Known For
Acting
Born
Nov 28, 1884
Died
Aug 28, 1978
Place of Birth
Paris, France
Credits
70 titles
Maximilienne
Biography
In his sketches, popular French comedian'Fernand Raynaud' was often bullied by a self-righteous sharp-tongued spinster called Mademoiselle Lelongbec, the parish organist. Tall, lean and unattractive, Maximilenne (born Henriette Genty in 1884) seemed born to play the part and she WAS the obvious choice for director Robert Darène when, in 1958, he prepared to film a Fernand Raynaud's vehicle entitled "Houla Houla". Donning the attire of Mlle Lelongbec Maximilenne had the distinguished opportunity to nag poor Fernand, on the big screen this time around. A role that epitomizes a long screen career, spanning the three decades between the advent of the sound period and the birth of the French New Wave. During this time, she embodied innumerable female authority figures such as a mother superior ("La route enchantée"), a school mistress ("Simplet"), the headmistress of a reform school("Prison sans barreaux"), a Salvation Army general ("L'armoire volante") or a princess ("Le disque 1413"). She was rarely married in her films, most of the time she was the narrow-minded old maid. She was at her best as such in the role of one of the boarding house guests in Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1942 masterpiece "L'assassin habite au 21". And when she had indeed married in a movie, she was usually a widow: her late husband had chosen to leave life prematurely to escape her! Occasionally one of the old maids and aunts she was given to play were affectionate, notably in Fritz Lang's "Liliom " (1933). But whether her characters were good or bad, Maximilienne had been one of those colorful character actors and actresses the French cinema of the classic era could not do without. And she will be fondly remembered for that. - IMDb mini biography by: Guy Bellinger
Known For
Filmography
The Enigma of the Folies-Bergère
Mrs. Rosenthal
Houla-Houla
Mlle Lelongbec
Premier mai
Nun (uncredited)
Fric-frac en dentelles
Madame Mouilletu
The Congress of Mother-in-Laws
Madame Moucaille
La Cage aux souris
Miss Frador aka 'Cul-de-poule'
Drôle de noce
Cornil's Widow
Dans la vie tout s'arrange
Madame Bleubois
Trois vieilles filles en folie
Pervenche
Monsieur Octave
Musique en tête
The personnel manager
Adhémar or the Toy of Destiny
La soeur du Marquis
Pardon My French
Madame Bleubois
The Treasure of Cantenac
Blandine
Tête blonde
Madame Rabichou
No More Vacation for the Good Lord
Aunt Faguet
Last Hour, Special Edition
Mademoiselle Thomasson
The Cupboard Was Bare
Salvation Army commander
Scandals of Clochemerle
Justine Putet
Monsieur Vincent
Une dévote à l'église (uncredited)
Rooster Heart
Mme Estelle
Song of the Clouds
Mademoiselle Anaïs
The Ménard Collection
Young lady Ménard
Shop Girls of Paris
Madame Cabin
Picpus
Madame Bertaud (uncredited)
Simple-Minded
Mademoiselle Aimée, teacher
The Murderer Lives at Number 21
Miss Cuq
Cartacalha, reine des gitans
Machanalli
Parade in 7 Nights
Ardouin's governess
Two Women
Marseille mes amours
Aunt Églantine
Cavalcade of Love
Old comedienne
Mon curé chez les riches
Patroness
The Enchanted Road
Mother superior
Un de la Canebière
The Baker's Wife
Melle Angèle
Clodoche
Un meurtre a été commis
Madame Phalempin
Prison Without Bars
Madame Appel
The Secrets of the Red Sea
À nous deux, madame la vie
The Man from Nowhere
La tante Scholastique
My Aunts and I
Tante Julie
Prête-moi ta femme
Monsieur est saisi
Disk 413
Princess
Coup de vent
Lovers and Thieves
Mrs. Doizeau
Gypsy Baron
Voyage d'agrément