Hélène (1936): cast, story & where to watch
1936 · Film · ★ 1
Released in 1936, Hélène is a drama and romance film directed by Jean Benoît-Lévy, running about 105 minutes.
What it’s about. Helene is based on Helene Wilfur, a novel by Vicki (Grand Hotel) Baum. Madeleine Renaud essays the title role, a young medical student in love with aspiring musician Pierre Regnier (Jean-Lous Barrault). Pierre's father, a noted surgeon, puts pressure on his son to give up music in favor of medicine. Unable to withstand his father's remonstrations, Pierre kills himself, prompting the grieving Madeleine to forget all about romance and dedicate her life to the cause of healing others. Wilfur avoids the usual soap-opera goo by offering realistic performances and credible dialogue (the English-language subtitles were composed by erudite film critic Herman G. Weinberg).
Who’s in it. Hélène stars Jean-Louis Barrault as Pierre Régnier, Madeleine Renaud, Constant Rémy as Professor Amboise and Héléna Manson as Valérie, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 1.0/10, Hélène has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Hélène page.
If you liked it. Fans of Hélène tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Hélène (1936)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Hélène change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is Hélène worth watching?
- Hélène holds an audience score of 1.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Hélène?
- Hélène stars Jean-Louis Barrault, Madeleine Renaud, Constant Rémy, Héléna Manson and Odette Joyeux.
- When was Hélène released?
- Hélène was released in 1936, with a runtime of about 105 minutes.