Alsace

Alsace is one of Pouctal's propagandist war films and, despite a majestic performance by Gabrielle Réjanne, recreating the part she had played on the stage, it remains limited by that fact. But it is from a play by Gaston Leroux and builds in a Romeo-Juliet story that poses some question over the feuding nature of the two communities (francophone - here regarded as the true alsaciens - and germanophone). It's not quite as crude and silly as Chantecoq (another war propaganda film of the same year) even if the end...well. that you must see for yourself.

For better Pouctal I strongly recommend the 1918 Comte de Monte Cristo, a long but a very complete and faithful version and, of the versions I have seen of the Dumas novel (noiseless or talkative) - I have not yet found the 1929 Fescourt version - it is quite the best.