French label Gaumont has revealed that it plans to add four titles to its Classiques collection in September: Max Ophüls'
Lola Montes (1955),
Madame de... a.k.a
The Earrings of Madame de... (1953), Henri-Georges Clouzot's
The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (1942), and Richard Pottier's
Caroline chérie a.k.a
Dear Caroline (1951).
Lola Montès
Max Ophüls explores the scandalous life of dancer and courtesan Lola Montes with a bittersweet empathy that turns melodrama into a tragic melancholy masterpiece. Using the theatrical re-creation of Lola's life in a big-top pageant as a framing device, Ophüls contrasts the outrageous sensationalism of her reputation with poignant, poetic flashbacks that explore her many affairs, most notably with Franz Liszt (Will Quadflieg) and King Ludwig of Bavaria (Anton Walbrook). Street date: September 18th.
The Earrings of Madame de...
French master Max Ophuls's most cherished work,
The Earrings of Madame de... is an emotionally profound, cinematographically adventurous tale of false opulence and tragic romance. When the aristocratic woman known only as Madame de... (the extraordinary Danielle Darrieux) sells her earrings, unbeknownst to her husband (Charles Boyer), in order to pay personal debts, she sets off a chain reaction, the financial and carnal consequences of which can only end in despair. Ophuls adapts Louise de Vilmorin's incisive fin de siecle novella with virtuosic camera work so elegant and precise it's been called the equal to that of Orson Welles. Street date: September 18th.
The Murderer Lives at Number 21
A thief and killer stalks the streets of Paris, leaving a calling card from "Monsieur Durand" at the scene of each crime. But after a cache of these macabre identifications is discovered by a burglar in the boarding house at 21 Avenue Junot, Inspector Wenceslas Vorobechik (Pierre Fresnay) takes lodging at the infamous address in an undercover bid to solve the crime, with help from his struggling - actress girlfriend Mila (Suzy Delair).
Caroline chérie
Also known as
Dear Caroline,
Caroline Cherie is one of the best of Martine Carol's movie vehicles. Set during the French revolution, the film relates the story of Caroline (Carol), who, to dredge up a couple of old cliches, is no better than she ought to be but is more sinned against than sinning. Faithful in her fashion to a young nobleman, Caroline undergoes several amorous misadventures before she is reunited with her true love. She also wears a variety of lavish period costumes, each one more eye-popping than the last. The screenplay for
Caroline Cherie was written by playwright Jean Anouilh, whose light and delicate touch is most welcome. (Synopsis courtesy of Hal Erickson). Street date: September 18th.