Post by snsurone on Mar 30, 2019 17:42:40 GMT
I love this movie.
It contains one of Bette Davis' most sympathetic, low-keyed performances as the mousy governess Henriette de Luzy Deportes.
But her calm, patient disposition was a breath of fresh air in the turbulent de Pralin household where she was installed.
As the Duc de Pralin, a personal friend of King Louis Philippe, Charles Boyer was never more handsome and sexy.
But, IMHO, the best performance was the over-the-top one of the screaming shrike, the Duchesse of Pralin--played by Barbara O'Neil in great contrast to her Ellen O'Hara in GWTW.
It was pathetic to see her begging her indifferent husband for love, and her growing, albiet unfounded suspicions, that he was having an affair with Henriette.
In truth, there was nothing physical between them, although they may have been guilty of an "emotional" affair, especially with the Duc's gratitude towards Henriette's deep feeling for the children, particularly during the youngest's bout with a near-fatal illness.
As the movie progressed, the Duchesse's madness became more and more pronounced, even after the governess' employment was terminated, resulting in the brutal murder of the Duchesse by her husband.
Henriette was cleared of any responsibility by the Duc on his deathbed (he had taken poison), but had to leave France, and took a job as a teacher in a girls' school in NYC, where she told her story to her students.
This movie is based on a true story, with the implication that the Revolution of 1815, which forced King Louis to give up his throne, was based on the de Pralin affair.
Hard to believe nowadays, isn't it?
It contains one of Bette Davis' most sympathetic, low-keyed performances as the mousy governess Henriette de Luzy Deportes.
But her calm, patient disposition was a breath of fresh air in the turbulent de Pralin household where she was installed.
As the Duc de Pralin, a personal friend of King Louis Philippe, Charles Boyer was never more handsome and sexy.
But, IMHO, the best performance was the over-the-top one of the screaming shrike, the Duchesse of Pralin--played by Barbara O'Neil in great contrast to her Ellen O'Hara in GWTW.
It was pathetic to see her begging her indifferent husband for love, and her growing, albiet unfounded suspicions, that he was having an affair with Henriette.
In truth, there was nothing physical between them, although they may have been guilty of an "emotional" affair, especially with the Duc's gratitude towards Henriette's deep feeling for the children, particularly during the youngest's bout with a near-fatal illness.
As the movie progressed, the Duchesse's madness became more and more pronounced, even after the governess' employment was terminated, resulting in the brutal murder of the Duchesse by her husband.
Henriette was cleared of any responsibility by the Duc on his deathbed (he had taken poison), but had to leave France, and took a job as a teacher in a girls' school in NYC, where she told her story to her students.
This movie is based on a true story, with the implication that the Revolution of 1815, which forced King Louis to give up his throne, was based on the de Pralin affair.
Hard to believe nowadays, isn't it?
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