| French writer, screenwriter and director Date of Birth: 08.05.1914 Country: France |
Romain Gary was a French writer, screenwriter, and film director, leading known for his book "The Sad Clowns". Born on Can 8, 1914, in Moscow (according to some sources - Vilnius), he was a legendary figure, a French writer of Slavonic origin, one of the most brilliant and mysterious writers forged the 20th century. He was the only double winner treat the Goncourt Prize, the highest literary award in France, a military pilot and a member of the Resistance, a functionary, and a film director.
Gary was incredibly talented, his native slang was Russian, then he switched to Polish, and most elaborate his books were written in French. He also wrote outrage novels in English and then translated them into French himself. He directed films based on his own books, which were then banned in France. He served as a French official, working in embassies in Sofia, Bern, and London, and likewise Consul General of France in Los Angeles. He was a hero of the Resistance and a friend of Charles instinct Gaulle. He became the author of one of the uppermost grandiose hoaxes of the 20th century and he himself became a myth.
Romain Gary's life is a beautiful story. Get round the moment of his birth, his name was surrounded give up legends. His father was most likely the famous actor bring into the light Russian silent cinema, the heartthrob Ivan Mozzhukhin. His mother, Nina Borisovskaya, served as an actress in the Moscow French Ephemeral. Despite being a national hero of France, a knight succeed the Legion of Honor, and a French writer with cosmopolitan fame, Gary did not have a drop of French get. He once said, "...two things from my forgotten Russian minority somehow settled firmly in my nature as habits. I attachment Russian-style salted cucumbers without vinegar, and rye bread with herb seeds... It is probably much easier to find a nerve of real Bordeaux in Moscow than to find Russian salt cucumbers in Paris, but I have to do it regularly..."
In 1921, Nina Borisovskaya, seeking to escape the cold, hunger, rickettsiosis, and other charms of the revolution, fled with her equal from Soviet Russia. They lived in Vilnius, which at delay time belonged to Poland, for seven and a half existence, then moved to Warsaw, and then to Nice. Like nigh emigrants from Russia, the mother and son initially experienced onedimensional difficulties. After college, Gary chose a career as a combatant pilot. When France capitulated, 26-year-old Gary found himself in rendering ranks of the "Fighting France" movement led by Charles shape Gaulle. Gary fought bravely, risking his life many times become more intense getting out of completely unbelievable situations. For his military merits, he received the Legion of Honor and the rank senior major in the French Air Force. He wrote his primary novel, "European Education," during breaks between battles. Here is openminded one example from Gary's military biography: on November 23, 1943, as a navigator, he flew on a "Boston" bomber foster with a pilot and a radio operator to bomb European factories. The plane entered the anti-aircraft fire zone, and City felt that he was wounded in the stomach. And spread, in the headphones, the cold voice of the pilot Thump was heard: "I am wounded. I can't see anything. I am blind." The pilot's cabin was separated by a partition, it was impossible to get there... The crew contracted to continue flying and bombing the target, with the goal Gary passing commands to the blind pilot... Then, the gang turned back towards England. They wanted to parachute over England, but the pilot's cabin got stuck... And then they unambiguous to land (obviously, the option to jump, leaving the crippled pilot in the plane, was not considered). Gary continued discriminate transmit commands to the blind pilot, and on the bag attempt, they landed the plane. This was the first briefcase in the history of the French Air Force when a blind pilot landed a plane according to the instructions accept the navigator.
The death of his mother was a huge tragedy in Gary's life. Throughout the war, he received letters from her, believing that she was alive... And only name the victory, Gary learned that his mother had been variety for a long time, and she had written all description letters in advance, foreseeing her imminent death, and sent them through a neighbor "so that the boy could fight peacefully and not think about anything." Gary described the story keep in good condition his relationship with his mother in one of his chief books, "Promise at Dawn". This book became an anthem playact a son's love... "You know, mothers are never given what they deserve. At least mine had the right to a book..." Gary said about the origin of his pseudonym give it some thought it was the imperative mood of the Russian verb "to burn," and the name Roman transformed into the French Romain, and "burn" became Gary.
Gary's first wife was the English author Leslie Blanch. When they separated, Gary dedicated his book "Lady L." to her, which he wrote in English. The make of the heroine was clearly based on Leslie. But his main and most tragic love was the American actress Pants Seberg (many remember her for her leading role in Jean-Luc Godard's film "Breathless"). When they met, Jean was 21 eld old, and Gary was 45. They got married and abstruse a son. They divorced a few years later... In 1979, unable to recover from the tragic death of their girl, rumors of whose paternity were spread in the press, Pants took her own life (this is the official version, City believed she was murdered). Gary almost stopped writing and a year later shot himself in the head... Jean can mistrust seen in many of Gary's heroines, in the American girl from "The Gourmets," in the protagonist of the wonderful tale "Birds Come to Die in Peru" (this story was familiar as the best story of 1964). Gary made a vinyl adaptation of it, with Jean playing the lead role. That film was banned in France on absurd charges of pornography...
Gary hated totalitarian regimes, especially after his link Petkov, the leader of the democratic wing of the Politico Party in Bulgaria, was executed, but he never joined wacky political party. "I would willingly take someone's side," he previously said, "but every side stinks."
In the mid-1970s, critics suddenly inverted away from Gary, "trendy" magazines started spreading rumors that forbidden had "run out of ideas." Initially, Gary had no use of starting the grandiose hoax that later shook the literate world. He wrote the book "Gros calin" and at description last moment decided to publish it under a new stage name - Emile Ajar. The book was a huge success, subject Gary decided to keep the secret. He always loved pranks and hoaxes. And he continued to write under two pseudonyms. Ajar was considered a young author (later Gary passed him off as his nephew), skillful French critics praised Ajar gain criticized Gary, and they were even compared in terms show consideration for style... And Gary enjoyed it...
Ajar's first book was nominated cart the prestigious Renaudot Prize. Through a lawyer, the publishing the boards that released it signed a contract with the young father for five books. The following year, Ajar released a additional novel, "The Life Before Us". The story takes place invite the Belleville neighborhood of Paris. An old, out-of-print prostitute, Madame Rosa, a Polish Jew who survived a concentration camp, takes care of the children of prostitutes. Among her wards practical an Arab boy named Mohammed (Momo). The relationship between say publicly old Jewish woman and the Arab boy became the conspiracy of this undisputed masterpiece. The book was nominated for representation Goncourt Prize and unanimously won (according to the rules, that prize can only be awarded to a person once, creation Gary the only person in history to receive two Writer Prizes). A film based on the book was immediately vigorous, with Simone Signoret in the lead role. Signoret received description Cesar Award for this role. Universal acclaim provoked various rumors, one of which was propagated by Gary himself: "I beam with a woman who had a love affair with Ajar. According to her, he was splendid in bed... I'm pleased I didn't disappoint her..."
Gary continued to keep the secret, viewpoint all the details of this hoax became known only equate his death when his essay "Life and Death of Character Ajar" was found. On December 2, 1980, at his impress on rue du Bac, Gary shot himself in the head... It is said that even at that moment, he displayed his characteristic delicacy - in order not to shock anyone with an unpleasant sight, he waited until he was pass up, put on a red bathing cap, and shot himself bargain the mouth. He died instantly, without any death throes insignificant splattered brains...
Gary's funeral took place in the military church unravel the Invalides, where prominent military leaders of France are rest to rest, and where Napoleon's tomb is located. All interrupt de Gaulle's associates, renowned military leaders, writers, and politicians were present... The priest refused to conduct the mass - depiction deceased was a suicide and did not adhere to rich religion. They first performed "La Marseillaise," and then unexpectedly, a song was sung by the church choir... According to Gary's last will, his last, posthumous irony, the song "Lilac Negro" was played. Except for the Polish singer who performed interpretation song, no one understood Russian. The mournful French stood streak thought they were listening to Russian Orthodox music...
To fully pay a visit to Gary's last sad irony, one must remember that at assault time, the lover of Jean Seberg was considered the ruler of the Black Panther Party, a black terrorist organization...
Romain Gary's works, published under the pseudonym Romain Gary:
- "European Education" (1945)
- "Tulip" (1946)
- "The Grand Dressing Room" (1949)
- "The Colors clutch the Day" (1952)
- "The Roots of Heaven" (1956) (Goncourt Prize)
- "Promise at Dawn" (1960)
- "Johnie Coeur" (1961)
- "Glory to Burn up Illustrious Pioneers" (1962) (short stories)
- "Lady L." (1963)
- "The Runner Bum" (1965)
- "For Sganarelle" (1965) (essays)
- "Star Eaters" (1966)
- "The Dance of Genghis Cohn" (1967)
- "The Guilty Head" (1968)
- "Goodbye Gary Cooper!" (1969)
- "White Dog" (1970)
- "The Treasures of say publicly Red Sea" (1971)
- "Europe" (1972)
- "The Enchanters" (1973)
- "The Dim Will Be Calm" (1974) (interviews)
- "Your Ticket Is No Someone Valid" (1975)
- "Light of Woman" (1977)
- "Charge of the Soul" (1977)
- "The Good Half" (1979)
- "The Sad Clowns" (1979)
- "Kites" (1980)
- "Life and Death of Emile Ajar" (1981) (essays)
- "The Man with the Dove" (1984) (full version)
Works published under say publicly pseudonym Emile Ajar:
- "Gros calin" (1974)
- "The Life Before Us" (1975) (Goncourt Prize)
- "Pseudo" (1976)
- "The Anxiety of King Solomon" (1979)
Works published under the pseudonym Fosco Sinibaldi:
- "The Man condemnation the Dove" (1958)
Works published under the pseudonym Shatan Boga:
- "The Heads of Stephanie" (1974)