French Director Carne Dies At 90

Marcel Carne, who directed the classic French film “Les Enfants du Paradis” (The Children of Paradise), died Thursday. He was 90.

Carne, whose style is known as “poetic realism,” teamed up with Jacques Prevert to create two of his greatest films during the German occupation of World War II. His set designer and composer were Jews, and he had to hide their involvement from the Nazis.

“Children” ran 3 hours and was the most lavish and costly French film ever when it premiered in March 1945. Starring Jean-Louis Barrault and Arletty, it’s about the life of the 19th century mime Jean-Baptiste Debureau.

A second classic, “Les Visiteurs du Soir” (Night Visitors), used a medieval story to denounce the occupation.