AllMovie

Yves Montand (1921-1991), like many leading men of his era, left a life offscreen which was at least as dramatic as anything he portrayed onscreen. The beloved Italian/French singer and actor speaks for himself in this documentary, compiled exclusively from his many interviews. Also shown are clips from some of his many films. Born with the name Ivo Livi to poor Italian communist parents, he moved with them at an early age to Marseilles France to avoid fascist persecution, and he worked on the docks there and as a hairdresser before being discovered on the music hall stage by Edith Piaf, who promoted his career as a singer and entertainer, as well as being one of his many lovers. Later he began to receive critical attention as a serious actor, and by the conclusion of his life he was regarded as something of a national treasure. By all reports, he enjoyed his great status enormously.