The Earrings of Madame de... (1953) Madame de... (original title)

Director:

Max Ophüls

Writers:

Louise de Vilmorin (novel)
Marcel Achard (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 July 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It was her vanity that destroyed her.

Plot:

In the Paris of the late 19th century, Louise, wife of a general, sells the earrings her husband gave...

Plot Keywords:

Earring | Countess | Debt | Italian | Lover

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Charles Boyer	...	Général André de...
Danielle Darrieux	...	Comtesse Louise de...
Vittorio De Sica	...	Baron Fabrizio Donati
Jean Debucourt	...	Monsieur Rémy
Jean Galland	...	Monsieur de Bernac
Mireille Perrey	...	La Nourrice
Paul Azaïs	...	Le premier cocher
Josselin
Hubert Noël	...	Henri de Maleville
Lia Di Leo	...	Lola
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Madeleine Barbulée	...	Une amie de Madame de... (uncredited)
Charles Bayard	...	Un convive (uncredited)
Jacques Beauvais	...	Un majordome (uncredited)
Gérard Buhr	...	Le douanier (uncredited)
Jean Degrave	...	Le clubman (uncredited)
Claire Duhamel	...	La demoiselle de compagnie (uncredited)
Guy Favières	...	Julien (uncredited)
Émile Genevois	...	Un soldat (uncredited)
Serge Lecointe	...	Jérome Rémy (uncredited)
Franck Maurice	...	Un témoin (uncredited)
Daniel Mendaille	...	Un passant (uncredited)
Albert Michel	...	Le second cocher du baron (uncredited)
Robert Moor	...	Un diplomate (uncredited)
Max Mégy	...	Un domestique (uncredited)
Georges Paulais	...	Le premier témoin du duel (uncredited)
Léon Pauléon	...	Un huissier (uncredited)
Colette Régis	...	Vendeuse de cierges (uncredited)
Louis Saintève	...	Un passant (uncredited)
Michel Salina	...	Un témoin (uncredited)
Germaine Stainval	...	L'ambassadrice (uncredited)
Jean Toulout	...	Le doyen du corps diplomatique (uncredited)
Roger Vincent	...	Le second témoin du duel (uncredited)
Georges Vitray	...	Vieux reporter (uncredited)
Léon Walther	...	L'administrateur (uncredited)
René Worms	...	Un convive (uncredited)

Directed by
Max Ophüls

Writing credits
Louise de Vilmorin		(novel)
Marcel Achard		screenplay &
Max Ophüls		screenplay &
Annette Wademant		writer
Marcel Achard		(dialogue)

Produced by
Ralph Baum	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Oscar Straus
Georges Van Parys

Cinematography by
Christian Matras

Film Editing by
Borys Lewin

Production Design by
Jean d'Eaubonne

Costume Design by
Georges Annenkov
Rosine Delamare

Makeup Department
Carmen Brel	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Henri Baum	....	production manager (as H. Baum)
Ralph Baum	....	production manager (as R. Baum)
André Hoss	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marc Maurette	....	first assistant director
Willy Picard	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Maurice Barnathan	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Antoine Petitjean	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Alain Douarinou	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Georgette Fillon	....	wardrober

Other crew
Francine Corteggiani	....	script girl

Production Companies

• Franco London Films
• Indusfilms
• Rizzoli Film (co-production)

Distributors

• Gaumont (1953) (France) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1953) (UK) (theatrical)
• Gaumont DVD (2009) (France) (DVD) (box-set)
• Arlan Productions (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Iris Film (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Janus Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Connoisseur Video Collection (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Second Sight Films (2006) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Capilianeo  foot-gear
• Gaucherand  jewellery
• Ortiphone  sound recording

Also Known As:

"Madame de..." - France (original title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | West Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-12 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Forêt de Rambouillet, Yvelines, France

Company:

Franco London Films

Trivia:

Vittorio De Sica was a huge fan of 'Max Ophuls' and wanted Jean Gabin's role in Le Plaisir (1952). Ophuls told him no, but that he would find him a dignifying role in another film. The Role of the Baron was written with him in mind for this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the general gives the earrings to Lola on the train, she is crying and has her little bag on her lap. In the next cut, the bag is on the table.

Quotes:

Comtesse Louise de...:[praying for her lover who is about to go on a duel with her husband] Save him, dear saint. You know that we were guilty in thought only. And what are thoughts? Will you save him, my dear saint? I thank you in advance. Blessed be your name in heaven as on earth. Amen.

Movie Connections:

Featured in From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995)

Soundtrack:

Einmal im Leben ...(L'amour m'emporte)

Sublime, Graceful, Charming, Ruthless

It strains the imagination and saddens the heart to wonder at the existence of those people, long past, who would strive for such a sublime accomplishment.

"It's when we've the most to say that we're silent"

The dramatic situations develop so that we feel every word the characters leave unsaid. The situation speaks, and then the characters comment cleverly, explain themselves to their best advantage in that momentary sparkle that is "life"

The relationship of the director to his characters: they are allowed to be witty, to be beautiful, profound, and deeply human, yet in this humanity is their futility, a charming futility. As in the classics, The passions rule all humans. The characters are as puppets, not to the director, but to the passions.

The camera moves, yes, and you may have heard of Ophuls' flowing camera. It is not empty style, but dynamism, concision, and, more importantly, the flow of life that is his moving camera. It is the flowing movement of Ovid's Metamorphoses, the inexorable flow of life. The camera doesn't so much follow the actors, but that the flow of life is happening, and the characters are swimming in that stream of happening.

Why does he persistenly show the characters through a pain of glass? These are the boundaries of social propriety, the confines of their situation. Ophuls knew it best: life is a movie

Vladimir Nabokov wrote a short story entitled "La Veneziana"... Have I strayed from the subject? But, aren't all things sublime closely related?

I have learned, through persistent trial, that '98 is a fine year for Rhone. I suggest that you open a bottle, pour a glass, and push "Play" on "The Earrings Of Madame De..."

"unhappiness is an invented thing"

grace