 |
Jean Louis BoryFrench writer, journalist and film critic.
Date of Birth: 25.06.1919
Country:  France |
Content:
- Jean-Louis Bory: French Writer, Journalist, and Film Critic
- Military Service and Literary Debut
- Political Affiliations and Journalism
- Break with Communism and Anti-Colonialism
- Film Criticism and Cahiers des saisons
- Literary Success and Involvement in May 1968
- Final Years and Legacy
Jean-Louis Bory: French Writer, Journalist, and Film Critic
Early Life and EducationJean-Louis Bory was born in 1919 in Merville, France, to a pharmacist and a teacher. Raised in a non-religious household, he was influenced by the Popular Front during his formative years. He received his education at the prestigious Lycée Henri IV.
Military Service and Literary Debut
In 1939, Bory was drafted into the army. He returned to the Latin Quarter in October 1942 and completed his agrégation des lettres exam in July 1945. Two months later, his first novel, "Mon village à l'heure allemande," was published by Flammarion and went on to win the 1945 Prix Goncourt.
Political Affiliations and Journalism
Jean-Louis Bory was a politically active member of France's literary elite. Despite being courted by the Communist Party, he aligned himself with the pro-communist pacifist group Mouvement de la Paix, the National Association of Writers, and the France-USSR Society. His journalistic debut came in 1952 with the newspaper Samedi Soir. In 1955, he joined L'Express, where he worked with his friend François Erval.
Break with Communism and Anti-Colonialism
Bory's relationship with the communists soured in 1956 after the Soviet invasion of Hungary. He signed a petition against the invasion and withdrew from the France-USSR Society's Honorary Committee. His political beliefs remained steadfast, and he continued to oppose colonialism in the Third World. In 1960, he signed a petition against France's involvement in Algeria, resulting in his suspension from teaching at Lyc?e Henri-IV.
Film Criticism and Cahiers des saisons
In 1957, Bory joined the editorial board of Cahiers des saisons, where he published his literary works. In 1961, he replaced François Truffaut as film critic for the weekly Arts. The following year, he left teaching and La Gazette des Lettres to pursue journalism and literature full-time.
Literary Success and Involvement in May 1968
Although his novel "L'Odeur de l'herbe" (1962) failed to achieve literary acclaim, Bory gained prominence as a film critic. In 1964, he participated in the popular TV program Le Masque et la Plume, solidifying his reputation. He resigned from L'Express that year, marking the end of his friendship with François Erval.
In January 1965, Bory joined Nouvel Observateur as a film critic. He реабилиted the reputation of Louis-Ferdinand C?line and befriended writers Paul Morand and Jacques Chardonne. In 1968, he played a leading role in the protests that shut down the Cannes Film Festival, delivering a fiery speech that sparked unrest in Paris.
Final Years and Legacy
Despite his depression and ill health, Bory published several more works, including "Eugene Sue, dandy and Socialist" (1973), "The Revolution of July or the Three Glorious Days" (1972), and the highly successful novel "Feet" (1976). He died by suicide in his hometown in 1979.
Jean-Louis Bory is remembered as a prolific and influential French writer, journalist, and film critic whose political activism and critical insights left a lasting mark on the literary and cultural landscape of France.
