Maximilienne, born Henriette Genty in 1884, was a French actress who made a name for herself playing a wide range of female authority figures throughout her long and distinguished career.
From her early days in the sound period to the emergence of the French New Wave, Maximilienne embodied countless characters that commanded respect, including a mother superior, school mistress, headmistress of a reform school, Salvation Army general, and even a princess.
She was rarely depicted as a loving wife, often instead playing the role of a narrow-minded old maid. However, when she did appear as a married woman, it was usually as a widow, whose late husband had chosen to leave life prematurely to escape her.
Despite her characters' flaws, Maximilienne was a talented actress who brought color and depth to her roles. She was particularly memorable as one of the boarding house guests in Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1942 masterpiece "L'assassin habite au 21".
Occasionally, Maximilienne's characters showed a softer side, as seen in Fritz Lang's "Liliom" (1933),where she played a more affectionate old maid.
Throughout her career, Maximilienne was one of those colorful character actors and actresses that the French cinema of the classic era could not do without. And she will be fondly remembered for her contributions to the world of cinema.
