The Fascination of the Fleur de Lis

Last updated

The Fascination of the Fleur de Lis
Directed by Joe De Grasse
Written by Bess Meredyth
Produced byRex Film Co.
Starring Lon Chaney
Cleo Madison
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • September 26, 1915 (1915-09-26)
Running time
3 reels (30 minutes)
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent with English intertitles

The Fascination of the Fleur de Lis is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Bess Meredyth, and featuring Lon Chaney and Cleo Madison. A partial print of the film apparently survives in a private collection in the United Kingdom (how much footage is missing is unknown). [1] [2]

Contents

A still exists showing Chaney in his own makeup as the Duke of Safoulrug, an excellent example of Chaney's makeup skills. [3]

Plot

A woman is taken ill while working in the fields, and while taking her home, her husband passes the palace of the Duke of Safoulrug. There, the sickly woman sees a fleur de lis, and is fascinated with the unusual flower. When she later gives birth to a baby girl, the infant has a birthmark shaped like a fleur de lis on her shoulder. The mother dies, and fifteen years later, her daughter Lisette has also acquired her mother's strange obsession for the flower.

One day while passing the Duke's palace, she demands that her sweetheart Antoine pick one of the flowers for her, but the gardener chases them away. Lisette manages to steal a flower, and is seen by the Duke of Safoulrug (Lon Chaney) who is captivated by her beauty. Lisette deserts Antoine and marries the Duke instead for his money, despite the fact that she does not love him. During a royal reception, she meets the King, who is bewitched by her beauty and takes her in his arms. The Duke, knowing that he dare not confront a King, commits suicide, whereupon the King takes Lisette on as his mistress.

His Majesty is taken ill one day, and the doctor who arrives to treat him is Antoine, her old flame, now a famous surgeon. Antoine goes to Lisette's room to tell her the operation was a success and she throws her arms around him. He rebukes her advances, saying the fleur de lis has come between them and their happiness. Lisette goes to the fireplace, grabs a hot poker, and burns the birthmark from her flesh. Months later, Lisette is caring for her old father in his hut. She brings some flowers to her mother's grave, and it is there that Antoine finds her and takes her in his arms.

Cast

Reception

"The photographic work and scenes, all of which transpire in a mythical European country, are extremely good. Joe De Grasse produced it so the beautiful locations are easily accounted for." --- Motion Picture News [4] [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lon Chaney</span> American actor (1883–1930)

Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney was an American actor and makeup artist. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted, characters and for his groundbreaking artistry with makeup. Chaney was known for his starring roles in such silent horror films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques that he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces".

<i>The Pipes o Pan</i> 1914 film

The Pipes o' Pan is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. It is thought the screenplay was written by De Grasse's wife Ida May Park, but she was uncredited. The film is now considered to be lost.

Lights and Shadows is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, starring Tom Forman, Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. The screenplay was written by Ida May Park. A still exists showing Lon Chaney as Bentley, just before he deserts his wife in the film. The picture is now considered to be a lost film.

The Lion, the Lamb, the Man is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Tom Forman and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. Though once believed to be lost, a shortened version of the film was preserved by the Museum of Modern Art in 2008, and was re-premiered at the 2017 Cinecon Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, California.

The Sin of Olga Brandt is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. Jon Mirsalis claims the film was written by Ida May Park and that "some sources suggest that the film, which preaches about the high morality of moving pictures, was instigated by (producer) Carl Laemmle, who was involved in censorship fights of his own over some of his releases".

The Measure of a Man is a 1915 silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Tom Forman, and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. The film today is considered lost.(Note* - This film should not be confused with the 1916 Universal film of the same title which starred J. Warren Kerrigan).

When the Gods Played a Badger Game is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and written by Ida May Park, and featuring Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. The film's working title was The Girl Who Couldn't Go Wrong. The film is today considered lost.

<i>Where the Forest Ends</i> 1915 film

Where the Forest Ends is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. De Grasse also acted in this film as well, playing "Silent Jordan". The film was written by Ida May Park, based on a story by Olga Printzlau. The film is today considered to be lost. A still from the film can be seen online.

Outside the Gates is a 1915 American silent fantasy film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. It is thought to have been scripted by Ida May Park. The film is now considered to be lost.

The Grind is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and featuring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Queenie Rosson. The film is now considered to be lost. The film was released in England as On The Verge of Sin. A still exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of Henry Leslie.

Steady Company was a 1915 short silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Pauline Bush. It was written by Ida May Park, based on a story by Julius G. Furthman. The film is now considered to be lost.

<i>The Pines Revenge</i> 1915 film

The Pine's Revenge is a 1915 American silent drama film of the Northhwoods, directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Nell Shipman, and featuring Lon Chaney and Arthur Shirley. Shipman based her screenplay on her own story, "The King's Keeper". The film is now considered to be lost.

<i>Alas and Alack</i> 1915 film

Alas and Alack is a 1915 American silent drama short film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney and Cleo Madison. An incomplete print of the film survives in the BFI National Archive.

A Mother's Atonement is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and featuring Lon Chaney and Cleo Madison. Chaney played a dual role as Ben Morrison. Two stills exist showing Lon Chaney in both of the roles he plays in the film.

Lon of Lone Mountain is a 1915 American short silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and featuring Lon Chaney and Arthur Shirley. It only ran one reel. The film is now presumed lost. A still exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of "Lon", the mountain man.

Father and the Boys is a 1915 American silent comedy film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and co-starring Lon Chaney and Digby Bell. It is based on a popular 1908 Broadway play produced by Charles Frohman, called Father and the Boys by George Ade. This was Louise Lovely's American film debut after emigrating from Australia. She made a total of 8 films with Chaney during this time period.

Dolly's Scoop is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney. It was written by Ida May Park, based on a story by Hugh Weir. This was one of the few silent films that subtitled the actors' dialogue at the bottom of the screen, instead of using title cards. Also, this was one of the only Lon Chaney films in which Chaney wound up getting the girl at the end of the picture. A still exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of the reporter, Dan Fisher.

<i>The Mark of Cain</i> (1916 film) 1916 film

The Mark of Cain is a 1916 American silent lost film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Stuart Paton, and starring Lon Chaney and Dorothy Phillips. The film's tagline was "A Thrilling Drama of the Long Arm of the Law With an Absorbing Love Interest". The film's working title was By Fate's Decree.

<i>The Place Beyond the Winds</i> 1916 film

The Place Beyond the Winds is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse, and starring Lon Chaney, Gretchen Lederer and Dorothy Phillips. It was written by Ida May Park, based on the novel by Harriet T. Comstock. The director De Grasse also played a role in the film. The film's original working title was Mansion of Despair. A still exists showing Chaney in the role of Jerry Jo, the homeless man.

<i>A Dolls House</i> (1917 film) 1917 film

A Doll's House is a 1917 American silent drama film based on the eponymous 1879 play by Henrik Ibsen. The film was written and directed by Joe De Grasse, and stars Lon Chaney, William Stowell and Dorothy Phillips. Film historian Jon C. Mirsalis stated that director De Grasse's wife Ida May Park wrote the screenplay, but most sources attribute both the writing and directing of the film to De Grasse himself. The film is today considered lost.

References

  1. ↑ "The Fascination of the Fleur de Lis". IMDb . September 26, 1915.
  2. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "The Fascination of the Fleur de Lis". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  3. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "The Fascination of the Fleur de Lis". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  4. ↑ Mirsalis, Jon C. "The Fascination of the Fleur de Lis". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  5. ↑ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 53. ISBN   1-879511-26-6.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.