Encyclopedia of French Film Directors

502 • HERMAN, JEAN
Les Cordier, Juge et Flic (episode “Adieu au
Drapeau”)
1999 Du jour au Lendemain
2001 Les Cordier, Juge et Flic (episode “La Nuit du
Sacrifi ce”)
2007 Enfi n Seul(s) (France / Belgium)
HERMAN, JEAN (May 17, 1933, Pagny-sur-Moselle,
Meurthe-et-Moselle, France–)
He came to Paris to study literature but fi nally opted
for cinema and attended courses at the IDHEC. In
the late 1950s, he moved to India, where he taught
French and met Roberto Rossellini, who hired him as
an assistant (1959 India: Matri Bhumi / Inde, Terre Mère,
documentary, Roberto Rossellini, Italy / France, shot
in 1957). Having returned to France, he worked as an
assistant on many movies (1960 Paris nous appartient /
UK: Paris Is Ours / USA: Paris Belongs to Us, Jacques Rivette,
shot in 1958; 1962 The Longest Day, Ken Annakin,
Andrew Marton, Gerd Oswald, John Sullivan, Bernhard
Wicki, Elmo Williams, Darryl F. Zanuck, USA).
A successful novelist since 1973, he became very in
demand as a screenwriter (1976 Le Grand Escogriffe,
as co-screenwriter, Claude Pinoteau, France / Italy;
1977 Banlieue Sud-Est, TV miniseries, as screenwriter,
adapter, dialogist, Gilles Grangier; 1979 Les Insulaires,
TV, as co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist, Gilles
Grangier; Flic ou Voyou, as screenwriter, adapter,
Georges Lautner; Histoires insolites, episode “Le Locataire
d’en Haut,” as co-screenwriter, co-adapter,
dialogist; Miss, TV series, as dialogist, Roger Pigaut; Le
Guignolo, as screenwriter, Georges Lautner, France /
Italy; 1980 L’Entourloupe, as screenwriter, adapter, Gérard
Pirès; Jean-Sans-Terre, as co-screenwriter, adapter,
dialogist, Gilles Grangier; 1981 Garde à Vue / UK: The
Inquisitor / USA: Under Suspicion, as co-screenwriter,
co-adapter, Claude Miller; 1983 Le Marginal, as coscreenwriter,
actor, Jacques Deray; 1984 Rue Barbare,
as co-screenwriter, co-adapter, dialogist, Gilles Béhat;
Canicule / USA: Dog Day, as author of original novel,
co-screenwriter, co-adapter, Yves Boisset; 1985 Urgence,
as co-screenwriter, co-adapter, dialogist, Gilles
Béhat; 1986 Bleu comme l’Enfer, as co-screenwriter, coadapter,
co-dialogist, Yves Boisset; 1987 Charlie Dingo,
also co-screenwriter, dialogist, Gilles Béhat). Some of
his novels were brought to the screen (1986 Billy Ze
Kick, also actor, Gérard Mordillat; 1991 Berlin Lady /
La Dame de Berlin, TV miniseries, Pierre Boutron). In
2000, Stephen Hopkins shot an American remake of
Garde-à-Vue (Under Suspicion / Suspicion, Stephen Hop-
kins, USA / France). He also played a supporting role
in a TV movie (1986 Série noire, episode “La Nuit du
Flingueur,” Pierre Grimblat).
Filmography
1958 Voyage en Boscavie (short; co-director with
Claude Choublier; also co-screenwriter)
Le Coup de main (short)
1959 Reggane à l’Heure H (short)
Survie en Brousse (short)
1960 Actua-Tilt (short; also co-screenwriter, author
of commentary)
1961 La Quille (short; also co-screenwriter, codialogist)
Les Fusils (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)
Les Premiers Jours (short)
1962 Twist Parade (short; also screenwriter)
Enquête à Rennes (short)
La Cinémathèque française (documentary;
short; also screenwriter)
1963 Bon pour la Vie civile (short; forbidden by censorship,
it was cut and released as Le Chemin
de la mauvaise Route; also screenwriter, author
of commentary)
1964 Pif le Chien (animated short)
1967 Le Dimanche de la Vie / USA: The Sunday of Life
(also co-screenwriter, co-adapter; France /
West Germany)
1968 Adieu l’Ami / Due sporche carogne / Tecnica di
una rapina / USA: Farewell, Friend / Honor Among
Thieves (also co-adapter; France / Italy)
1969 Jeff / Addio Jeff! (France / Italy)
1971 Popsy Pop / Fuori il malloppo / La reina de diamantes
/ UK: The 21 Carat Snatch / The Great
Diamond Chase / USA: Queen of Diamonds
/ The Butterfl y Affair (also adapter, dialogist;
France / Italy / Venezuela)
1972 L’Oeuf (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, codialogist)
Television Filmography
1963 Sur un Air de Violon (six episodes)
1965 De nos Envoyés spéciaux (episodes “Le Spécialiste,”
“Un Pur Sang ambarrassant,” “Rodéo en
Seine-et-Oise”)
1966 La France dans Vingt Ans (also screenwriter)
Lapin Jules (animation)
1967 La Conquête de l’Angleterre par les Normands
(3 60')
1973 Les Grands Détectives (episodes “Monsieur
Lecoq,” “Rendez-vous dans les Ténèbres”)