Composer
Joseph Kosma
Born 22 October 1905 · Budapest, Hungary — died 7 August 1969
Joseph Kosma (1905–1969) was a Budapest-born composer who settled in Paris in 1933 and worked in French cinema. He collaborated closely with poet Jacques Prévert and director Jean Renoir. His scores for Renoir's 1930s films, and songs such as "Autumn Leaves," made him a defining voice of French poetic realism.
Key films
The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936)
An early Renoir-Prévert collaboration that placed Kosma at the centre of French poetic realism.
Grand Illusion (1937)
His score for Renoir's celebrated First World War drama is among his most widely known film work.
La Bête Humaine (1938)
Kosma scored Renoir's dark railway drama, continuing their run of acclaimed collaborations.
The Rules of the Game (1939)On Cinespective
Kosma provided music for Renoir's masterpiece, regularly ranked among the greatest films ever made.
Gates of the Night (1946)
Marcel Carné's film featured Kosma's song "Autumn Leaves," with lyrics by Prévert, which became a global standard.
Key awards
No major awards are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 47
- 1936The Crime of Monsieur LangeComposer
- 1936JennyComposer
- 1936Jenny · as joueur d'harmoniumActor
- 1937Grand IllusionComposer
- 1938La Bête HumaineComposer
- 1939The Rules of the GameComposer
- 1943Adieu LéonardComposer
- 1946A Day in the CountryComposer
- 1946Gates of the NightComposer
- 1947BethsabéeComposer
- 1947Noah's ArkComposer
- 1947Love Around the HouseComposer
- 1948The Eleven O'Clock WomanComposer
- 1948Man to MenComposer
- 1949Blood of the BeastsComposer
- 1949Truant SchoolComposer
- 1949The Lovers of VeronaComposer
- 1950Fugitive from MontrealComposer
- 1951Juliette, or Key of DreamsComposer
- 1951Without Leaving an AddressComposer
- 1951PerfectionistComposer
- 1952The Green GloveComposer
- 1952Crimson CurtainComposer
- 1953Rhine VirginComposer
- 1954No ExitComposer
- 1955The FugitivesComposer
- 1955Magic VillageComposer
- 1956Main StreetComposer
- 1956That Is the DawnComposer
- 1956People of No ImportanceComposer
- 1956Goubbiah and the Gipsy GirlComposer
- 1956SoupçonsComposer
- 1957The Case of Dr. LaurentComposer
- 1958Three Days to LiveComposer
- 1958TamangoComposer
- 1958A Certain Mr. JoComposer
- 1959Picnic on the GrassComposer
- 1959KatiaComposer
- 1960Experiment in EvilComposer
- 1960CroesusComposer
- 1960Love and the FrenchwomanComposer
- 1962The Elusive CorporalComposer
- 1962The DollComposer
- 1963Light-Fingered GeorgeComposer
- 1963In the French StyleComposer
- 1967Bitter FruitComposer
- 1974The Little Theatre of Jean RenoirComposer
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.