''The Lady of Lebanon'' (French: ''La Châtelaine du Liban'') is a 1934 French

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...

directed by

Jean Epstein Jean Epstein (; 25 March 1897 – 2 April 1953) was a French filmmaker, film theorist, literary critic, and novelist. Although he is remembered today primarily for his adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's ''The Fall of the House of Usher'', he directe ...

, starring Andrée Spinelly and

Jean Murat Jean Murat (13 July 1888, in Périgueux – 5 January 1968, in Aix-en-Provence) was a French actor. He was married to the French actress Annabella. Selected filmography * ''Sex'' (1920) * ''La Galerie des monstres'' (1924), as Sveti * '' Carme ...

. The narrative is set in

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

and follows a web of espionage with clashes between the French and British secret services, with a beautiful young woman at the centre. The film is based on the 1924 novel ''The Lady of Lebanon'' by Pierre Benoit. Filming took place between July and December 1933 in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

, Palestine and Syria. It premiered on 2 February 1934. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Lucien Aguettand Lucien Aguettand (28 January 1901 – 14 February 1989) was a French art directorHayward p.205 who designed the sets for over eighty films during his career. Selected filmography * ''Little Devil May Care'' (1928) * ''All That's Not Worth Love' ...

and

Claude Bouxin Claude Bouxin (17 February 1907 – 23 February 1997) was a French art director.Soister p.280 He designed the film sets for over ninety productions. Selected filmography * '' Roger la Honte'' (1933) * '' The Lady of Lebanon'' (1934) * ''Fanatisme ...

Cast

as captain Domèvre * Andrée Spinelly as Athelstane, countess Orloff *

Gaby Basset Gaby Basset (29 March 1902 Varennes-Saint-Sauveur, Saône-et-Loire, France – 7 October 2001 Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France) was a French film actress.Goble p.37 Selected filmography * '' Everybody Wins'' (1930) - Simone * ''Le poign ...

as Maroussia * Albert Decoeur as the general *

Marguerite Templey Marguerite Templey (1880–1944) was a French stage and film actress.Goble p.113 Selected filmography * '' The Beautiful Adventure'' (1932) * ''L'Épervier ''L'Épervier'' (''The Sparrowhawk''), is a French drama film from 1933, directed and wr ...

as the general's wife *

George Grossmith Jr. George Grossmith Jr. (11 May 1874 – 6 June 1935) was an English actor, theatre producer and Actor-manager, manager, director, playwright and songwriter, best remembered for his work in and with Edwardian musical comedies. Grossmith was also a ...

as colonel Hobson *

Ernest Ferny Ernest Ferny (1886–1939) was a Swiss film actor.Goble p.411 Selected filmography * ''Tarakanova'' (1930) * ''Moscow Nights'' (1934) * '' The Lady of Lebanon'' (1934) * ''Light Cavalry'' (1935) * ''Taras Bulba'' (1936) * ''The Red Dancer'' (1937) ...

as captain Walter * André Marnay as colonel Hennequin * Georges Prieur as colonel Maret * Georgé as Gardafuy *

Acho Chakatouny Acho Chakatouny (1885–1957) was an Armenian actor, film director and makeup artist associated with the silent era.Capua p.191 Chakatouny was born in Gyumri, then part of the Russian Empire. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917 he fled int ...

as Djoun *

Michèle Verly Michèle Verly (real name Michèle Armande Houillon) (19 July 1909 – 3 March 1952) was a French stage and film actress. She was managing director of the Théâtre Gramont from August 1945 until her untimely death. She died in the 1952 Air Fra ...

as Michelle

References

Bibliography

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

External links

* 1934 films Films based on French novels Films based on works by Pierre Benoit Films directed by Jean Epstein French spy thriller films 1930s French-language films Pathé films French black-and-white films 1930s spy thriller films 1930s French films {{1930s-thriller-film-stub

Cast

See also

References

Bibliography

External links