Le Signe du Lion
| The Sign of Leo | |
|---|---|
French poster | |
| Directed by | Éric Rohmer |
| Written by | Éric Rohmer (scenario) Paul Gégauff (dialogue) |
| Produced by | Claude Chabrol |
| Starring | Jess Hahn |
| Cinematography | Nicholas Hayer |
| Edited by | Anne-Marie Cotret Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte |
| Music by | Louis Saguer |
Release date |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
Le Signe du lion (The Sign of Leo) is a black and white French drama film directed by Éric Rohmer, which was filmed on location in Paris in the summer of 1959 but not released until May 1962. His first full-length work, it is not, however, one of his Six Moral Tales. Along with The 400 Blows and À Double Tour by Claude Chabrol, who produced The Sign of Leo, it counts as one of the first films of the French New Wave.
The title refers to the Zodiac sign of Leo, under which the protagonist says he was born, and much of the plot revolves around notions of luck and fate. The penniless Pierre believes he has inherited a fortune but, when told it went to a cousin, sinks into indigence and despair. Then he is found by a friend who says the cousin has died and Pierre has really inherited the fortune.
The film was not a commercial success and for eight years afterwards Rohmer concentrated on short films and on his work at the influential film magazine Cahiers du cinéma.