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René Clément

French film director and screenwriter (1913–1996)

11.25body-of-work score · ranked #68 of 2631 directors · 8 films in our library

A director's score is the sum of their films' composite canon scores — methodology.

Born
March 18, 1913 · Bordeaux
Died
March 17, 1996 · Monte Carlo
Nationality
France
Work
film director, screenwriter, actor, cinematographer
Reference
Wikipedia · Wikidata
Portrait of René Clément
Studio Harcourt. · Public domain

Films in our library, ranked

Ranked by composite canon score across 20+ authoritative lists, awards and polls — our ordering, with every placement citing its evidence on the film's page.

  1. 1
    Forbidden GamesJeux interditsMust-See #98

    1952 · France · war, drama

    BAFTA Best Film winner 1954 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1953 #1 · Venice Golden Lion winner 1952

    3.466 citations
  2. 2
    GervaiseMust-See #389

    1956 · France / Italy · drama

    BAFTA Best Film winner 1957 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1956 #1

    2.002 citations
  3. 3
    The DamnedLes MauditsMust-See #412

    1947 · France · drama

    Palme d'Or winner 1947 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1948 #4

    1.932 citations
  4. 4
    Beauty and the BeastLa Belle et la Bête

    1946 · France · fantasy, drama

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1948 #6 · Scorsese's 39 essential foreign films · Empire 500 (2008) #292

    1.458 citations
  5. 5
    Purple NoonPlein soleil

    1960 · France / Italy · crime, drama

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1960 #3 · Kurosawa's 100 favorite films · Criterion Collection spine #637

    0.954 citations
  6. 6
    Knave of Hearts

    1954 · United Kingdom / France · drama, comedy

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1954 #3 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1954 #8

    0.822 citations
  7. 7
    Is Paris Burning?Paris brûle-t-il ?

    1966 · France / United States · drama, war

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1966 #6

    0.361 citation
  8. 8
    The Battle of the RailsLa Bataille du rail

    1946 · France · drama

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1955 #10

    0.291 citation

Complete filmography

All 31 directorial credits recorded on Wikidata, in chronological order; films in our library link to their canon-score page.

  • 1931César chez les Gaulois
  • 1935Évasion
  • 1936Watch Your Left
  • 1937La Symphonie française du travail
  • 1938L'Arabie interdite
  • 1938La Grande Chartreuse
  • 1939La Bièvre, fille perdue
  • 1939Paris la nuit
  • 1940Le Triage
  • 1941Chefs de demain
  • 1943Ceux du rail
  • 1943La Grande Pastorale
  • 1946Beauty and the Beast
  • 1946Mr. Orchid
  • 1946The Battle of the Rails
  • 1947The Damned
  • 1949The Walls of Malapaga
  • 1950The Glass Castle
  • 1952Forbidden Games
  • 1954Knave of Hearts
  • 1956Gervaise
  • 1957This Angry Age
  • 1960Purple Noon
  • 1961The Joy of Living
  • 1963The Day and the Hour
  • 1964Joy House
  • 1966Is Paris Burning?
  • 1970Rider on the Rain
  • 1971The Deadly Trap
  • 1972And Hope to Die
  • 1975Wanted: Babysitter