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08 April 2020

Figaro (1929)

Famous dancer Ernst (Edmond) Van Duren, actresses Arlette Marchal and Marie Bell, and the Romanian actor Genica Missirio played the lead roles in the late silent French film Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929). It is an adaptation of the Pierre Beaumarchais play 'The Marriage of Figaro' (1778). Location shooting was done at the Château de Rochefort-sur-Yvelines.

Genica Missirio in Figaro (1929)
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 99. Photo: Roger Forster. Genica Missirio in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Ernst/ Edmond Van Duren in Figaro (1929)
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 301. Photo: Roger Forster. Ernst Van Duren as Figaro in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Marie Bell in Figaro
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 303. Marie Bell, sociétaire of the Comédie Française, as Suzanne in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Genica Missirio, Marie Bell, and Ernst (Edmond) Van Duren in Figaro (1929)
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 304. Photo: Roger Forster. Genica Missirio, Marie Bell, and Ernst Van Duren (up in the tree) in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Three people were crushed to death in the opening-night crowd


"Gaston Ravel is one of the great undervalued figures of French cinema", Pierre Philippe wrote in the festival catalogue of Il Cinema Ritrovato 2021, and indeed, his Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929) is a delicious gem. Philippe: "It's a thrilling example of what French cinema was capable of producing at the dawn of talking pictures, in a tradition of intelligence and clarity, far removed from the avant-garde, by then in its death throes. It was a bold venture from a man sensitive to all the arts, including music hall, since he entrusted the title role to a famous artistic dancer Edmond van Buren. Although Edmond Van Duren was famous at the time. He is now a bit mysterious figure. Together with his dance partner Edmonde Guy, Edmond or Ernst or Ernest was popular all over Europe and the US in the 1920s. He acted in a handful of films, including leads in Manege (Max Reichmann, 1928) and Princesse Mandane (Germaine Dulac, 1928), but in 1930 he committed suicide. Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929) was his final film. The other stars were Arlette Marchal as Rosine, Marie Bell as Suzanne, Génica Missirio as Bogaerts, and Tony D'Algy as the Count of Almaviva. Other actors were a.o. José Davert and Jean Weber.

Both Wikipedia and IMDb list Tony Lekain as the co-director of Figaro, but not according to Il Cinema Ritrovato and Ciné-Ressources. The latter mentions Lekain only as the set designer. The cinematography was by Albert Duverger, costumes by Georges Benda. Pierre Philippe: ["Ravel's] boldness extended to to the management of the lavish and beautiful design, particularly the costumes, designed by the illustrious J.K. Benda (known for his magnificent work on La Kermesse héroïque by Jacques Feyder and Le Joueur d'echecs by Jean Dréville." Sound finished the career of Gaston Ravel. Philippe: "He died in Cannes in 1958 with his friend and co-producer Tony Lekain nearby. He was practically forgotten after 25 years deprived of the art form that he had so eminently served."

Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929) is an adaptation of the Pierre Beaumarchais play 'La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro' (The Marriage of Figaro), with material also used from its prequel and sequel. This play is the second in the Figaro trilogy, preceded by 'The Barber of Seville' and followed by 'The Guilty Mother'. 'The Marriage of Figaro' opened to enormous success; it was said to have grossed 100,000 francs in the first twenty showings. The theatre was so packed that three people were reportedly crushed to death in the opening-night crowd. Eight years later, the play formed the basis for an opera with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte and music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, also called 'The Marriage of Figaro' (1786).

The Barber of Seville: The Spanish count Almaviva has fallen in love at first sight with the girl Rosine. To ensure that she really loves him and not just his money, the Count disguises himself as a poor college student and attempts to woo her. His plans are foiled by Rosine's guardian, Doctor Bartholo, who keeps her locked up in his house and intends to marry her himself. The Count's luck changes, however, after a chance reunion with an ex-servant of his, Figaro, who is currently working as a barber and therefore has access to the Doctor's home. After being promised money, and afraid the Count will seek revenge on him if he refuses, Figaro devises a variety of ways for the Count and Rosine to meet and talk. The story culminates in the marriage of the Count and Rosine.

The Marriage of Figaro: Figaro's marriage resumed three years after the end of The Barber of Seville when Figaro was promised to become Susanna's husband; both characters are part of the Count's staff in his home. In the three years since Figaro has helped to forge the marriage of the Count and Rosina, the Count has already been bored with his marriage but has noticed Susanna's beauty. The Count tries to assert the Ius primae noctis (the right of the first night), before Figaro's honeymoon, but Figaro is alert. They dress the Countess' page Chérubin as Susanna, but then the Count knocks on the door. Quickly the page escapes through the window, Susanne substitutes for him and the Count offers an apology.

The Guilty Mother: Countess and Chérubin spent a night together, but she thought it wrong, so he left for war and got himself killed. While dying he wrote a final letter, which the Countess kept in a secret drawer in a box made by the Irishman Bégearss. The Countess, though, became pregnant with Chérubin's child. The Count has been suspicious all these years that he is not the father of Léon, the Countess's son, and so he has been rapidly trying to spend his fortune to ensure the boy won't inherit any of it, even having gone so far as to renounce his title and move the family to Paris. As he has nevertheless held some doubts, and therefore has never officially disowned the boy or even brought up his suspicions to the Countess. Meanwhile, the Count has an illegitimate child of his own, a daughter named Florestine. Bégearss wants to marry her, and to ensure that she will be the Count's only heir, he begins to stir up trouble over the Countess's secret. Figaro and Suzanne, who are still married, must once again come to the rescue of the Count and Countess; and of their illegitimate children Léon and Florestine, who are secretly in love with each other.

Arlette Marchal and Tony D'Algy in Figaro (1929)
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 305. Photo: Roger Forster. Arlette Marchal and Tony D'Algy in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Arlette Marchall, Marie Bell, and Edmond Van Duren in Figaro (1929)
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 307. Photo: Roger Forster. Arlette Marchal, Ernst van Duren and Marie Bell in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Arlette Marchal in Figaro (1929)
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 308. Arlette Marchal as Rosine in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Ernst/Edmond Van Duren and Marie Bell in Figaro
French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 309. Photo: Roger Forster. Ernst van Duren and Marie Bell in Figaro (Gaston Ravel, 1929).

Sources: Pierre Philippe (Il Cinema Ritrovato 2021), Ciné-Ressources (French), Wikipedia and IMDb.

This post was last updated on 15 August 2022.

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