Le secret du Chevalier d'Éon

In 2021, the Austrian-American writer Irene Dische published the novel "Die militante Madonna / The Militant Madonna" about the life of the Chevalier d'Eon, who - although born a man - spent large parts of his life as a woman in the 18th century.

The film by Jacqueline Audry (1908-1977) is also about this historical figure. Here the Chevalier (astonishingly androgynous: Andree Debar) is a woman who poses as a man and wants to prevent the rapprochement between Prussia and Russia at the court of Tsarina Elisabeth (Isa Miranda). Of course, erotic banter (e.g. With Gabriele Ferzetti) is not neglected.

As a historical film, the film is rather mediocre. What's interesting is the gender theme and the fact that Jacqueline Audry, one of the few female directors who existed in the 1950s, directed the film. You should definitely keep her name in mind.

Jacqueline Audry was a female director at a time when only a few of them -Ida Lupino in the USA-dared tread on this male territory.And her movies -when one can see them - are really delightful.

This one takes liberties with history:the chevalier d' Eon was actually a man who used to dress up as a woman.Audry 's character is a woman,which is a courageous move:feminism and woman's lib before their time are here ,in spite of the conventional ending.Besides ,the screenplay predates Victor/Victoria by more than 30 years.Andrée Debar was a very strange actress,she's here more attractive when dressed up as a man than when she contents herself to be feminine.Her career was short-lived ,spanning about ten years,and it's her last movie.

A lot of humor ,of misunderstandings ,a lot of historical characters who are given a Sacha Guitry treatment,an ironical voice over, a lot of good humor.Louis XV,Madame de Pompadour (Jean Desailly and Simone Valere,husband and wife in life)and the tsarina of Russia ,all this live in a chocolate-box landscape.

The chevalier d'Eon briefly appears in Sacha Guitry's "si Versailles m'était conté" as well.Briefly but the sequence is a lot of fun.

I am not certain this historical adventure altogether suits the directorial style of Jacqueline Audry. The action sequences do not quite come off but she is at her very best in the intimate scenes, of which there are thankfully quite a few.

Written by Cecil Saint-Laurent, best known for his series 'Caroline Cherie', this concerns the mission of the Chevalier Charles d'Eon to disrupt the potential alliance between Russia and Prussia. The story is given added piquancy by the fact that Charles is actually Genevieve!

Charles/Genevieve is played by Andrée Debar in her last film before going into production. She is no great shakes as an actress but her androgynous looks make her ideal casting and her scenes with the lusty Dragoon of Gabriele Ferzetti work very well.

Husband and wife team Jean Desailly and Simone Valere play Louis XV and his maitresse-en-titre Madame de Pompadour and I regret never having seen either of these excellent artistes on stage. One cannot fail to mention the divine Dany Robin as la Comtesse de Monval.

The film is really made worthwhile by the impressive scenes in the Russian court involving Catherine the Great. As Russia's longest-serving female ruler she is depicted here as astute, autocratic, vain, sexually voracious and cruel, having not the slightest hesitation in giving anyone who displeases her a one-way ticket to Siberia. This role is a veritable gift to any actress and she is played to perfection here by the magnificent Isa Miranda who relishes every second on screen. She is seamlessly dubbed by Jaqueline Porel.

This film boasts tremendous production values and looks glorious in both Eastmancolor and the essentially French 'Dyaliscope'.

Jacqueline Audry is an unfairly neglected director and although this piece has merit I would not necessarily rush to recommend it to anyone who is coming to her films for the first time. It remains however a most pleasing way of spending an hour and a half.