''Chaste Susanne'' (French: ''La chaste Suzanne'') is a 1937 French-British

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by André Berthomieu and starring

Raimu Jules Auguste Muraire (18 December 1883 – 20 September 1946), whose stage name was Raimu, was a French actor. He is most famous for playing César in the 'Marseilles trilogy' ('' Marius'', '' Fanny'' and '' César''). Life and career Born in T ...

Meg Lemonnier Marguerite Gabrielle Lemonnier (née Clark; 15 May 1905 – 12 June 1988) was a British-born French singer and film actress. Lemonnier played the female lead in the comedy ''George and Georgette'' (1933).Prawer p.193 Selected filmography * '' M ...

and Henri Garat.Oscherwitz& Higgins p.361 It is an adaptation of the 1912 operetta '' Chaste Susanne'' by

Jean Gilbert Jean Gilbert (11 February 1879 – 20 December 1942), born Max Winterfeld, was a German operetta composer and conductor. Life and career Gilbert was born in Hamburg into a family of musicians; his ancestors were cantors of the Jewish communi ...

, itself based on an earlier play by

Antony Mars Antony Mars (22 October 1861 – 17 February 1915) was a French playwright Biography After he studied at a high school in Marseille, Antony March became a lawyer's clerk then an employee at the Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Est. En 1882, ...

and

Maurice Desvallières Ernest George Maurice Lefebvre-Desvallières (3 October 1857 – 23 March 1926) was a 19th–20th-century French playwright. Maurice was the brother of George Desvallières, son of Emile Lefebvre Desvallières and Marie Legouvé (daughter and g ...

. It was made when the 1930s booms in

operetta film Operetta films (German: Operettenfilm) are a genre of musical films associated with, but not exclusive to, German language cinema. The genre began in the late 1920s, but its roots stretch back into the tradition of nineteenth century Viennese oper ...

s was at its height. Made at

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever s ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, it was the French-language version of the British film ''

The Girl in the Taxi ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

''. Henri Garat was the only actor to appear in both productions. The film's sets were designed by the art director

Jean d'Eaubonne Jean d'Eaubonne (March 8, 1903 – July 30, 1971) was a French art director. He received an Oscar nomination in 1951 for his work on Max Ophüls's '' La Ronde''. Selected filmography * '' The Polish Jew'' (1931) * '' Love and Luck'' (1932) * '' ...

Synopsis

In Paris an academy dedicated to promoting virtue awards its annual prize, but accidentally gives it to the wrong woman named Suzanne. The recipient is in fact a dancer who performs at the

Moulin Rouge Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Ol ...

and is conducting an affair with the potential son-in-law of Monsieur des Aubrays, the head of the academy.

Cast

as Monsieur des Aubrays *

as Suzanne Pomarel * Henri Garat as René Boislurette *

Blanchette Brunoy Blanchette Brunoy (5 October 1915 – 3 April 2005) was a French actress. She was born Blanche Bilhaud in Paris as the daughter of a physician, and died in Manosque, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence of old age. Career Blanchette Brunoy appeared in over ...

as Jacqueline * Serge Flateau as Hubert *

Jean Témerson Jean Témerson (1898–1956) was a French actor. Selected filmography * '' The Lover of Madame Vidal'' (1936) - Guillaume - le domestique * '' With a Smile'' (1936) - Cam (uncredited) * '' Pépé le Moko'' (1937) - Gravère * ''Blanchette'' (1 ...

as Alexis *

Blanche Denège Blanche may refer to: People * Blanche (singer), stage name of Belgian singer and songwriter Ellie Delvaux *Blanche (given name) * Blanche (surname) Places Australia * Blanche Harbor (South Australia), a bay on the east coast of Eyre Peninsula * ...

as Madame des Aubrays *

Anthony Gildès Anthony Gildès (13 August 1856 – 6 October 1941) was a French actor. Anthony Gildès was born Anatole Gleizes in Metz, France. He died in Paris at age 85. Selected filmography * '' The Zone of Death'' (1917) * '' The Torture of Silence'' (191 ...

as Dominique * Charles Dechamps as Pomarel

References

Bibliography

* Oscherwitz, Dayna & Higgins, MaryEllen . ''The A to Z of French Cinema''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

* 1937 films 1937 comedy films 1930s French-language films British comedy films French comedy films Films set in Paris Films directed by André Berthomieu 1937 multilingual films French multilingual films British multilingual films Films based on operettas Operetta films 1930s British films 1930s French films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub