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Claude Bolling

Claude Bolling

Composer · Died December 29, 2020, aged 90 · Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Claude Bolling (10 April 1930 – 29 December 2020) was a French jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and occasional actor. He was born in Cannes, France, and studied at the Nice Conservatory, and then in Paris. A child prodigy, by the age of 14 he was playing jazz piano professionally, with Lionel Hampton, Roy Eldridge, and Kenny Clarke. Bolling's books on jazz technique show that he did not delve far beyond bebop into much avant-garde jazz. He was a major part of the traditional jazz revival in the late 1960s, and he became friends with Oscar Peterson. He wrote music for over one hundred films, including a 1957 documentary about the Cannes Film Festival, and films such as The Hands of Orlac (1960), World in My Pocket (1961), Me and the Forty Year Old Man (1965), Atlantic Wall (1970), Borsalino (1970), To Catch a Spy (1971), Le Magnifique (1973), Enuff Is Enuff (J'ai mon voyage!), Borsalino & Co. (1974), Flic Story (1975), The Passengers (1977), Silver Bears (1978), California Suite (1978), Jigsaw (L'Homme en colère) (1979), The Awakening (1980), Willie & Phil (1980), Three Men to Kill (1980), The Bay Boy (1984), He Died with His Eyes Open (1985), Try This One for Size (1989) and Chance or Coincidence (1998). Bolling was also noted for a series of "crossover" collaborations with classical musicians. His Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio with Jean-Pierre Rampal, a mix of Baroque elegance with modern swing, has been a top seller for many years, and was followed up by other works in the same vein. It was particularly popular in the United States, at the top of the hit parade for two years after its release and on the Billboard top 40 for 530 weeks, roughly ten years. Following his work with Rampal, Bolling went on to work with many other musicians, from different genres, including guitarist Alexandre Lagoya, violinist Pinchas Zukerman, trumpeter Maurice André, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. He also worked with and performed tributes to many others, including Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, Stéphane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, and Oscar Peterson. Bolling was also notable as the composer of the Lucky Luke animated features Daisy Town (1971) and La Ballade des Dalton (1978). Source: Article "Claude Bolling" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 10, 1930
Died
December 29, 2020 (aged 90)
From
Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Works as
Composer
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 68 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 45% in 30 days

What are Claude Bolling's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
27%
Bonds
22%
Self
18%
Power
12%
Society
10%
Survival
7%
Ideas
4%
Justice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 17 · Serious 2 · Dark 8

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 16 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 12 · Charged 10 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 11 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 7

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Absurd
10
Joyful
9
Warm
5
Melancholic
5
Other
19

How their films linger

Fun13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Claude Bolling's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Claude Bolling's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

68 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Life Before Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Composer

  • Brigitte Bardot : Divine B.B. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Actor

  • Letter from an Unknown Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Composer

  • Chance or Coincidence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Composer

  • Maintenant ou jamais (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Composer · Sound

  • Le Veilleur de nuit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Composer

  • The Pleasure of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Composer

  • Netchayev is Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Composer

  • Want to Stay Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • Have a Nice Night(1990)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Try This One for Size(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • La Garçonne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Composer

  • La Rumba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Composer

  • Un métier de seigneur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Composer

  • La gitane(1986)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • He Died with His Eyes Open(1985)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Bay Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Composer

  • Le Léopard(1984)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Louisiane(1984)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Lucky Luke: The Daltons on the Run(1983)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer

  • Le calvaire d'un jeune homme impeccable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Compositor

  • Fais gaffe à la gaffe!(1981)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Three Men to Kill(1980)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Willie & Phil(1980)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Awakening(1980)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • La pitié dangereuse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • The Other One's Mug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • Le Plus Heureux des trois (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Composer

  • L'Étrange Monsieur Duvallier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 6 episodes · Composer

  • L'homme en colère(1979)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Horoscope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Composer

  • Un papillon sur l'épaule(1978)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Claudine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 4 episodes · Composer · Musical

  • California Suite(1978)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Lucky Luke: Ballad of the Daltons(1978)

    Composer · Music Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Centipede Is Tap Dancing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Composer

  • Silver Bears(1977)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Passengers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Composer

  • The Probability Factor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Composer

  • The Gypsy(1975)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Flic Story(1975)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Les Brigades du Tigre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 36 episodes · Composer

  • Tell Me You Love Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer

  • Borsalino and Co.(1974)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Say it with Flowers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Composer

  • Le Magnifique(1973)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Le Solitaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Composer

  • La Mandarine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Composer

  • Daisy Town(1971)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • La Grande Maffia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Composer

  • Easy Down There! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Composer

  • Christa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 13 episodes · Composer

  • Catch Me a Spy(1971)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Le mur de l'Atlantique(1970)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Sensuous Assassin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Composer

  • Borsalino(1970)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Love in the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Composer

  • Electra One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • Constance aux enfers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Composer

  • The Day and the Hour(1963)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • An einem Freitag um halb zwölf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Composer

  • The Hands of Orlac(1960)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • That Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as (uncredited)

  • As Long as You Get Drunk... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Composer

  • 14 juillet 1953 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Composer

  • The Navigator(1924)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Day the Clown Cried (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Circus Band Conductor

Career shape

A full career of 64 titles, 63 of them dated from 1954 to 2010.

Biggest box office

The Awakening (1980)

$8.4M worldwide

Highest rated

The Navigator (1924)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

Daisy Town (1971)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 64: 3 only acting, 0 with another roleWriting1 of 64: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleMusic60 of 64: 57 only music, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score46thOther crew3 of 64: 1 only other crew, 2 with another role

64 titles, 3 with more than one role.

By decade

1950s3 · 1 acting · 2 crew1960s6 · crew1970s30 · crew1980s14 · crew1990s7 · crew2000s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew2010s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Claude Bolling's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned3
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · composer

Louisiane (1984)

57th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

The Navigator (1924)

Midcredits 92nd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 57/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 63, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Claude Bolling work with?

People who share at least 2 of Claude Bolling's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jacques Deray shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles