1942-74

Geneviève Bujold was born in Montreal, Canada on the 1st July 1942 (Canada Day), the second of three children.
She was born into a devout French-Canadian Catholic family and attended a convent school for the most part of her youth. It was a strict schooling and opportunities to come out of her shell were limited. She is quoted as saying of this time: "I felt I was in a long, dark tunnel, trying to convince myself that if I could ever get out, there was light ahead". The light appeared sooner than expected when she was expelled for reading a forbidden novel.

She followed her heart and enrolled into the Quebec Conservatory of Dramatic Art. Not too long after she was offered a part in The Barber Of Seville with Le Rideau Vert touring theatre company. She accepted and left school before graduating. After a couple of minor roles, Alain Resnais the acclaimed director of Last Year At Marienbad cast her opposite Yves Montand in the 1966 film La Guerre Est Finie after his mother recommended her to him.

It followed the lives of anti-Franco Marxists and their dealings in Spain and France. It was well received on the art house circuit and allowed the young Geneviève a foothold in the film industry. Almost immediately following on from La Guerre Est Fine, she stayed in France to appear in King Of Hearts as the inmate of a mental hospital who captures the heart of Alan Bates. He is a soldier sent in to a French town to disarm a bomb. He finds the town deserted apart from the residents of the home. He soon realises they have a much better life than him and pretends to be an inmate to avoid a return to the true madness in the world, the war. It's a brilliant anti-war film with some very funny and touching moments. It did nothing to dent Ms. Bujold's reputation and the next year she had her first starring role in Louis Malle's 1967 film Le Voleur opposite the great Jean-Paul Belmondo

Her performance earned her the prestigious Suzanne Bianchetti award, which is given to the most promising French actress of the year. It's a good indicator of talent with winners including: Isabelle Adjani, Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Ledoyen and Audrey Tautou. The award is named after René Jeanne's wife after she died in 1936 and has been given every year since.
1968 was a busy year for Ms. Bujold. She was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in the N.B.C. production of Joan Of Arc, and she married the film producer Paul Almond. He is perhaps best known in Britain for his series for Granada Television "7UP", which he directed, produced and wrote, before handing over the reigns to Michael Apted. It follows the lives of a group of British children who were all seven years old in 1964 and returns to them every seven years to check on their ups and downs. 49UP is due this year. Isabel, the first of Almond's trilogy starring Geneviève Bujold was also released and once again had excellent reviews. The other two films were Act Of The Heart and Journey. She went on to make a total of two other films with Mr. Almond, but for Isabel she won the best actress award at the Toronto Film festival.
The next year saw her gain widespread recognition and acclaim for the title role in Anne Of The Thousand Days. Playing Anne Boleyn to Richard Burton's Henry VIII was a fantastic opportunity which she grabbed with both hands giving a truly stunning performance as the young queen desperate to bear the king the male heir he so desires.

The role gained a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress, along with a nomination for a Best Actress Oscar. It also produced a three picture deal with film giants Universal. Things seemed to be going extremely well.
The second of the Almond trilogy Act Of The Heart was released in 1970, the same year the awards for Anne Of The Thousand Days were given out. Once more Ms. Bujold starred alongside a big Hollywood name, this time Donald Sutherland, in the controversial tale of a priest and an extremely devout singer in his choir. It has one of the most unexpected ends to any film I've seen before or since. Later in the year Universal offered her the lead in Mary Queen Of Scots, but it was turned down due to a fear of becoming typecast. This didn't please Universal and a long running battle ensued. In the meantime, she travelled to Europe to film 1971's The Trojan Women. A superb cast, including Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave and Irene Papas told the story of the aftermath of the fall of Troy to the Greeks and the panic among the Trojans to escape slavery. The film wasn't well received, but Bujold's performances were once more picked out as of a high standard.
1972 saw the release of the final film of the Paul Almond trilogy, Journey. It rounded of a trio of films that are considered among Canada's film heritage.
In 1973 Geneviève Bujold and Paul Almond divorced. They had a son, Matthew James Almond, who became an actor, producer and director in his own right.
The next year saw a return to Hollywood and a film made for her Universal contract. Earthquake was a 70s disaster classic, complete with requisite all-star cast. Geneviève added a touch of understated class to this brash, bawdy epic. Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, Richard Roundtree and a cameo from Walter Matthau, gave an entertaining, but popcorn friendly film. It was a departure from previous roles, and saw her playing second fiddle to a very poor Ava Gardner (who ludicrously played Lorne Greene's daughter) and having a relatively small and superfluous role 1975 - 1983

The new year saw a reunion with Jean-Paul Belmondo in the conman comedy L'Incorrigible. It was also a second film with Philippe de Broca who directed Ms. Bujold in King Of Hearts in 1966.
1976 saw three films released, all different, and all successful to varying extents. Swashbuckler is an old fashioned pirate adventure co-starring Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones and Beau Bridges. It's an enjoyable, slice of old Hollywood, and was roundly dismissed by the critics. Despite a poor showing at the box office, it has since gained a loyal fan base who enjoy it for the entertainment it is. Hollywood has since tried a few more times to revive the pirate films, and has finally (perhaps) succeeded with Pirates Of The Caribbean. Call me biased if you will, I prefer Swashbuckler.

Swashbuckler was followed in quick succession by the Brian de Palma homage to Hitchcock, Obsession. Unlike Swashbuckler however, this was widely acknowledged as a great film. Geneviève Bujold gives a remarkable performance in a twin role, and is here seen alongside Cliff Robertson and John Lithgow. Of de Palma's frequent trips to Hitchcockland, this was the closest he got to equalling the master. Vertigo, which it closely resembles, is a better film, but there's no comparison with the leading ladies. Kim Novak is the star of Vertigo, and while she is a good actress, she was never before or since in anything remotely near this quality with the possible exception being Otto Preminger's The Man With The Golden Arm where she starred alongside Frank Sinatra.

The last film of the three was Alex & The Gypsy. Geneviève was the gypsy of the title to Jack Lemmon's Alex. This was another odd film, sharply splitting audiences and critics alike. It's maybe down to Jack Lemmon's character. He plays totally against type as a hard nosed bail bondsman. This coupled with some scenes of a more adult nature didn't go down well with prudish audiences. Personally, I think it's an excellent film, with James Woods providing excellent support to Geneviève Bujold's amazing performance as the gypsy accused of attempted murder. Jack Lemmon plays her former lover, torn between his love for her and his knowledge that she's liable to abscond and leave him out of pocket to some tune. Bujold's performance is exceptional.

1977 saw the release of the little known, Another Man, Another Chance. It's a very slow paced love story set in 1870s America. Two people are gradually drawn together after their spouses die in tragic accidents. It's one of my favourite ever films, and deserves to be more widely known.
Her next film was much more widely seen and liked. Michael Crichton of Jurassic Park and Westworld fame directed her and Michael Douglas in Coma, a 1978 medical thriller. It is perhaps, along with Anne Of The Thousand Days her best known role. A doctor becomes suspicious of the number of patients falling into comas at her hospital and enters a tense battle with an unknown enemy to find the real reason. Other stars include Richard Widmark, and Rip Torn, with early supporting roles for Ed Harris and Tom Selleck.
Her run of prominent films carried on into 1979 with the classy Sherlock Holmes film Murder By Decree. Geneviève had a small, but pivotal role in this tale that pitted Arthur Conan-Doyle's detective against Jack The Ripper. The cast was truly remarkable with Holmes and Watson being played by Christopher Plummer and James Mason respectively and with Donald Sutherland, David Hemmings, Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, Frank Finlay, and last but not least, EastEnder's Dot Cotton (June Brown) all giving sterling support.

Murder By Decree was, in all but name remade in 2001 without the presence of Holmes and Watson, and with a sugary Hollywood ending tagged on. It was called From Hell and starred Johnny Depp and Heather Graham. Both are excellent films, if the severe libertys that are taken with the truth are allowed to pass.
The years at the start of the decade were relatively quiet with only Disney's The Last Flight Of Noah's Ark (1980), Final Assignment (1980) and Monsignor (1982) having a cinematic release. The rest of the eighties was similarly quiet, with only seven films in total being made in the remainder.

1984 & Onwards

The biggest film of Geneviève Bujold's career in the eighties was 1984's Tightrope. It starred Clint Eastwood in a role akin to his Dirty Harry films, although here he plays Wes Block, a New Orleans detective on the trail of a sadistic murderer and rapist. Geneviève plays a rape counsellor who the troubled cop turns to and falls for. The same year saw the release of the first of three films on the spin for the maverick American director Alan Rudolph. This was Choose Me, the quirky tale of tangled and complex lives. Geneviève plays a radio presenter on an advice show who struggles with her own problems in the real world. It's an intense character driven film with great performances by the cast. Keith Carradine a Rudolph regular, Lesley Anne Warren and Rae Dawn Chong all have interesting and diverse roles.

The next of the three Rudolph films was Trouble In Mind. Again a largely character driven story, although with more action and a harsher outlook. It's set in the fictional Rain City, in what is either the future or a 50s/80s amalgam in some off kilter alternative reality. Kris Kristofferson plays an ex-cop released from prison and going back to his old haunts and old love. He becomes mixed up with a variety of dysfunctional or damaged Rain City inhabitants including Lori Singer, Keith Carradine and Divine.
A two year hiatus was ended in 1988 with the third collaboration with Alan Rudolph (and indeed Keith Carradine). The Moderns is set in 1920s Paris and has a complex plot involving forged art, love triangles, Ernest Hemingway and duelling. It is a very entertaining film, much more accessible than the preceding two Rudolph films, but still with an air of quality. Keith Carradine plays Nick Hart, a struggling painter desperately trying to make a living through his art, but spending most of his time drinking with the expatriate community. A quirky cast once again give a good account of themselves with Linda Fiorentino and John Lone standing out.

Later that year saw the release of the controversial David Cronenberg's Dead Ringers, the unsettling tale of madness, jealousy and gynaecology. It's difficult viewing at times and was a brave choice by Geneviève. Jeremy Irons gives his career best performance for me. The performances aside, it was a successful film, although the subject matter will definitely not endear itself to all. It's notable on a technical front as being one of the first films to use computers to handle the split screen scenes of the twins.
Her next film was altogether more wholesome. The Paper Wedding is the tale of a woman marrying a political refugee so he can gain Canadian citizenship. The authorities are suspicious and the couple are forced to live together. The next year saw the release of the much more well known Green Card starring Gerard Depardieu and Andie MacDowell, and should have carried an "inspired by The Paper Wedding" in the closing titles if all things were fair.
The early 90s saw a number of small independent films being released, most notably 1992's The Dance Goes On. She teamed up once more with Paul Almond, and starred alongside their son Matthew. The mid 80s continued in a largely similar way with her next showing on a major film being the 1996 version of The Adventures Of Pinocchio. It's a part animation, mostly live action telling of the story, with little of the Disney version showing through thankfully. It's a truer telling of the original tale, and while perfectly acceptable for children, is much more bearable, enjoyable even for an accompanying adult. Martin Landau is good as the down trodden Geppetto, with other notable cast members being: Bebe Neuwirth, Udo Kier and Rob Schneider. Before this however Geneviève endured some controversy when she pulled out of the science fiction series Star Trek: Voyager. She'd been given the role of Captain Janeway (click here for a clip), the lead, but left the job soon after realising the almost production line style wasn't to her liking. It was a strange episode altogether, but was soon put behind her with a spate of acclaimed films towards the end of the decade.

The House Of Yes was a big hit on the art house and indie scene. It tells the story of a very dysfunctional family and the occurences on one stormy night. The mother (Bujold) is the head of the house containing a variety of disturbed grown up children. Freddie Prinz Jr is permanently bewildered or high, it's difficult to say which, Parker Posey plays a girl obsessed with Jackie Kennedy in particular, and the rest of the Kennedy clan. Her twin brother returns home with his new girlfriend and comes in for a rough ride from his delusion, although charming twin.
The decade finished on a highpoint with Last Night. It's a tale of a young man wanting to spend the world's last day alone with a bottle of wine, but having obstacles placed in his path by relatives and friends who want to spend the climactic moment together. It's a great film, directed by and starring Don McKellar but is not widely known which is a shame. It gives a largely positive outlook of the human race which is rare these days and should have met with a wider audience. Anybody I've watched it with has been affected in some way, with no-one saying they disliked it.
The last film of the decade was "The Eye Of The Beholder". Geneviève had a small supporting role in this Hollywood thriller starring Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Patrick Bergin, Jason Priestley and K.D. Lang. It's a confusing, twisting serial killer thriller. To say too much would spoil it, but it's not a typical Hollywood release and takes some concentration to keep up with the story.
From 2000 onwards Geneviève has been in at least a film a year, although I know very little about these with the exception of Jericho Mansions, a thriller set in an apartment block where James Caan is the janitor. Again this is a great film sadly overlooked. The cast of Caan, Bujold and Jennifer Tilly should have ensured a wider release, but thankfully due to the internet I was able to order this.