Filibus

I have been waiting to see this movie for some four years now. That's not much, really, since fans of old movies sometimes have to wait decades, if they are lucky enough to get their wish at all. However, images of a Beaux Artes poster, showing a woman descending from a dirigible, made this one seem special. Unfortunately, the copies available to me were unwatchable. Finally, a decent print has fallen into my hands. It is a little soft, and there is some damage, but the movie turns out to be a deliriously insane Evil Mastermind melodrama, as mad as Feuillade's LES VAMPIRES.

First off, who or what is Filibus? It turns out to be Valeria Creti, who is also the Baroness Troixmonde and the Count De La Brive. Learning that a banker she has robbed has set detective Giovanni Spano on her trail, she conceives an incoherent plan: she will convince Spano that he himself is Filibus, using his own, modern scientific methods against him; and she will court his sister, Cristina Ruspoli, as the Count.

Given that Miss Creti is a baroness and wealthy enough to have her own dirigible with a loyal crew, her motivation is unclear. If this movie had be produced this year, she would look like a militant Lesbian feminist, or perhaps someone who identifies as a heterosexual cis-male. Yet applying those standards to a work of fiction more than a hundred years old seems wrong. More likely, the impulse was to produce one of the would-be world conquerors like Fu Manchu, Dr. Mabuse, or Pinky and the Brain -- only this time, for variety's sake, let's make the mastermind a woman!

It is the incomplete transformation of the archetype that makes it so bizarrely entertaining. I mentioned Feuillade, whose melodramatic thrillers and serials exhibit the same outre qualities. I am convinced those arise because of the terrific pace at which he worked. Hey! We've got a balloon for two days. How do we write that in? Let's use it to go mail a letter. Hey, we've killed off Musidora in the fifth episode of the serial and we'll need her later! No problem, we'll take another Musidora out of a box. Feuillade would write himself into a corner, snap his fingers and come up with a quick solution, like Bugs Bunny pulling a cannon from offstage. The audience would look puzzled, think "Ah, this will all be explained later!" and forget about it.

Of course, LES VAMPIRES was a serial that, were you to binge-watch it, would take more than seven hours. As for this one, the end credits suggest that there will be more encounters between the mysterious Filibus and the scientific detective. Perhaps the answers to these questions and others will be given in the sequels. Does anyone want to make one?

Back in 1913 the French movie studio Gaumont and director Louis Feuillade created a craze for crime thriller serials with FANTOMAS about a master-of-disguise super criminal and a dogged detective determined to capture him. This was, no doubt, inspired by Sherlock Holmes and his pursuit of Professor James Moriarty but this time around the focus was on the criminal rather than the detective. Later in 1916 Feuillade would create JUDEX about a caped crime fighter battling injustice (sound familiar?) and conclude the genre in 1917 with LES VAMPIRES about a gang of super criminals led by a woman.

I'm providing this background because it is generally not realized that before the outbreak of World War I, the two leading film industries were in France and in Italy. So if the French were cashing in on crime serials, then the Italians would follow suit. In April 1915 they premiered the first of what was to have been a five part serial about the exploits of Filibus, a female master criminal who had multiple identities and who carried out her crimes, a la Jules Verne, from a flying metal airship. Unfortunately WWI escalated and the other four episodes were never produced.

The story is set in then contemporary Italy. A daring series of robberies have been committed by the mysterious thief known only as Filibus. We already know from the credits that Filibus is a woman as we have seen her in her various disguises. In reality she is a rich socialite who steals from those in her circle. When she learns that top detective Kutt Hendy is on the case, she intends to frame him for the thefts while she goes after some rare diamonds. Her plans succeed, but for how long? Valeria Creti is wonderful as the titular character while Giovanni Spano is the stoic detective trying to catch her.

Milestone Films has released this title on DVD and Blu-Ray. The print comes from The Netherlands and was restored by their celebrated Eye Film Museum. The print looks pretty good although there is some damage but the color tinting helps to diminish it except for one sequence. There are a host of extras including 3 background scores, some historical shorts and a complete 1916 Italian feature also starring Valeria Creti. If you enjoyed FANTOMAS which inspired FILIBUS which inspired LES VAMPIRES then you must see this. However Milestone's 21st century description of the movie is a little too over-the-top...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

While the premise already portends a measure of fantasy or science fiction, I don't think it's unfair to say that there are aspects of the plot which further require an especially hearty level of suspension of disbelief to allow us to watch. That is to say that, even within the first fifteen or minutes or so, we're greeted with scenes that make one ask "Can the title character really get away with this action in this moment?" - and the answer is, "Sure she can, because the story demands it." Provided one is ready to engage with such fare, however: gosh golly, is this fun! Scribe Giovanni Bertinetti concocted a smart, delicious crime drama and adventure that in some ways is well ahead of its time compared to plenty of contemporary works of cinema, and even many titles to follow in subsequent decades. Our protagonist is a wily, resourceful criminal mastermind, and at that, a strong, independent woman. There are touches of genderfluidity, and tinges of sapphic romance, integral to a tale that includes elements of seduction, a game of cat and mouse between criminal and detective, and moments of action and daring. Why, there's even a slight psychological element involved, which I absolutely adore. Even from a basic standpoint of the narrative being imparted, 'Filibus' is a delight, and frankly I'm kind of crestfallen that no enterprising filmmaker has sought to remake this underappreciated classic in all the many years since.

Solid scene writing defines and propels a compelling, entertaining story, and filmmaker Mario Roncoroni illustrates shrewd direction to orchestrate every shot and scene in the manner that will maximize our amusement as spectators. The cast is invariably having a blast, too - and let there be no doubt that Valeria Creti, starring as Filibus herself, was surely having the time of her life. The role saw her through many costume changes and was one of playful mirth and frivolity, and even through the limitations of film technology in 1915 I swear I can see the joy on her face through it all. Meanwhile, everyone behind the scenes turned in outstanding work, with terrific sets, props, costumes, and hair and makeup, not to mention filming locations. The stunts and especially the effects that the picture uses are modest compared to modern standards, yes, and even those of later in the silent era - yet undeniably look great! The airship in particular makes me giddy, recalling the visual splendor of French icon Georges Méliès (of 'A trip to the moon' fame), or of more modern fare like 'Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow' that adopted a faux-retro aesthetic. And while the cinematography is fairly simple at so early a time in the history of the medium, there is some fine editing on hand, including some humble instances of split-screen presentation that seems pretty advanced for the time. Really, I think the feature is splendidly well made all around.

It's worth observing that apparently the only surviving print of this silent Italian treasure is one with Dutch intertitles, and depending on how and where one might find this to watch, doing so might take some work on the part of the viewer. Like no few other movies from so long ago, the image quality is less than perfectly pristine in the first place, and the print suffered from significant deterioration in some frames before it could be preserved (though thankfully, none that severely impact the storytelling or viewing experience). More substantively, while 'Filibus' is Bertinetti and Roncoroni's story to tell, one can imagine ways in which the narrative could have perhaps been revised to heighten its drama and our enjoyment in turn. Yet I rather believe that any objections one might raise, or any critiques one might make, are very few and minor, and not nearly enough to diminish the strength and value of the film which remain beyond question. More than anything, I just wish this were longer, or that there were additional films made in a series! And for as fun and inventive as the picture is, and for all those ways in which cultural values have shifted in the past 100 years, I can only repeat that I think this rather demands a remake, one that could capitalize on those areas where Corona Film's production was ahead of its time. With that said, I understand why some modern viewers have an especially hard time engaging with older cinema - but setting aside such personal preference, to be honest I'm hard-pressed to think of anyone to whom I wouldn't happily recommend this. I had a really good time watching, and I think just about anyone would. Again, it may take a bit of work to be able to sit for it, but as far as I'm concerned this is a gem that's well worth the effort to find. I kind of love 'Filibus,' and gladly give it two thumbs up!

A lady equipped at pulling off disguises (easier to blend in during black&white times -- before the world gained color) plans and executes some heists with the help of her trusty airship. The thefts don't amount to mastermind status, but rather fun little trickery with a few tools aside from costume changes.

It is a charming film albeit with some ridiculous scenes that might have been intentionally silly, or just due to the time period.

You probably won't laugh or cry, but a smile throughout is likely. This movie also reminds us how airships became the 8-track of the aviation world. That's a shame. We can handle hydrogen better now -- let's build some airships!

An elegant baroness literally descends from the sky from an airship to commit thefts by posing as a male. She calls herself "Filibus," and the mayhem she creates for the victims as well as law enforment produces an Italian film noted as being so far ahead of its time it's still amazes audiences today.

The short-lived Italian movie studio, Corona Film, released in March 1915 "Filibus," named after the main protagonist. Stylized in the manner of France's successful movie series "Fantomas," the female counterpart "Filibus" amps up the action by introducing a science fiction element in technology to the female lead's behavior. The baroness dresses up as a man while she's committing illegal acts and going incognito in male clothes in her public interactions. Some have labeled the actress, relatively unknown Valeria Creti, as playing the first lesbian "bad girl" character. Others have noted that she is the first cross-dresser and transgender to appear in cinema. Her genderfluidity allows the baroness to disguise herself to throw off a veteran detective hot on Filibus' criminal trail.

Corona Film promised five episodes in the film series, but two months later Italy entered War World One, a blow to that country's nascent film industry. Before the war was over, Corona went out of business and there was no follow-up to what had been promised as a first-rate crime series.