The Pearls of the Crown | |
---|---|
Directed by | Sacha Guitry Christian-Jaque |
Written by | Sacha Guitry Christian-Jaque |
Produced by | Serge Sandberg |
Starring | Jacqueline Delubac Sacha Guitry Lyn Harding Renée Saint-Cyr |
Cinematography | Jules Kruger |
Edited by | Myriam Borsoutsky William Barache |
Music by | Jean Françaix |
Production companies | Cinéas Impérial Film |
Distributed by | Films Sonores Tobis |
Release date |
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Running time | 118 minutes |
Country | France |
Languages | French English Italian |
The Pearls of the Crown (French : Les Perles de la couronne) is a 1937 French comedy film of historically based fiction by Sacha Guitry who plays four roles in it (many of the other performers play multiple roles, as well). [1] Guitry's Jean Martin investigates the history of seven pearls, four of which end up on the crown of England, while the other three initially go missing. [2]
It was made at the Billancourt Studios in Paris with location shooting at a variety of sites including the Abbaye de Royaumont, the Château de Louveciennes and aboard the S.S. Normandie. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jean Perrier.[ citation needed ]
Tracing the history of seven valuable pearls of the English Crown from the time of Henry VIII of England to the present day (1937). Writer Jean Martin (Sacha Guitry) attempts to track down three of the missing pearls by tracing their previous owners, with events seen in flashback, involving Napoleon, King Henry VIII and Elizabeth I of England amongst others.
Writing for Night and Day in 1937, Graham Greene gave the film a good review claiming that it "entertained me even more than it irritated me". Admitting some degree of distaste in director Guitry's general style and demeanor, Greene found admiration in Guitry's "ingenious[] attempts to give a wider circulation to a French picture by working the story out in three languages" and described his use of language in certain scenes as "cunningly and quite naturally arranged". Greene praised the story and the acting of Guitry and Delubac. [3]
TV Guide gave the film three out of four stars, writing, "Although Guitry chose to push the audience's patience a bit by filming the story in three languages, PEARLS OF THE CROWN is one of his finest works, and perhaps his least theatrical. (In French, Italian, and English; English subtitles)." [4]
Alexandre-Pierre Georges "Sacha" Guitry was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre. He was the son of a leading French actor, Lucien Guitry, and followed his father into the theatrical profession. He became known for his stage performances, particularly in boulevardier roles. He was also a prolific playwright, writing 115 plays throughout his career. He was married five times, always to rising actresses whose careers he furthered. Probably his best-known wife was Yvonne Printemps to whom he was married between 1919 and 1932.
The French Crown Jewels and Regalia comprise the crowns, orb, sceptres, diadems and jewels that were symbols of Royal or Imperial power between 752 and 1870. These were worn by many Kings and Queens of France as well as Emperor Napoleon. The set was finally broken up, with most of it sold off in 1885 by the Third Republic. The surviving French Crown Jewels, principally a set of historic crowns, diadems and parures, are mainly on display in the Galerie d'Apollon of the Louvre, France's premier museum and former royal palace, together with the Regent Diamond, the Sancy Diamond and the 105-carat (21.0 g) Côte-de-Bretagne red spinel, carved into the form of a dragon. In addition, some gemstones and jewels are on display in the Treasury vault of the Mineralogy gallery in the National Museum of Natural History.
Royal Affairs in Versailles is a 1954 French-Italian historical drama directed by Sacha Guitry. Described as "a historical film showing Versailles from its beginnings to the present day", it tells some episodes through portrayal of the personalities who lived in the Palace of Versailles. Its sister films are Napoléon (1955) and If Paris Were Told to Us (1956).
Monsieur and Madame Prudhomme were a pair of French caricature characters of the 19th century, created by Henry Monnier. They were a bourgeois couple.
The 5th annual Venice International Film Festival was held between 10 August and 3 September 1937. The new Palazzo del Cinema building was completed for this year's festival. It has been used as the venue since, excluding the years 1940 to 1948.
The Paris Waltz is a 1950 French-Italian historical musical film directed by Marcel Achard and starring Yvonne Printemps, Pierre Fresnay and Jacques Charon. It portrays the life of the nineteenth century composer Jacques Offenbach.
Pauline Carton was a French film actress. She appeared in more than 190 films between 1907 and 1974.
André Roanne was a French actor. He began his career playing in short films, and acted in 91 films in total, most notably those of Fernandel. Most of his films were French; he did, however, also appear in German and Italian works, especially co-productions with French companies. He also served occasionally as an assistant director, screenwriter, technician, and film editor.
Georges Grey, born Georges-Jean-Joseph Gacon (1911–1954) was a French actor. In 1948 he starred in the film The Lame Devil under Sacha Guitry.
Maurice Escande was a French stage and film actor. In 1948 he starred in the film The Lame Devil under Sacha Guitry.
Le Destin fabuleux de Désirée Clary is a French film released in September 1942, black and white, written and directed by Sacha Guitry. The film concerns the life of Désirée Clary, the daughter of a Marseilles merchant, who became Queen of Sweden and the founder of a dynasty.
Jules Kruger (1891–1959) was a French cinematographer. He is known particularly for films which he photographed in the 1920s and 1930s for Abel Gance, Marcel L'Herbier, Raymond Bernard, and Julien Duvivier. He also worked in Great Britain and in Spain.
Jacques Baumer, was a French theatre director and comedian.
Guy Lacourt was a French film director, assistant director and unit production manager.
Léon Walther was a French film and stage actor who played on numerous occasions in Sacha Guitry's films and plays.
Jacqueline Delubac (1907–1997) was a French stage and film actress.
Good Luck is a 1935 French romantic comedy film directed by Sacha Guitry and Fernand Rivers and starring Guitry, Jacqueline Delubac and Pauline Carton. In it a woman becomes convinced a man she has met is a good luck charm after she wins a lottery.
Quadrille is a 1938 French comedy film directed by Sacha Guitry and starring Guitry, Gaby Morlay and Jacqueline Delubac. It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris and on location around the city. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jean Perrier. The title refers to the quadrille, a dance in which the participants keep changing partners. It was later remade as a film of the same title by Valérie Lemercier.
Let's Make a Dream is a 1936 French romantic comedy film directed by Sacha Guitry and starring Guitry, Raimu and Jacqueline Delubac. It is an adaptation of the 1916 play of the same title by Guitry. It was shot at the Epinay Studios on the outskirts of Paris, and distributed by the French subsidiary of Tobis Film. The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert Gys.
Désiré is a 1937 French comedy film directed by Sacha Guitry and starring Guitry, Jacqueline Delubac, Jacques Baumer and Arletty.