Charles Decroix

Charles Decroix (born late 19th century; died after 1919) was a French director, film producer and screenwriter whose career reached a peak in Germany in the period before World War I, one of the forgotten pioneers from the early days of European cinema.

Biography

Early successes The son of an Alsatian shoemaker, Decroix joined cinematography in 1899, a field that had barely developed until then. Subsequently, he initially wrote scripts for various companies.

In 1907, Decroix was hired by Pathé, for whom he directed, among other films, Children's Reformatory; a Balzac adaptation of Les paysans; and a short film grotesque with Max Linder, Une conquête.

In the spring of 1910, Decroix came to Berlin and spent the next four years shooting for German production companies. Until the outbreak of World War I, he was one of the leading filmmakers in the early days of German cinematography, providing its first artistic inspirations and technical know-how. Both his dramas and a series of comedies met with critical acclaim.

In 1912, he went to Italy and worked briefly for Milano Films. He then returned to Berlin for two film projects, which he realized with Heinrich Bolten-Baeckers. After these two comedy films starring Leo Peukert and Sabine Impekoven, Decroix was no longer involved in cinema.

Nothing is known of his life subsequently.

Selected filmography as director 1907–1910 in France, 1910–1914 and 1921–1922 in Germany, 1917 in Switzerland:

1907: Children's Reformatory 1908: Pédicure d’amour 1909: La victime 1909: Dans l’Hellade 1909: Les paysans 1909: 1910: 1910: Haine implacable 1910: Affaire d’honneur 1910: 1910: Der Hühneraugenoperateur 1910: Der Leuchtturmwächter 1910: Graf Gallas 1910: Das vierte Gebot 1910: Die Spinne 1910: Weihnachtstränen 1910: Pro Patria 1911: Das Herz einer Gattin 1911: Die neue Gouvernante 1911: Die guten Hosen 1912: Mona Lisa 1913: Freunde 1913: Der Fleck 1913: 1913: 1913: Ave Maria 1913: Die Affaire Dumaine 1913: Die Freuden der Reserveübung 1913: Brutal 1913: Gütertrennung? 1913: Vae Victis! 1914: Die kleine Heiratsvermittlerin 1914: Schwitzbad G.m.b.H. 1914: Die Unschuld vom Lande 1914: Zimmer No. 22 1914: Ein Frauenherz 1914: 1914: Im Liebestaumel 1917: Ein Ausflug der französischen Internierten von Interlaken nach der Schynigen Platte (short documentary) 1917: Seeregatta auf dem Zürichsee (short documentary) 1917: Die sieben Todsünden: Der Zorn 1917: Endlich allein 1917: Grenze besetzt! 1917: Frühlingsmanöver 1921: Der Herr Papa (co-director) 1922: Der Herr Landrat (co-director)