E. Cat (1 episode: The Ring of Anasis (1966))

Tourneur's final directing credit was for the T.H.E. Cat episode in 1966, after which he retired from filmmaking and returned to France.

3.1. Feature Films

• Tout ça ne vaut pas l'amour^French (1931, French)
• Toto (1933, French)
• Pour être aimé (1933, French)
• Les Filles de la concierge (1934, French)
• They All Come Out (1939)
• Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939)
• Phantom Raiders (1940)
• Doctors Don't Tell (1941)
• Cat People (1942)
• I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
• The Leopard Man (1943)
• Days of Glory (1944)
• Experiment Perilous (1944)
• Canyon Passage (1946)
• Out of the Past (1947)
• Berlin Express (1948)
• Easy Living (1949)
• Stars In My Crown (1950)
• The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
• Circle of Danger (1951)
• Anne of the Indies (1951)
• Way of a Gaucho (1952)
• Appointment in Honduras (1953)
• Stranger on Horseback (1955)
• Wichita (1955)
• Great Day in the Morning (1956)
• Nightfall (1956)
• Night of the Demon (1957)
• The Fearmakers (1958)
• Timbuktu (1959)
• Frontier Rangers (1959)
• Giant of Marathon (1959)
• The Comedy of Terrors (1963)
• War-Gods of the Deep (1965)

3.2. Short Films

• Tout ça ne vaut pas l'amour^French (1931)
• The Jonker Diamond (1936)
• Harnessed Rhythm (1936)
• Master Will Shakespeare (1936)
• Killer Dog (1936)
• The Grand Bounce (1937)
• The Boss Didn't Say Good Morning (1937)
• The King Without a Crown (1937)
• The Rainbow Pass (1937)
• Romance of Radium (1937)
• The Man in the Barn (1937)
• What Do You Think? (1937)
• What Do You Think? (Number Three) (1938)
• The Ship That Died (1938)
• The Face Behind the Mask (1938)
• What Do You Think?: Tupapaoo (1938)
• Strange Glory (1938)
• Think It Over (1938)
• Yankee Doodle Goes to Town (1939)
• The Incredible Stranger (1942)
• The Magic Alphabet (1942)
• Reward Unlimited (1944)

3.3. Television Episodes

• General Electric Theater
  • The Martyr (1955)
  • Into the Night (1955)
  • Aftermath (1960)
  • Star Witness: The Lili Parrish Story (1961)
• The Jane Wyman Show
  • The Liberator (1956)
  • Kristi (1956)
  • The Mirror (1956)
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
  • Outlaw's Boots (1957)
• The Walter Winchell File
  • The Steep Hill (1957)
  • House on Biscayne Bay (1958)
  • The Stopover (1958)
• Cool and Lam (1958)
• Northwest Passage
  • The Gunsmith (1958)
  • The Burning Village (1958)
  • The Bond Women (1958)
  • The Break Out (1959)
  • The Vulture (1959)
  • The Traitor (1959)
  • The Assassin (1959)
  • The Hostage (1959)
• Bonanza
  • Denver McKee (1960)
• The Alaskans
  • The Devil Makers (1960)
• The Barbara Stanwyck Show
  • The Mink Coat (1960)
  • Ironbark's Bridge (1960)
  • The Miraculous Journey of Tadpole Chan (1960)
  • Frightened Doll (1961)
  • The Choice (1961)
  • Sign of the Zodiac (1961)
  • Adventure on Happiness Street (1961)
  • The Golden Acres (1961)
  • Confession (1961)
  • Dragon by the Tail (1961)
  • Dear Charlie (1961)
• Adventures in Paradise
  • A Bride for the Captain (1962)
• Follow the Sun
  • Sergeant Kolchak Fades Away (1962)
• The Twilight Zone
  • Night Call (1963)
• T.H.E. Cat
  • The Ring of Anasis (1966)

3.4. Assistant Director and Editor

• Le Navire des hommes perdus (Das schiff der verlorenen menschen), directed by Maurice Tourneur (1929)
• Accusée, Levez vous, directed by Maurice Tourneur (1930)
• Maison de danses, directed by Maurice Tourneur (1931)
• Partir, directed by Maurice Tourneur (1931)
• Au nom de la Loi, directed by Maurice Tourneur (1932)
• Les Gaités de l'escadron, directed by Maurice Tourneur (Editor) (1932)
• Les Deux Orphelines, directed by Maurice Tourneur (Editor) (1933)
• Lidoire, directed by Maurice Tourneur (1933)
• Obsession, directed by Maurice Tourneur (uncredited) (1933)
• La Fusée, directed by Jacques Natanson (Editor) (1933)
• Le Voleur, directed by Maurice Tourneur (1933)
• Rothchild, directed by Maurice Tourneur (Editor) (1934)
• A Tale of Two Cities, directed by Jack Conway, war sequences, (séquence de la prise de la Bastille). (1935)

4.1. Artistic Style and Themes

Tourneur is widely regarded as an auteur for his signature artistic style, characterized by its subtle yet potent creation of atmosphere and suspense. Rather than relying on overt violence or explicit horror, Tourneur masterfully utilized lighting, shadow, sound, and suggestion to evoke psychological dread and the unseen. This approach, particularly evident in his RKO horror films, allowed for a "cinema of ambiguity" and "shadows," where the audience's imagination was engaged to fill in the terrifying blanks. Recurring themes in his filmography include the exploration of psychological states, the presence of unseen or ambiguous threats, and the moral complexities faced by his characters, all conveyed through meticulous visual storytelling.

4.2. Influence and Homages

Jacques Tourneur's work has had a significant impact on subsequent generations of filmmakers and has garnered increasing critical appreciation over time. His influence is evident in the tributes and homages paid by other directors. For instance, the 1980 French film La Mort en direct, directed by Bertrand Tavernier, was explicitly dedicated to Tourneur. The renowned film critic Serge Daney famously articulated the enduring quality of Tourneur's work by stating, "There are films that watch us grow old," a sentiment echoed in Alain Mazars' 2015 documentary Jacques Tourneur Le Médium. More recently, the acclaimed Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul paid a direct homage to Tourneur's I Walked with a Zombie in his 2021 film Memoria by naming his protagonist Jessica Holland, the same name as the main character in Tourneur's influential horror film. Film scholar Chris Fujiwara also explored his distinctive approach in the critical work "Jacques Tourneur, The Cinema of Nightfall."