Writing

René Wheeler

Born February 8, 1912 · Paris, France

Died December 11, 2000 · aged 88

René Wheeler (8 February 1912 - 11 December 2000) was a French screenwriter and film director. He co-wrote the story of the film A Cage of Nightingales (1945) with Georges Chaperot, for which they both received an Academy Award nomination in 1947. Their story would later serve as an inspiration for the hugely successful film The Chorus (2004). Wheeler also co-wrote the screenplay for the 1955 heis…

Known For

The ChorusThe Chorus · 2004
The Chorus
★ 7.72004
MovieDramaComedy
In 1940s France, a new teacher at a school for disruptive boys gives hope and inspiration.
Jour de FêteJour de Fête · 1949
Jour de Fête
★ 7.11949
MovieComedy
Jour de Fête tells the story of an inept and easily-distracted French mailman who frequently interrupts his duties to converse with the local inhabitants, as well as inspect the traveling fair that has come to his small community. Influenced by too much wine and a newsreel account of rapid transportation methods used by the United States postal system, he goes to hilarious lengths to speed the delivery of mail while aboard his bicycle.
RififiRififi · 1955
Rififi
★ 7.81955
MovieCrimeThriller
Out of prison after a five-year stretch, jewel thief Tony turns down a quick job his friend Jo offers him, until he discovers that his old girlfriend Mado has become the lover of local gangster Pierre Grutter during Tony's absence. Expanding a minor smash-and-grab into a full-scale jewel heist, Tony and his crew appear to get away clean, but their actions after the job is completed threaten the lives of everyone involved.
Fan-Fan the TulipFan-Fan the Tulip · 1952
Fan-Fan the Tulip
★ 6.71952
MovieRomanceAdventure
Fanfan is a young handsome peasant. He joins the army to escape marriage because a gypsy girl predicted he will get glory and the king's daughter as a wife. But the gypsy girl was in fact Adeline, the daughter of the recruiting officer. Once he has discovered the stratagem, Fanfan refuses to forget this dream and decides to fulfill the destiny of the fake prediction.
The Wicked Go to HellThe Wicked Go to Hell · 1955
The Wicked Go to Hell
★ 6.41955
MovieDramaCrime
Two convicts attempt to escape from prison in a violent tale of deception, survival, and moral ambiguity.
The Seven Deadly SinsThe Seven Deadly Sins · 1952
The Seven Deadly Sins
★ 6.01952
MovieComedyDrama
A compilation of segments covers the seven deadly sins of greed, wrath, envy, pride, lust, sloth, and gluttony.
Crime Does Not PayCrime Does Not Pay · 1962
Crime Does Not Pay
★ 5.51962
MovieMysteryCrime
A man walks into a movie theater in Paris and starts watching a film—the same one we're watching, consisting of four stories of best criminal intentions gone awry from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Robinson CrusoelandRobinson Crusoeland · 1951
Robinson Crusoeland
★ 5.61951
MovieComedy
Stan and Ollie are marooned on an island in the south pacific ocean.

Filmography

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Arsène LupinArsène Lupin · 1971
Arsène Lupin
★ 7.81971
SeriesAction & AdventureDrama
Arsène Lupin is a French TV show which was co-produced with German, Canadian, Belgian, Dutch, Swiss, Italian and Austrian TV stations. It was only loosely based on Maurice Leblancs novels. Georges Descrières' portrayal of Arsène Lupin showed more similarity to Graf Yoster than to Maurice Leblanc's original. He behaved in the first place as a perfect gentleman who never got angry. He was always relaxed, because whatever could possibly had bothered him in daily life was taken care of by his butler. It wasn't questioned how he had come to his financial independence although the series sometimes discreetly implied that he was a professional criminal. Besides rescuing damsels in distress Lupin took on criminals, competing with their wit and intelligence. Either he stole paintings from rich people who had to be considered white-collar criminals or he acted as a detective who derailed criminal schemes. However, when he was attacked, he could defend himself effortlessly by using elegant jujutsu methods. Among the guest stars were German actors such as Günter Strack and Sky du Mont. Jean-Paul Salomé said in his commentary on the DVD version of his film Arsène Lupin he had like this series as a child. German TV, one the investors, would broadcast the show eventually between 18:00-20:00 o'clock because it was only allowed to show commercials within that very timeslot. For them to get a financial return on investment the show had to be appropriate for families and also for children who would watch it alone. Subsequently it was nearby to ask to defuse and flatten some of Leblanc's plots in order to avoid possible complaints that could force the station to broadcast the show beyond the "Vorabendprogramm".

Adaptation