Henri Decaë

Although Henri Decaë gained fame as a cinematographer, he actually entered the film industry as an editor and soundman. Serving as a cameraman in the French army during WW II, upon his release he began making documentaries and directing and photographing industrial and commercial films, then in 1947 made his first feature. His documentary background showed in the look of the films he photographed, and he worked often with directors Louis Malle and Claude Chabrol. From those early, gritty films, Decae evolved into one of the premier cinematographers of plush, big-budget extravaganzas.