The Two Orphans (1933)
"Les deux orphelines" (original title)

Director:

Maurice Tourneur

Writers:

Adolphe d'Ennery (novel), Eugène Cormon (novel),

Stars:

Rosine Deréan, Renée Saint-Cyr, Gabriel Gabrio

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rosine Deréan	...	Louise
Renée Saint-Cyr	...	Henriette
Gabriel Gabrio	...	Jacques
Pierre Magnier	...	Le comte de Lignères
Jean Martinelli	...	Roger de Vaudray
Yvette Guilbert	...	La Frochard
Marthe Mellot	...	La religieuse
Emile Saulieu	...	Le marquis de Presles (as Émile Saulieu)
Jean Francey	...	Pierre
Camille Bert	...	Le docteur
Georges Morton	...	Lafleur
André Liabel	...	Marest
Pierre Ferval	...	L'aubergiste
Anthony Gildès	...	Le vieux seigneur
Armand Morins	...	Le satyre

Storyline

---

Plot Keywords:

based on play | based on novel | number in title

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

6 February 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Two Orphans

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé-Natan

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of The Two Orphans (1910)

User Reviews

Orphans of the storm talkie

That was the story which DW Griffith had already transferred to the screen in the silent era .The great American director transposed Adolphe d'Ennery's tear-jerker,one of the many melodramas which thrived in the French nineteenth century ,during the revolution ,which led the scriptwriters to staggering scenes where Danton himself saved the heroine from the guillotine.

Maurice TOurneur (Jack's father)was more faithful to the original novel.His movie compares favorably to Griffith's ,but Renée Saint-Cyr does not equal Lilian Gish though.The orgy is at least as impressive (and as risqué for the time)as in the silent work.Best performance comes from Yvette GUilbert, the hateful shrew ,La Frochard ,who forces poor blind Louise to beg in the street.Tourneur' s directing and pictures are better than the incredible story which accumulates the coincidences all along Henriette's and Louise's martyrdom:La Frochard rocking her dead son (a giant),Louise teaching André to pray in a church ,and the (female) prisoners leaving for the colonies are scenes which can still grab today's audience ,provided that they love melodramas of course.