La Fayette (film)

La Fayette is a 1961 French-Italian epic biographical film directed by Jean Dréville and starring Michel Le Royer, Pascale Audret, Jack Hawkins and Orson Welles.^[3] The film depicts the life of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, in particular his role in the American War of Independence.

La Fayette
Directed by	Jean Dréville
Written by	Jean Bernard-Luc Jean Dréville François Ponthier Suzy Prim Jacques Sigurd
Produced by	Jean Dréville
Starring	Pascale Audret Jack Hawkins Michel Le Royer Orson Welles
Cinematography	Roger Hubert Claude Renoir
Edited by	René Le Hénaff
Music by	Pierre Duclos Steve Laurent
Production companies	Les Films Copernic Cosmos
Distributed by	Comacico (France)
Release date	8 February 1962 (1962-02-08) (France)
Running time	158 minutes
Countries	France Italy
Languages	French English
Budget	$2 million[1]
Box office	$100,000 (US/Canada rentals)[2]

Cast

• Michel Le Royer - La Fayette
• Howard St. John - George Washington
• Orson Welles - Benjamin Franklin
• Pascale Audret - Adrienne de La Fayette
• Jack Hawkins - General Cornwallis
• Liselotte Pulver - Marie Antoinette
• Folco Lulli - Le Boursier
• Wolfgang Preiss - Baron Kalb
• Edmund Purdom - Silas Deane
• Georges Rivière - Vergennes
• Rosanna Schiaffino - Comtesse de Simiane
• Vittorio De Sica - Aaron Bancroft
• Jacques Castelot - Duc d'Ayen
• Jean-Roger Caussimon - Maurepas
• Jean-Jacques Delbo - L'exempt

Critical reception

Allmovie wrote, "the story of a Frenchman who fought to liberate the American colonies from British rule is colorfully brought to the screen...Orson Welles gives a memorable performance as Benjamin Franklin";^[4] while TV Guide found "the picture is weighed down by its need for spectacle, and displays little grace in its presentation. It boasts two of cinema's greatest directors as part of the cast--Welles, doing his best as Ben Franklin, and De Sica."^[5]

See also

• List of films about the American Revolution
• List of television series and miniseries about the American Revolution