MovieChat Forums > Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie (1972) Discussion > Speaks no French?!

Speaks no French?!

posted 17 years ago by sigggyfreud
8 replies | jump to latest

The trivia section for "The French Connection-1971" stated director
Friedkin almost fired Rey because he did not speak French. Obviously he
spoke fluent French in this picture a year later--What a fast
learner!!!

[–] Apollinaire 17 years ago

Something tells me his voice was dubbed, but I can´t know for sure.

Good evening, I am the Devil. But you can call me Toby, if you like.

[–] nosferatix 15 years ago

No, in the original French version Rey speaks with his own voice in a rather good French. He was fluent in French, so there must be some misunderstanding on this issue.

[–] Kinomachtfrei 15 years ago

The confusion arises from the fact that Fernando Rey spoke French, but not well. Sometimes he mouthed the words in Spanish, sometimes in French. His parts were then dubbed by a French actor speaking with a strong Spanish accent. The result is that the synching is usually good, but with occasional lapses.

[–] offramp_tavanipupu 12 years ago

I know that Mr Rey is a very fine actor, but was it worth Bunuel struggling through four or five French language films with him instead of using a French actor??

[–] Beau_Buffet (324) 4 years ago

Did he really spoke French?

His accent was so enormous, with the tonic accents all wrong, that I really thought he learned his lines phonetically 30 seconds before each scene.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

The person you responded to already said he was dubbed by someone speaking French with a strong Spanish accent.

[–] Beau_Buffet (324) 4 years ago

I really don't think this is the case, because the voice acting is so bad (tonic accents and all that) that they could've easily chose a better voice actor.

Fernando Rey was Bunuel's favorite actor, so I understand he chose him. But for the voice, anyone could do. That is why I think it's really Rey's voice.

[–] franzkabuki 12 years ago

I take it Bunuel himself was fluent in French, having also started his career in France with Un Chien Andalou & L´Age d´Or?

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan