Joseph Rytmann, “Emperor of Montparnasse” and owner of cinemas

The Bretagne cinema in Montparnasse -

• The book

  Rytmann, the adventure of a cinema operator in Montparnasse 

  is a tribute to the cinemas of the Montparnasse district but also to the man behind these emblematic places: Jospeh Rytmann.

• Arrived at 6 years old in France, this Russian of Jewish confession will launch out in the trade of the cinema and hold five rooms left bank.

• “All the great films were shown in Brittany or at the Miramar.

  In the 1960s, everyone went to Brittany because there were exclusive films, in the original version, it was the beautiful Montparnasse room ”, explains one of the authors of the book, Axel Huyghe.

Some have been demolished, others still make up the face of the Montparnasse district.

There is the Mistral (now destroyed), the Miramar, the Bienvenüe (which has been transformed into a theater, the Grand Point Virgule) the Montparnos and finally Brittany.

Legendary cinemas for cinephiles but also for lovers of Paris, lovers of vintage and beautiful images.

Like Axel Huyghe and Arnaud Chapuis, authors of the book

(L'Harmattan) which will be released next January after a successful crowdfunding operation.

And an adventure that began before confinement.

“We said to ourselves that there were cinemas that we didn't talk about much.

And in particular an emblematic cinema of Paris, which remains little known to Parisians, which is called Bretagne, in Montparnasse.

This cinema is the third largest cinema in Paris and nobody knows it, ”recalls Axel Huyghe, also founder of the Salles-cinema.com website.

But through this book of archival photos and texts, the authors also wanted to pay tribute to the man behind these rooms marked by their marble decorations, their golden chandeliers, their carpets: Joseph Rytmann.

"The monopoly of great films" in Montparnasse

Russian of Jewish faith, Joseph Rytmann was six years old when he arrived in Paris.

His family fled the anti-Semitic pogroms which then took place in Russia.

His father opens a grocery store in the capital.

A few years later, in 1933, Joseph also wanted to start a business.

But not just any.

The cinema trade.

“From then on he bought the Montrouge theater.

And little by little, he will create rooms in Montparnasse and will become the Emperor of Montparnasse.

He had a monopoly on great films in the district, ”describes Axel Huyghe.

But World War II broke out and anti-Semitism also fell on France.

Independent operator, he is persecuted.

Forced to sell his cinemas, he took refuge in Saumur.

At the end of the war, he returned to Paris and recovered all of his cinemas and made them emblematic places over the years.

“All the great films were shown in Brittany or at the Miramar.

In the 1960s, everyone went to Brittany because there were exclusive films, in the original version, it was the beautiful Montparnasse theater ”.

"We only see her"

Until 2009, it was Benjamine Radwanski, daughter of Joseph Rytmann who died in 1983, who owned these iconic cinemas.

But in January 2010, four of the five cinemas were sold to the Pathé Gaumont group.

Brittany, it remains in the bosom of Rytmann.

“This cinema is emblematic of the cinemas of the 1960s, through its decoration, which has not changed.

Currently, the theater is a little out of fashion but it still marks, and especially spectators fond of action films because this cinema has become the showcase of blockbusters in French, ”explains Axel Huyghe.

And to specify: “This room marks the Parisians, because it at the crossroads of the place of Rennes, one sees only one with its big blue signs.

It's a cinema district ”.

And a neighborhood cinema in danger?

“It seemed necessary and urgent to us to talk about this kind of cinemas.

It is not a multiplex and we know that their survival is complicated ”, exclaims Axel Huyghe.

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• Second World War

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• Montparnasse Station

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