Yves Montand

Yves Montand: his life

Ivo Livi was born in Monsummano Terme, which at the time was part of the Province of Lucca. He was the youngest of three brothers. Since his parents, Giovanni and Giuseppina, were socialist activists, the family had to emigrate to France in Marseille after the advent of fascism in 1923.

Growing up, the young Ivo Livi moved to Paris and it is there that he became Yves Montand. The nickname is derived from “Frenchification” of his Italian name, and from the exclamation of his mother who would call him back into the house saying “Ivo, monta!” (i.e. “Ivo, come back inside!”). By the mid-1940s, he had developed an intense relationship with Edith Piaf, who helped him significantly to take the first steps into the world of the song, marking the start of a highly successful career, during which Montand combined music with movies.

Montand had many other intense loves, but the love of his life became the French actress Simone Signoret.

In 1953, he played the main character Mario in masterpiece The Wages of Fear (Le Salair de la peur), while in 1960 he worked in the United States interpreting Let’s make love alongside Marilyn Monroe. The film, which was not a big success at the box office, nor was it praised by critics, remained renowned due to the relationship that Montand intertwined with Monroe, who at the time was married to playwright Arthur Miller.

After several minor films in the second half of the sixties, and in conjunction with his increased political and social commitment, he participated in films of increasing substance, such as The war is over (La guerre est finie) and in 1969 he won the Oscar for best foreign film, The Confession (L’aveu).

Yves Montand also recorded the famous partisan song “Bella Ciao” as well as the famous folk song “Amor dammi quel fazzolettino”, (My love, give me that handkerchief).

The Commune of Monsummano Terme has dedicated the Theatre to him.