Fantômas is a man of many disguises. He uses maquillage as a weapon. He can impersonate anyone using an array of masks and can create endless confusion by constantly changing his appearance.
Practical Effects
Those masks! Pre-CGI face-swapping with pure 1964 craft.
Costume
Fantômas's sleek black bodysuit defined villain chic.
Acting
Jean Marais plays four roles; de Funès plays one at maximum volume.
Director
André Hunebelle
Jean Marais
Fantômas / Fandor / Lord Shelton / Vieux gardien de la prison
Louis de Funès
Commissaire Juve
Mylène Demongeot
Hélène
Jacques Dynam
Inspecteur Bertrand
Robert Dalban
Directeur du journal
Marie-Hélène Arnaud
Lady Beltham
Anne-Marie Peysson
La speakrine
Christian Toma
Inspecteur Pierre
Andrée Tainsy
Habilleuse
Henri Attal
Homme de main de Fantômas
Pierre Collet
Agent qui arrête le commissaire Juve
Henri Guégan
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This kicked off France's first blockbuster trilogy and made Fantômas a national icon, spawning decades of sequels, comics, and even a 2024 reboot announcement.
Jean Marais was director André Hunebelle's neighbor and suggested the project after playing the villain in Cocteau's *Beauty and the Beast*.
FR
