Prévert, Jacques - Introduction

Prévert, Jacques 1900–1977

A French poet, screenwriter, dramatist, and author of children's books, Prévert was described by Hazel Hackett in Sight and Sound as "the most poetical of script-writers … and the most unliterary of poets." He began his career as a member of the symbolist movement but soon broke away to forge his own individualistic, experimental style. An anarchist, Prévert attacked bureaucracy and officialdom in his work, directing much of his poetry to common people. Paroles, his best-known collection, is credited with making poetry accessible to a large audience. (See also Contemporary Authors, Vols. 77-80; obituary, Vols. 69-72.)