Hand-Picked Alternatives Movies That Echo the Spirit of Suzanne: Cu...

Dir: René Hervil

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: René Hervil

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Azaïs perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: René Hervil

A naval officer has to abandon a young girl he has rescued as a stowaway, to the mercies of his sleazy show business mother and her plans.

Dir: René Hervil

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Le ruisseau perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A mother loses first her son and then her husband in the trenches of France during the First World War. She devotes herself to the French cause and to helping those wounded in the war.

Dir: René Hervil

Blanchette, whose parents have sacrificed to give her an education, has received her teaching diploma, but is unable to find work. A dispute with her father leads to her being throw out of the house, and she goes to Paris to look for work.

Dir: René Hervil

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Mothers of France perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A young provincial engineer sends romantic stories he has written to a cousin in Paris, who claims them as his own work.The writer comes to the city and for a while gets even with his relative by having a fling with the man's wife.

Dir: René Hervil

Susan Daubray's father, a judge, insists upon her reading law. Her brother, Robert, is her only real companion. She has a kind friend in Daddy Dorand, a goatherd on a neighboring island. Prince Michael of Sylvana is visiting the Duke of Valdimere, whose castle is near Susan's home. Susan meets the Prince and they become close friends. The Prince is called to Paris to meet Princess Sonia. He writes to Susan, but his letter is intercepted by the Duke, who disapproves of the acquaintance. Susan, unable to bear the sorrow of the loss of her friend, goes to the Duke's castle to learn the reason why the Prince does not write. While in the castle she faints and a ring which the Prince had given her is taken from her finger by the Duke and returned to its original owner, the Prince. The Prince thinks that Susan has forgotten him and he consents to marry the Princess. A baby is born to Susan and she is told by her father to leave his house. She goes with the goatherd to live. Her brother, who has gone to America, returns and, learning of the Prince's deceit, seeks him out an in a fight and he, the brother, is thrown over a balcony and killed. The Prince then learns of the intercepted letter and finds Susan and they are reconciled. Susan, after the reconciliation, is content to die in her happiness and drowns herself.

Dir: René Hervil

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Blanchette perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: René Hervil

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: René Hervil

Fabio Romani is the husband of beautiful Nina, an Italian girl. They have a charming daughter, Stella by name, and their life in Naples on Romani's great estates is one of love and happiness. Both husband and wife are fond of Guido Ferrari, who is a constant visitor at their home, and whose friendship for Fabio has been lifelong. A great cholera plague ravages the populace of Naples and Fabio one day decides to go to town in spite of the danger, on an errand of importance. On his return he is seized with the cholera, and drops to the street. He is picked up by the hooded doctors, pronounced dead, and, as a precaution against infection, his body is immediately placed on a cheap wooden casket and buried in the long disused Romani family vault. After some hours of apparent death his body stirs. He breathes, feels, moves and his casket slips from the niche and falls to the floor of the vault, taking with it a coffin that had lain undisturbed for many centuries on a lower tier. Romani struggles to his feet and the truth dawns on him. He immediately plunges into the casket now broken open and finds tremendous riches in gold, silver and diamonds with a note stating that they had been placed there by a pirate many generations ago. Almost overcome by his adventure, and suffering an agony of mental torture, Fabio's hair turns white in a single hour. He finally breaks free of the tomb and rushes through the garden to his mansion. From behind an ornamental column he sees his old friend Guido embracing his wife and determines upon a horrible revenge. He hurries to the nearest town, buys a pair of green spectacles and a suit of clothes. Armed with almost inexhaustible riches of the treasure chest, he assumes the name of Count Oliva and after a lapse of time, returns to the scene of his misfortunes. He succeeds in obtaining an introduction to Guido and in course of time the two become fast friends. He professes himself to be an old friend of the dead Count Romani's father. In course of time he meets his faithless wife and soon becomes an almost daily visitor at his own home. At this time his child Stella is taken sick and dies. Before the little girl passes away, Fabio makes himself known to her. The wealth of Fabio dazzles Nina and, being faithless, selfish and mercenary, he has but little difficulty in laying the foundation of his vengeance. Guido leaves town for a period and during the interval, Fabio receives the consent of Nina to become his wife and to jilt Guido. Fabio then announces a grand dinner in honor of Guido's return and, at the psychological moment, announces to the assembled guests the engagement of himself and Nina. Guido, stung to the quick, strikes Fabio and a duel follows, in which Guido is mortally wounded. Before he expires, Fabio removes his green glasses and reveals his identity to the dying Guido. The night of the wedding arrives with its hundreds of guests. On that night just before the supper, Fabio takes Nina by the hand and leads her to the vault, telling her that he will show her the source of his fabulous wealth and the ever mercenary Nina follows to the door of the vault where she hesitates. Fabio seizes her and throws her through the open door and then follows himself. Safely in the vault, he discloses his identity and the shock drives Nina insane. The sight of the once beautiful woman now a crazed being with distorted face, playing among the jewels in the treasure chest, almost causes Fabio's cold heart to relent. Suddenly the earth moves beneath them. There is a rush and roar of crashing pillars, a mighty stone hurtles through the roof of the tomb, striking Nina and killing her instantly. Fabio, believing it the vengeance of the Gods, rushes from the mined vault in panic. Thus is the Vendetta accomplished.