ALLEGRET, MARC

born Dec. 22, 1900, Basel, Switz. died Nov. 4, 1973, Paris, France French motion-picture director known for his exacting film technique. Allgret was educated in law in Paris, but while accompanying his uncle Andr Gide on a trip to Africa, he recorded the trip on film. He served as an assistant director to Robert Florey and Augusto Genina and in 1931 directed his first feature, Mam'zelle Nitouche. It was followed by such films as Fanny (1932), Les Beaux Jours (1935; The Beautiful Days), and Entre des artistes (1938; The Curtain Rises), all from the decade considered to have been his best. Allgret handled scenes with an elegant flair and was noted for his sharp eye for new talent. He is credited with helping develop such stars as Simone Simon, Michle Morgan, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Danile Delorme, Grard Philipe, Odette Joyeux, Jeanne Moreau, and Brigitte Bardot. His younger brother Yves, also a director, assisted Allgret on several of his early films.