Margo Lion(1899-1989)

Lank and plain-looking, poker-faced and a bit starchy but looking all the more mysterious for that, Margo Lion will forever remain Jenny, the "brothel queen', in Pabst's adaptation of Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill's immortal 'Dreigroschen Oper', singing their unforgettable song 'La fiancée du pirate'. A great film debut for this French actress born in Istanbul, who was then a successful cabaret performer in Berlin. And yet, although she was kept very busy working for the cinema and later on for television, Margo Lion never became an idol or a star or even a leading lady. On the other hand, she worked with talented directors (Carné, Chenal, Duvivier, Pabst as well as creators of the next generation such as Demy, Chabrol or Franju) and proved how versatile and talented a character actress she was. She could indeed play any type of role: a prostitute ('L'alibi') or a nun ('Le dialogue des carmélites'), a peevish maid ('La danse de mort') or a petty bourgeois ('L'affaire Lafarge'). If there was a common point between such varied characters, it was the elegant distance and the distinguished iciness she brought to the characters she embodied. A derelict woman played by Margo Lion was not a wreck but a lady who seemed to go through temporary trouble. Margo Lion is almost forgotten, which is a pity. She deserves better.