The castle is the source of legends, of the failure of love to triumph, every couple of centuries. In the first part, very noble Simone Simon is to marry the idiot son of another noble family, but falls in love with strolling player Claude Dauphin. She runs away with him. In the second installment, poor seamstress is at the castle for the wedding of very noble Claude Dauphin, but they fall in love.
It is the third installment, however, it is ignoble Corinne Luchaire, the daughter of immensely rich banker Michel Simon -- as he has been the father of Mlle Simon and M. Dauphin in the previous two episodes -- she loves only him. As he feels it necessary to have some respectable people in the family, some ancestors, he buys the castle for cash and has one of the portraits touched up to make him look like one of the family. He also hirs a matchmaker. She locates Claude Dauphin, who fits the bill. His family has generals and judges, but his father is so noble, he's immensely in debt and has to cadge a hundred francs from Dauphin every Thursday, from Dauphin's monthly stipend of 1400 francs. Dauphin and father come to the castle, and he and Mlle Luchaire fall instantly in love. But she hates the thought her father will have bought him, and he hates the contempt he feels she will naturally hold him in. So they decide not to get married. Can the curse be ended?
The first two episodes are played as tragedies, but the third is a riotous comedy, with Luchaire and the two men in her life having immense chemistry. Michel Simon, as always, makes this a monstrous joy to behold.
It is the third installment, however, it is ignoble Corinne Luchaire, the daughter of immensely rich banker Michel Simon -- as he has been the father of Mlle Simon and M. Dauphin in the previous two episodes -- she loves only him. As he feels it necessary to have some respectable people in the family, some ancestors, he buys the castle for cash and has one of the portraits touched up to make him look like one of the family. He also hirs a matchmaker. She locates Claude Dauphin, who fits the bill. His family has generals and judges, but his father is so noble, he's immensely in debt and has to cadge a hundred francs from Dauphin every Thursday, from Dauphin's monthly stipend of 1400 francs. Dauphin and father come to the castle, and he and Mlle Luchaire fall instantly in love. But she hates the thought her father will have bought him, and he hates the contempt he feels she will naturally hold him in. So they decide not to get married. Can the curse be ended?
The first two episodes are played as tragedies, but the third is a riotous comedy, with Luchaire and the two men in her life having immense chemistry. Michel Simon, as always, makes this a monstrous joy to behold.