Élisabeth, a forgotten 1944 novel written by Éric Rohmer under the pseudonym Gilbert Cordier, has returned to print eighty years after its initial publication, offering critics a crucial origin story for the late French New Wave director. According to the New Yorker critic Richard Brody, the rediscovered book is a rewarding read on its own merits, functioning as a literary ancestor to arthouse masterpieces like Claire’s Knee and Pauline à la Plage.
The Resurrection of a Lost Rohmer Manuscript
Written while Rohmer worked as a freelance journalist in Nazi-occupied Paris, the novel follows a loose-knit group of dreamers during the summer of 1939. The author originally used the pen name Gilbert Cordier to shield his Catholic family from the scandal of writing about age-gap affairs and semi-incestuous flirtations, according to historical accounts. The finished book barely made a ripple upon release and quickly slipped out of print. Today, the text has been republished in an English-language translation by Aaron Kerner, courtesy of McNally Editions.
Novelist André Aciman, who wrote the foreword to the new edition, describes the work as embryonic. Aciman notes that the publication captures all the themes that later became more developed and impactful in the director’s films. Meanwhile, New Wave cinema expert Adrian Martin points out that the basic dynamic of hyper-rationalising characters discussing love and desire is already fully present in the early prose.
Did you know? Éric Rohmer used multiple pseudonyms throughout his life, sometimes claiming he was born in Tulle and other times in Nancy, largely to keep his film career hidden from his mother, who would have viewed filmmaking as an improper profession.
From Failed Literature to New Wave Cinema
Stung by the commercial failure of Élisabeth, Rohmer abandoned prose fiction to focus on film criticism. He eventually transitioned to directing as an older member of a generation that included prominent filmmakers like Claude Chabrol, Jean-Luc Godard, and François Truffaut. Rohmer later remarked that he no longer believed in literature and felt cinema had supplanted it.
According to Aciman, cinema provided a more natural home for Rohmer’s studies of human behavior. Plot elements that felt formulaic in the early novel translated into honest and lively dynamics on screen. Martin explains that Rohmer achieved this freshness by favoring improvisation, often working with small crews of three or four people and encouraging spontaneity by avoiding multiple takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who authored the novel Élisabeth?
A: The book was written by Maurice Schérer, who used the pseudonym Gilbert Cordier before later adopting the famous pen name Éric Rohmer.
Q: Who translated the newly republished edition of Élisabeth?
A: The English-language translation was completed by Aaron Kerner and published by McNally Editions.
Q: What are some of Éric Rohmer’s most famous films?
A: His best-known works include Claire’s Knee, Pauline à la Plage, My Night at Maud’s, The Green Ray, and the Tales of the Four Seasons series.
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