Camille (1921)

Director:

Ray C. Smallwood

Writers:

Alexandre Dumas fils (novel)
June Mathis (written by)

Release Date:

26 September 1921 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Camille is a courtesan in Paris. She falls deeply in love with a young man of promise, Armand Duval...

Plot Keywords:

Illness | Promise | Courtesan | Modernized Version | Dinner Party

Cast

Rudolph Valentino	...	Armand Duval / Manon's Lover in Daydream
Rex Cherryman	...	Gaston Rieux
Arthur Hoyt	...	Count de Varville
Zeffie Tilbury	...	Prudence
Patsy Ruth Miller	...	Nichette
Elinor Oliver	...	Nanine, Marguerite's Maid
William Orlamond	...	Monsieur Duval, Armand's Father
Consuelo Flowerton	...	Olympe
Alla Nazimova	...	Marguerite Gautier / Manon Lescaut in Daydream

Runtime:

USA:70 min (2002 alternate version) | USA:72 min (20.7 fps)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (re-rating) (2005) | USA:Passed

Company:

Nazimova Productions

Trivia:

The original play opened in Paris in 1852. The first Broadway production of the play opened on 9 December 1853. There have been 15 Broadway revivals of the popular play, the last in 1935.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Valentino (1977)

Interesting version of Camille

Nazimova truly is a creature like none other. Though born in the 1870's she is not of the nineteenth century nor of the roaring twenties. With her choppy afro and willowy—even anorexic—body, if she suggests any period at all, it is maybe the Andy Warhol disco seventies. But she's definitely watchable in this movie, even touching—she has a rather cherubic face under her bizarre hairstyle which makes her believable as Camille, the dying courtesan whose last chance at happiness is destroyed when the father of her lover Armand Duval demands that she give him up. Armand, played by Rudolph Valentino, allegedly had much of his role reduced by Nazimova who could recognize a fellow scene stealer when she saw one (he is replaced by a book in the deathbed scene!), but he manages to make his impassioned, surly presence felt. Falling as quickly into resentment as he earlier did into love when he believes Nazimova has tired of him, he comes across as both sympathetic and shallow (and quite funny in the casino scenes when he tries a bit too hard to make Camille jealous by flirting with an unworthy tootsie who resembles Mae West). The art deco set design that still looks contemporary almost constitutes a character in itself.