On Saturday, June 10, Nice-Première wandered among the book stalls under the shade of the pine trees in Nice. Mission: to interview Mylène Demongeot, the actress often typecast for her roles in Fantômas alongside Louis de Funès.
Mylène Demongeot was only seventeen when she started her film career by acting in “Les Enfants de l’amour” (1953). Spotted by Marc Allégret, the blonde bombshell quickly gained star status by starring in various films. Since then, this sex symbol of the 50s and 60s has never stopped loving her job. After a ten-year hiatus, Mylène Demongeot made her comeback to the big screen in 2004 with two films, “Victoire” and the crime thriller “36 Quai des Orfèvres”. Her film career picked up again as she took part in two sunny ventures, first in “Camping” and then in “Californie.”
But where is she?
Not far from Michel Field, she hides behind her books and her admirers. Too many people, let’s come back a bit later. A few minutes later, she had deserted her stand. Shoot. Will she come back? Apparently, yes, and armed with a pair of sunglasses and a bag showing the symbol of a pharmacy.
Her health condition has postponed our interview to tomorrow.
As agreed, on Sunday, June 11, Nice-Première meets Mylène Demongeot after lunch, a bit healthier than yesterday. Her illness, however, did not conceal her generosity and friendliness.
Now, let’s leave the pen to this actress who has long made young girls dream and left men astounded by her beauty.
Nice-Première: You are present at the Nice book festival to unveil your book “Animalement Vôtre”. Could you describe it in a few words?
Mylène Demongeot: It’s a long love story with animals that my husband and I have had for about 25 years or maybe a bit more. Like everyone, we had cats and dogs but also more unusual animals like a fox, a buzzard, a lion… I recount our adventures, sometimes our setbacks, but also the funny things that happened to us.
N-P: So, this book is a tribute to your animals?
M.D.: Yes, I adore animals. I feel very close to them. It’s always interesting to communicate with another species than our own.
N-P: Is it easy to tame a lion?
M.D.: Yes, yes.
N-P: Really?
M.D.: Yes. It’s very easy. You just have to give it affection, food, and care. Since animals are intelligent, they quickly see that you mean them no harm but rather good. So they tame very quickly. The problem is that a lion is so powerful, so at some point, you won’t be able to keep it with you because it’s too strong. And when it grabs your arm to play, it’s going to pierce your arm. We had to give up our lion because at the moment when he grabbed Marc’s arm to play, he pierced it. He didn’t feel it at the moment because the jaw is so unbelievable, but there was quite a lot of bleeding. We didn’t hold it against him at all, he was playing.
N-P: What was the trigger to write this book?
M.D.: I wanted to make people laugh, to tell these stories that were sometimes touching, sometimes funny or moving. I found it interesting to first recount our life together: Marc and me, and on top of that life, our animals. It’s interesting to be able to coexist two layers: the animals and our life. And apparently, it seems I managed to do it, but it was hard work. It took me three years to write this book.
N-P: Do you have a particular anecdote to tell us or one that touched you during your life with animals?
M.D.: Today, I was recalling an anecdote that is in the book. Once, I returned on a 747 from Montreal to Paris. Marc, who loved snakes, had found one, and he absolutely didn’t want to part with it. We had lost it, but the day before departure, it had reappeared. Since we found it, he wanted to bring it. And I found myself on the 747 from Montreal/Paris with a snake in my bag. During the journey, I didn’t sleep all night because I was afraid the snake would wake up and escape. Fortunately, it didn’t move, it passed through customs, the x-rays, and everything… No one noticed anything. Thank God, otherwise I wonder what would have happened if someone had realized. Those were big risks I was taking. And all that for my guy, I would have preferred to leave it in Montreal (Laughs).
N-P: This year you were featured in “Camping,” the movie by Fabien Onteniente co-written with Franck Dubosc. A hit?
M.D.: Yes. It’s a big commercial success, so it pleases everyone. But in the same year, I also made another film called “Californie” with Nathalie Baye, which will be released in September. It’s a totally different auteur film that I love enormously. I’m glad to have made in one year: an auteur film and a commercially successful film. It’s good. It doesn’t happen every day.
N-P: What made you want to participate in “Camping”?
M.D.: I read the script, and I found it very funny. I had fun playing Madame Pic.
N-P: Any ongoing projects?
M.D.: Yes, I have several. I haven’t chosen anything yet. I’m not in a hurry. These are things that are being written, and I’m waiting for them to be flawless. I’ll do them when I really like them.
N-P: During your career, you’ve worked with great actors. In a word or a phrase, how would you define them?
M.D.:
– Louis de Funès: a genius.
– Claude Brasseur: a very very good actor, and he was a very good Mr. Pic, we had fun playing together.
– Yves Montand: an immense singer, I prefer him as a singer than an actor.
– Roger Moore: He was very attractive and very very kind. He’s an absolutely delightful man.
– Franck Dubosc: Very nice, very hard-working, very upright, very attentive. He’s a man very focused on his work. Watching him work in “Camping,” he really surprised me because he’s really a hard worker. I’m happy about the success of this film, which is largely his. I think he must be happy today to be reaping all these laurels.
N-P: A memory linked to your childhood in Nice?
M.D.: I was talking earlier. When I arrived, I was very small, it was in 1945 and my grandmother had just died. The Germans were leaving Nice, and there was a ghost plane that came to bomb the city every night. My parents were very afraid for me. So, we would turn over my grandmother’s couch on me, put cushions on it, and I slept like that for eight days under the couch because this ghost plane was dropping bombs blindly anywhere, anytime, and in any way. My parents were very afraid. So, it was really quite impressive.
The interview continues with Mylène sharing more insights into her life and career. The warm reflections bring a personal touch to her stories, bridging past and present with a charming flare characteristic of her enduring appeal.
