While working on my three-part articles about directors who lost their acclaim, I ended up reading extensively about the Mac Mahoniens, who were a group of cinephiles who gathered around the Mac-Mahon cinema in Paris and would overtime have a considerable impact on cinema, championing film directors and altering how we look at cinema.

Speaking as someone from the UK, I can safely say that I presumed France’s only really important critics were the Cahiers du cinéma critics—Truffaut, Godard, Rohmer, Rivette, Chabrol, etc. To be fair, only one of the Mac Mahoniens, Bertrand Tavernier, became a big director. I suppose cultural differences led to my obliviousness. Still, it’s interesting to think that this flock of movie lovers greatly impacted how I appreciate films, yet I never knew of them.

The Mac Mahon cine club had its origins in the early 1950s when Pierre Rissient and his band of film-obsessed friends convinced the theatre owner to let them program in some films, specifically the American film noirs of Fritz Lang, Joseph Losey, Otto Preminger and Raoul Walsh – The Four Aces of Mac Mahon.

The Mac Mahoniens wrote in the Cahiers du cinema. Still, they were easily distinguished for their ultra-formalist attachment to mise-en-scène, a term in film theory referring to the arrangement of everything that appears in the framing — actors, lighting, décor, props, costume — and how these elements are used to tell the story. At its heart, the movement was quite reactionary, linked to the right-wing literary group, the Hussards, and opposed modernism, which manifested in their cinematic beliefs.

---

---

In September 1960, the entire Cahiers du cinema issue was devoted to Joseph Losey, the idol of the group; this moment was perhaps the pinnacle of the Mac Mahoniens’ influence and, ultimately, their downfall as their reactionary tendencies were contradictory to the beliefs of the Cahiers critics. It led to a crisis which saw Eric Rohmer replaced and the Mac Mahoniens migrating to Presence du cinema, where Michel Mourlet, a Mac Mahonien, was now editor.

The group remained contrarian. They stood against Italian neo-realism and denigrated the status quo of art cinema. They complained, “after Fellini, after Bergman, now it is Antonioni and Resnais that we must suffer.” To offer an alternative to the Italian cinema they loathed, they heavily promoted the works of Vittorio Cottafavi and Riccardo Freda. Despite their extreme antagonistic angle away from contemporary critical consensus, the group was influential; Losey would acknowledge that he owed the turning point of his career to them. 

It’s interesting to note that perhaps the movement’s biggest influence was on fellow French critic Jean-Luc Godard, who you’d imagine stood in stark contrast to them in personal and cinematic beliefs, yet the impact is obvious. There is a scene in Breathless in the Mac Mahon itself where Otto Preminger’s Whirpool is being played, which Pierre Rissient co-directed and is littered with Mac Mahonien cameos. The looming influence of the group can also be seen in Contempt, where Fritz Lang, one of their idols, lingers.

The Mac Mahons were, in some ways, the devil to the Cahiers’ angel. They existed as two parts of France’s cinematic soul which couldn’t exist without the other – a good example of this divide is in Juliette Binoche’s debut film Liberty Belle, directed by former Cahiers critic Pascal Kane, where the two leads are diametric opposites, one a reader of Presence du cinema, the other a reader of Cahiers du cinema, one associated with the right-wing OAS, the other with the left-wing FLN.

In a time of disparate internet reviews and online blinkered fandoms, it is weird to imagine a time when cinema could be so divided and interlinked. The Mac Mahon cinema still stands as it once did, but the movement’s critics are mostly gone. Yet we still watch the movies they championed, we still have the same conversations they had, and ultimately if you acknowledge cinema as a legitimate art form, then to some degree, you engage with their philosophy. 

---

---

Key Figures of the Mac Mahon Movement

If you are a fan of cinema, you know the 5+ names associated with the Cahiers du cinema; there are, of course, more than that. Still, nonetheless, you generally know the Cahiers’ critics; in turn, let’s look at the Mac-Mahoniens and see their fortunes. 

Pierre Rissient 

The founder and the soul of the Mac-Mahon. Pierre Rissient founded the circle of moviegoers in the early 1950s and would be among the first major reappraisers of Joseph Losey, Jacques Tourneur, Jules Dassin and many more. While he did direct five films, his true profession was discovering and supporting directors. 

He was arguably the first to recognise the brilliance of Clint Eastwood‘s direction, and there is a laundry list of directors who owe some part of their acclaim to him; Werner Herzog, King Hu, Edward Yang, Abbas Kiarostami, John Boorman, Jane Campion, Oliver Stone, Quentin Tarantino – the list goes on. The American critic Todd McCarthy was such a follower of his that he made a documentary on him in 2007. Upon his passing in 2018, Eastwood paid tribute to his dear supporter in the end credits of The Mule.

Bernard Martinand

At one point, an assistant director, Bernard Martinand, was best known for his film programming and was the founder of the cine club Nickel Odeon. Martinand would spend most of his career working at the French Cinematheque, organising programming that celebrated undercelebrated directors in line with the Mac Mahon philosophy.

---

---

Michel Mourlet

Michel Mourlet was a key part of the Mac Mahoniens and became the editor of Presence du cinéma, the centrepiece of the Mac Mahonien movement, until 1966. Mourlet was a central figure who emphasised the power of mise-en-scene and helped contribute to the development of the auteur theory. After his time with the Mac Mahoniens, Mourlet continued his film critic and writing career. 

He taught at various institutions and lectured on the art of cinema, always holding true to the aesthetic principles he and the Mac  Mahoniens cherished. In the later years of his career, Mourlet transitioned towards writing novels and essays. However, his contributions to film theory and criticism remained an enduring part of his legacy.

Patrick Brion

Patrick Brion, one of the younger members of the Mac Mahoniens, was not as closely associated with the group, but he nonetheless took its ideas to heart. Brion, a critic, presenter and writer, is best known for his TV show on France 3, ‘Le Cinema de Minuit’ (Midnight Cinema), which screened overlooked, rare, and classic films, mirroring the Mac Mahonien approach.

Over the years, “Le Cinéma de Minuit” has become a staple of French television, known for its ability to uncover hidden gems from the vaults of film history. Brion meticulously selected each film, personally ensuring that the programme remained a platform for showcasing the diversity and depth of world cinema.

---

---

Jacques Lourcelles

Jacques Lourcelles is primarily known for his “Dictionnaire du cinéma: Les films,” an enormous, comprehensive work that took him nearly three decades to complete. First published in 1992, the dictionary includes detailed reviews, information on thousands of films worldwide, and valuable historical and contextual commentary. 

Lourcelles’ work, particularly his “Dictionnaire du cinéma,” embodies the spirit of the Mac Mahoniens by offering deep, thoughtful analyses of films that go beyond surface narratives to uncover the director’s artistic expression.

Bertrand Tavernier

Bertrand Tavernier was a French director, screenwriter, actor, and producer who left an indelible mark on the cinema world. His career spanned over six decades, during which he directed more than 30 films, wrote numerous screenplays, and played an instrumental role in promoting cinema. Given his profound influence on French and global cinema, there’s much to say about his life and work, but for this summary, we’ll focus on his early influences and ties to the Mac Mahoniens.

Born in Lyon, France, Tavernier began his career in the film industry in the early 1960s. His early experiences included working as an assistant director for notable filmmakers such as Jean-Pierre Melville, a figure greatly admired by the Mac Mahoniens. He also worked as a film critic and publicist, exposing him to various cinematic perspectives and styles.

Tavernier’s career as a film director took off in the 1970s, and his films quickly demonstrated a breadth of styles and subjects, spanning genres from historical dramas to noir thrillers. His cinematic style, especially his attention to visual aesthetics and careful mise-en-scène, resonates with the Mac Mahoniens’ focus on directorial prowess and cinematic aesthetics.

Moreover, Tavernier’s film historian and preservationist work aligns him with the Mac Mahoniens’ commitment to championing forgotten or overlooked cinema. He served as the president of the Institut Lumière in Lyon, a cultural organisation dedicated to preserving and promoting cinema history. His passion for film history was also evident in his 2016 documentary, “Voyage à travers le cinéma français” (“Journey Through French Cinema”), which explored France’s rich cinematic tradition.

Sources

• https://www.boxofficepro.com/the-mac-mahon-thought-and-cinema-converge-in-the-heart-of-paris/
• https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2012/feature-articles/the-artist-and-the-macmahon-factor/
• https://www.critikat.com/panorama/entretien/lhistoire-du-mac-mahonisme-avec-christophe-fouchet/
• https://www.lexpress.fr/informations/la-legende-du-mac-mahon_630872.html
• https://www.allersretoursasso.fr/mac-mahon/
• https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/obituaries/pierre-rissient-81-behind-the-scenes-force-of-cinema-dies.html