Egypt, 1949. At the age of 10, Claude Francois was already dreaming of a
singing career, while his father, who worked for the Suez Canal Company, hoped
Claude would follow in his footsteps. Expelled from the country in the wake of
the nationalization of the canal by the Nasser government, the François family
took refuge in Monaco, where Claude, always working on perfecting his musical
training, was hired as a drummer in a jazz band. Outraged, his father disowned
him. When the latter died in 1961, the young man moved to Paris with his
mother and sister and, through sheer determination, managed to break into the
world of show business. Claude enjoyed phenomenal popularity. At the age of
30, he co-wrote and recorded the song "Comme d'habitude," which went on to
become a huge hit. It was then translated into English by Paul Anka and
recorded by Frank Sinatra under the title "My Way." Unfortunately, Claude's
love life wasn't as successful, due to his jealous nature and narcissistic
temperament. He went through an acrimonious divorce, followed by a stormy
affair with French singer France Gall. In 1978, just two years after his song
"Le Telephone Pleure" ("The Telephone is Crying") made the U.K. charts and two
months after he performed a concert for an audience of 6,000 at the Royal
Albert Hall in London, fate struck. ----- Cloclo, c'est le destin tragique
d'une icône de la chanson française décédée à l'âge de 39 ans, qui plus de
trente ans après sa disparition continue de fasciner. Star adulée et business
man, bête de scène et pro du marketing avant l'heure, machine à tubes et
patron de presse, mais aussi père de famille et homme à femmes... Cloclo ou le
portrait d'un homme complexe, multiple ; toujours pressé, profondément moderne
et prêt à tout pour se faire aimer.