''Le Destin fabuleux de Désirée Clary'' (Mlle. Desiree) is a French film released in September 1942, black and white, written and directed by

Sacha Guitry Alexandre-Pierre Georges "Sacha" Guitry (; 21 February 188524 July 1957) was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre (aesthetic), boulevard theatre. He was the son of a leading French ac ...

. The film concerns the life of Désirée Clary, the daughter of a Marseilles merchant, who became Queen of Sweden and the founder of a dynasty.

Plot

Julie and Désirée Clary are courted by the brothers Joseph and

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

. Joseph marries Julie and Napoleon is affianced to Désirée. When Napoleon breaks the engagement and marries

Joséphine de Beauharnais Joséphine Bonaparte (, born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie; 23 June 1763 – 29 May 1814) was the first wife of Emperor Napoleon I and as such Empress of the French from 18 May 1804 until their marriage was annulled on 10 Janua ...

, Désirée becomes involved with General Bernadotte.

Cast

as Narrator *

Jean-Louis Barrault Jean-Louis Bernard Barrault (; 8 September 1910 – 22 January 1994) was a French actor, director and mime artist who worked on both screen and stage. Biography Barrault was born in Le Vésinet in France in 1910. His father was 'a Burgundi ...

Napoléon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

* Aimé Clariond as Joseph Bonaparte * Jacques Varennes as Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, then Charles XIV John of Sweden * Geneviève Guitry as Désirée Clary, as a young woman * Gaby Morlay as Désirée Clary * Lise Delamare as

* Yvette Lebon as Julie Clary * as Julie Bonaparte * Georges Grey as Junot * Jean Hervé as Talma * Jeanne Fusier-Gir as Albertine, servant * Germaine Laugier as Madame Clary * Pierre Magnier as Monsieur Clary * Jean Périer as Talleyrand * Noël Roquevert as Fouché * Maurice Teynac as Marmont * Jean Darcante as Duphot * Jean Davy as Berthier * Georges Spanelly as Davout * Georges Tourreil as Cambronne * Renaud Mary as le docteur Antommarchi * Maurice Lagrenée as Duke of Richelieu * Roger Vincent as

Charles XIII of Sweden Charles XIII or Carl XIII (; 7 October 1748 – 5 February 1818) was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 to his death. He was the second son (and younger brother to King Gustav III) of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa ...

* Gaston Mauger as

Louis XVIII of France Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 ...

References

External links

* 1942 films 1940s historical drama films French historical drama films Films directed by Sacha Guitry Films about Napoleon Films set in the 1800s Biographical films about Swedish royalty Cultural depictions of Joséphine de Beauharnais Cultural depictions of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord 1942 drama films 1940s French-language films Cultural depictions of Charles XIV John Cultural depictions of Louis XVIII 1940s French films Films scored by Adolphe Borchard French-language historical drama films {{1940s-France-film-stub