Bernard Blier, façon puzzle

Bernard Blier has appeared in more than 180 films over a career spanning more than half a century. He embodies the history of French cinema without having sought to cultivate its legend. Throughout his century-long career as an actor, he maintained the modesty of a craftsman, valuing learning, know-how, and the transmission of skills. He saw himself, like a butcher or a cabinetmaker, as someone useful to his fellow men. Bernard Blier found in Louis Jouvet, his teacher at the Conservatory, a master in acting, a mentor, and even a spiritual father. Jouvet taught Blier his love of acting, theater, and Molière. His ability to deliver Michel Audiard's best tirades, such as those in "Tontons Flingueurs," can be attributed to this training.