Fabrice Samuel Labarthe Fabrice is based on Gaston Palewski (1901-1984), the love of Mitford's life from 1942, when they met while he was in London as aide to General de Gaulle, to 1969, when he broke her heart by marrying another woman. French actor Samuel Labarthe plays this attractive but infamous philanderer. Labarthe's credits include the films Lacenaire. L' Accompagnatrice, Priez pour nous and La Bûche. On television, he has appeared in Le Jardin des plantes, La Comète, Le Crabe sur la banquette arrière, and De plein fouet. In Mitford's words: Fabrice [Linda] became aware that somebody was standing beside her, not an old lady but a short, stocky, very dark Frenchman in a black Homburg hat. He was laughing. Linda took no notice, but went on crying. The more she cried, the more he laughed. Her tears were of rage now, no longer self-pity. The Pursuit of Love, Chapter 16