"Monster with the Face of an Angel": Why the famous French actor Jean Mare doomed himself to loneliness

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The French idolized him and called him the Prince of Charm. Films with his participation were incredibly popular in Soviet cinemas: "The Hunchback", "Captain", "Secrets of the Burgundian Court", "Parisian Mysteries", "Fantomas" and others. He was adored by thousands of women, they say, some fans, meeting him on the street, fainted. But Jean Mare was absolutely indifferent to all manifestations of female attention - his heart all his life belonged to one person, because of whom he remained lonely until the end of his days.

Jean Villein-Maret hardly remembered his father - his parents broke up when he was little. Jean's elder sister Madeleine died shortly before his birth. The mother hoped that she would have a girl and, when a boy was born in December 1913, she could not get out of depression for a long time. Perhaps the subconscious desire of the mother to have a daughter and the lack of male upbringing played a fatal role in the fate of Jean. From his youth, he loved to dress up in women's clothes and appear in this form on the street, rejoicing that he was taken for a young lady.

Mother often disappeared for a long time, and my aunt and grandmother said that she was away. Only many years later, Jean learned the truth: she was a swindler and a kleptomaniac and often went to prison for theft. Meanwhile, her son was being raised by the street. He grew up a bully and earned the nickname "monster with the face of an angel" because he often lied, fought, stole, insulted teachers and studied poorly, changing several schools. The neighbors were sure that he would end his days in hard labor. The only thing Jean dreamed about was to enroll in acting courses, and for this he took on any job. Due to his spectacular appearance, he often worked with photographers as a model and assembled a portfolio with which he pounded the doorsteps of theaters and film studios.

Since his youth, Jean Mare was fond of painting and sculpture, and once the director Marcel L'Herbier drew attention to his work. He bought a couple of paintings from Mare and invited him to a cameo role in his film. For several years he was content with extras and episodes, until fate brought him together with the famous playwright, poet and director Jean Cocteau. This meeting became fateful - this man not only made a movie idol out of an unknown actor, but also became his only love.

The actor never focused on his gay orientation, but he never hid it. His first love story with a girl ended so tragically that he was ready to commit suicide. Later he tried to build relationships with women, but nothing came of it. The actor admitted: "".

Jean Cocteau gave Marais all the main roles in his plays and films, and behind the scenes rumors soon began to spread about the director's romance with the young actor. However, they turned out to be not unfounded. Once the director called Jean Mara with the words: "". When the actor rushed to him, he heard a declaration of love. In response, he said that he was also in love. And later he talked about it like this: "".

Admiration and respect soon grew into true love. Jean Marais remained with the director, who was killed by an addiction - opium, until his death in 1963. On the day he died, the actor said: "". Then there were other relationships, but no one else caused him such love as Jean Cocteau. He was unfamiliar with his father's feelings, and the need for a family grew stronger over the years, and in 1962 he adopted a 19-year-old gypsy orphan Serge, gave him an education, but he could not become a family for him - his adopted son was more interested in him money, and he preferred to live separately, fearing gossip because of his father's reputation.

Over the years, Jean Maret began to act less often in films, again began painting and sculpture, mastered pottery and opened a gallery. He led a secluded life, but never complained of old age and loneliness, calling himself "an old man who has fun."

Until his last days, Jean Mare remained rather timid, self-critical and dreamy. And this with incredible physical strength and reckless courage (he performed all the tricks in the films without understudies). They said about him: "". And Jean Mare did not mind this characterization: "".

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