Mistinguett

Mistinguett (1875-1956) was a legendary French actress. As a singer, she captivated Paris with her risque routines. She became the most popular French entertainer of her time and the highest-paid female entertainer in the world. Mistinguett also appeared more than 60 times in the cinema.

French postcard, no. 153. Photo: G.L. Manuel Frères. Caption: 'Les jolies jambes à Mistinguett' ('Mistinguett’s pretty legs'). Collection: Marlene Pilaete.


French postcard, sent by mail in 1905.


French postcard in the series Nos artistes dans leur loge, no. 2. Photo: Comoedia.


French postcard by Cinémagazine-Edition, Paris, no. 175. Photo: P. Apers.


French postcard by Cinémagazine-Edition, no. 176. Photo: P. Apers.


Austrian postcard by Iris-Verlag, no. 5108. Photo: P. Apers.


French postcard. Illustration: Cabrol. Collection: Marlène Pilaete.


French postcard by Pro-Artis Gendre Editeur-diffuseur, Paris, no. 20. Photo: Walery / Bibliothèque Nationale.

Miss Tinguette

Mistinguett was born as Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois in Enghien-les-Bains, France, in 1875. She was the daughter of labourer Antoine Bourgeois and seamstress Jeannette Debrée. At an early age, Jeanne aspired to be an entertainer. She began as a flower seller in a restaurant in her hometown, singing popular ballads as she sold her flowers.

When a song-writing acquaintance made up the name Miss Tinguette, Jeanne liked it. She made it her own by joining it together and eventually dropping the second S and the final E (Mistinguett). Mistinguett debuted at the Casino de Paris in 1895 and appeared in shows at the Folies Bergère, Moulin Rouge, and Eldorado.

In 1908 she made her film debut in the short silent film L'empreinte ou La main rouge/The Impression or the Red Hand (Henri Burguet, 1908) for Pathé Fréres. Her co-star in this film was Max Dearly. The next year, he chose her to be his partner to create 'La valse chaloupée' (or the Apache Dance) in the Moulin Rouge. It became a worldwide sensation.

Between 1909 and 1915, she appeared on the stages of the Paris music halls but also in dozens of short films for Pathé, including Fleur de pavé/Her Dramatic Career (Albert Capellani, Michel Carré, 1909) with Charles Prince, Une petite femme bien douce/A Sweet Little Lady (George Denola, 1910) which she also wrote, and Le clown et le pacha/The Clown and the Pasha (Georges Monca, 1911), again with Prince.

In Une bougie récalcitrante/A Stubborn Spark Plug (Georges Monca, 1912), she appeared for the first time opposite the much younger Maurice Chevalier. With Chevalier, she would have a relationship of more than 10 years. The most successful film among her Pathé films was Les misérables (Albert Capellani, 1913), a four-part serial based on the famous novel by Victor Hugo.


French postcard by J.D. & Cie, Paris, series 20. Photo: DuGuy. Caption: Mistinguette, Eldorado. Sent by mail in 1904.


French postcard by MvB, no. 1977. Caption: Mistinguette, Eldorado.


Austrian postcard by Iris-Verlag, no. 5108. Photo: P. Apers.


French postcard by F.C. & Cie, no. 283. Photo: Boyer & Bert. Mistinguett and Max Dearly performing the Apache Dance. Collection: Didier Hanson.


French postcard by Etablissements photographiques de Boulogne-sur-Seine. Photo: H. Manuel. Mistinguett and Max Dearly at the Casino de Paris.


French collectors card by Pathé Frères, 1911. Mistinguett in the early French comedy Léocadie veut se faire mannequin (SCAGL/ Pathé Frères, 1911).


Spanish collector card (minicard) by Reclam Films, card, no. 4. Photo: Pathé Frères. Mistinguett in La Glu (Albert Capellani, 1913), presented in Spain as La Sirena. Her co-actors were Paul Capellani, Henri Collen (here on the left), Cécile Guyon, and Henri Krauss.


French postcard in the Nos Artistes dans leur loge series no. 55. Photo: Comoedia, Paris.


French postcard, no. 159. Photo: P. Apers, Paris.


French postcard by JRPR, Paris, no. 508. Photo: P. Apers. Mistinguett in the revue 'Paris Miss' at the Casino de Paris in 1930.

Legs of 500,000 francs

During the First World War, Mistinguett continued to appear in Pathé productions like the comedies La valse renversante/The Amazing Waltz (Georges Monca, 1914) again opposite Maurice Chevalier, and Rigadin et la jolie manucure/Rigadin and the Pretty Manicurist (Georges Monca, 1915) with Charles Prince.

In Italy, she appeared in La doppia ferita/The Double Injury (Augusto Genina, 1915). Opposite the legendary Harry Baur, she starred in Chignon d'or/The Gold Chignon (André Hugon, 1916) and Fleur de Paris/Flower of Paris (André Hugon, 1916). Mistinguett first recorded her signature song 'Mon Homme' in 1916. It was popularised under its English title 'My Man' by Fanny Brice and has become a standard in the repertoire of numerous pop and jazz singers.

In 1918, she succeeded Gaby Deslys at the Casino de Paris, and remained the undisputed star of nocturnal Paris until 1925. In 1919 her legs were insured for the then astounding amount of 500,000 francs. During a tour of the United States, she was asked by Time magazine to explain her popularity. Her answer was: "It is a kind of magnetism. I say 'Come closer' and draw them to me."

After WWI, Mistinguett's film career halted. She only appeared in a few more films, including L'île d'amour/Island of Love (Berthe Dagmar, Jean Durand, 1928) and Rigolboche (Christian-Jaque, 1936). Mistinguett's stage career prospered and lasted over fifty years.

Her last film appearance was as herself in the Italian musical Carosello del varietà/Variety Carousel (Aldo Bonaldi, Aldo Quinti, 1955). In 1956, Mistinguett died at the age of 80. She is buried in the Cimetiere Enghien-les-Bains, Île-de-France, France.


French postcard by Agence Phot. de reportage Keystone, Paris. Courbevoie: Mlle Mistinguett at the departure of the match Paris-London on hydrocycle by René Savard (crossing The Channel between Calais and Dover).


French postcard for Cherry Brandy "Regals". Illustration: Dolly Tree. Collection: Marlène Pilaete.


French postcard in the Les Vedettes de Cinéma series by A.N., Paris, no. 97. Photo: Sarony. Bouboule was Mistinguett's goddaughter, an admittedly talented child actress. She was born in 1917 and from 1921 on, she appeared in 13 films.


French postcard, no. 67. Photo: H. Manuel. Collection: Marlene Pilaete.


French postcard by Bleuet, no. 970. Photo: Utudjian, Paris.


French postcard by Bleuet, no. 971. Photo: Utudjian, Paris.


French postcard by J.R.P.R., Paris, no. 506. Photo: P. Apers. Mistinguett and Earl Leslie in the revue ' Paris Miss' at the Casino de Paris in 1930.


French autograph card.


French postcard, no. 113. Photo: Studio Harcourt.


French postcard by Editions P.I., no. 49. Photo: Studio Piaz.


French or Belgian postcard. Mistinguett in the sound film Rigolboche (Christian-Jaque, 1936).

Sources: Wikipedia and IMDb.

La Glu (1913)

French actress and singer Mistinguett (1875-1956) was the most popular French entertainer of her time and captivated Paris with her risqué routines. She also appeared more than 60 times in the cinema such as in the silent S.C.A.G.L. production La Glu / The Siren (Albert Capellani, 1913) with Paul Cappelani and Henry Krauss.


French postcard, no. 153. Photo: G.L. Manuel Frères. Caption: “Les jolies jambes de Mistinguett” (Mistinguett’s pretty legs). Collection: Marlene Pilaete.


Spanish collector card (minicard) by Reclam Films, no. 1. Photo:  S.C.A.G.L. / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett in La Glu / The Siren (Albert Capellani, 1913), presented in Spain as La Sirena. Mistinguett's co-actors were Paul Capellani, Henri Collen, Cécile Guyon, and Henri Krauss (here next to her).


Spanish collector card by Reclam Films, no. 2. Photo:  S.C.A.G.L. / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett in La Glu / The Siren (Albert Capellani, 1913).


Spanish collector card by Reclam Films, no. 3. Photo:  S.C.A.G.L. / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett and Paul Capellani in La Glu / The Siren (Albert Capellani, 1913).

A great flirt

La Glu / The Siren (Albert Capellani, 1913) is based on an 1881 novel and 1883 play of the same name, by the eccentric Romantic writer Jean Richepin. They also served as the model for a 1908 opera by Gabriel Dupont.Mistinguett stars as Fernande, the daughter of poor parents. On IMDb, there is a synopsis by Moving Picture World: "(Fernande) is very much dissatisfied with her lot in life and wants to get out where she can have some pleasure. She is a great flirt and has several men on the string. When the doctor (Henri Krauss) comes to the house she works her wiles on him to such an extent that he asks for her hand in marriage. Fernande accepts him but in her mind has no intention of giving up her other sweethearts. After her marriage, she continues to meet them with the result that he discovers her unfaithfulness. He looks into her private correspondence and finds proof that she has been utterly unfaithful. When he taxes her with it she does not deny it but tells him that she intends to continue the same way. He in a rage strikes her. Driven nearly insane he wanders round all night and on his return finds that she has gone away. He loses all trace of her and goes to a foreign country to try to forget her."

In the meantime, Fernande goes to Paris, where she sets up a little court of her own. Her admirers are many, among them Count Adolphe. He is so much taken with her charms that he decides to marry her. He writes to his grandfather telling him of his decision. Then he goes to Fernande with his proposal. She is rather taken aback as she had not intended to let him get that far in the toils. To avoid his attention she goes to a small town in Brittany where she finds life too slow for her temperament. Being one of that kinds of women who must have an admirer she flirts with a young fisherman. The fisherman, Marie-Pierre (Paul Capellani), is however built of different stuff than the men she has met in Paris and will not be satisfied to merely admire her from a distance. Despite his rough manners, or probably because of them and his immense size, he exerts a charm on Fernande that makes her lose her cool, calculating manner. She allows him to come to her home.

Marie-Pierre's mother has suspected for some time that all is not well with him and follows to learn what is the cause of his desertion of his own wife. Through the good offices of an old friend, she learns that Pierre is spending nearly all of his time at the home of Fernande. Going to the doctor she asks him to do what he can to get Pierre out of the clutches of the woman who is wrecking both their lives. The doctor goes to the villa and on entering finds that not only has Fernande been playing with Pierre, but that she has at the house of Count Adolphe, who has followed her from Paris. He also is astounded to find the woman in the case is Fernande, his own wife who had left his house the night he had struck her. He had no idea that he was located in the same town that she had chosen for her home.

He upbraids her but is met with a penitent air and an exhibition of those same charms that made him love her so long before. He falls victim a second time only to be laughed at and told that he is an old fool. Enraged he tells Pierre and the count who she really is. Pierre, overcome, falls in a faint striking his head and badly hurting himself. He is taken home and orders are given that he is to be kept absolutely quiet if he is to recover. Fernande decides to see him and goes to his home. She is told that it is impossible to see him, but insists. Then Pierre's mother takes a hand and the Siren meets one on whom she cannot work her charms.

Le Journal (7.11.1913), quoted by Henri Bousquet in the Catalogue Pathé 1913: "The old story of the evil femme fatale, an Eve figure causing suffering to decent, tormented men, is neither new nor very pleasant: at the end the mother kills the whore. Oh well. But this film does get under your skin. It can draw an audience – if the audience is willing – under its spell. The exterior shots and, above all, the photographic style are consistently fresh and strikingly beautiful, while the expressive physicality of the star is mesmerising. The passionate love scene with Marie-Pierre, for example, generates a physical empathy hardly ever felt in other films of the time. Mlle Mistinguett plays the role of La Glu with artistry and a profound truthfulness. Messieurs Capellani and Krauss distill from their roles a most moving passion and high dramatic pitch. The production, admirable in every way, in fact nearly turned into a real drama. For we all remember that Mlle Mistinguett, struck by the hammer which was to kill La Glu, fainted, in real life, from the shock; and then we see something that was not in the script: the horrified gesture of Krauss before the bloody figure of his friend at his feet, believing for a moment that she was really dead.”


Spanish collector card by Reclam Films, no. 4. Photo: S.C.A.G.L. / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett in La Glu / The Siren (Albert Capellani, 1913) with Henri Collen on the left.


Spanish collector card by Reclam Films, no. 6. Photo: S.C.A.G.L. / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett in La Glu / The Siren (Albert Capellani, 1913). The man lying on the floor is Paul Capellani.


French collector cards by Pathé Frères, 1911. Photo: S.C.A.G.L. / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett and Juliette Clarens in the comedy Léocadie veut se faire mannequin (Pathé Frères, 1911).

Sources: Il Cinema Ritrovato, Wikipedia (French) and IMDb

Nasty women

Since yesterday, EFSP follows Le Giornate del Cinema Muto again - till Saturday 12 October. The Silent Film Festival in Pordenone is the main festival of its kind and this year's edition is the 38th. And yes, the 'Nasty women' will return! In 2017, Maggie Hennefeld and Laura Horak presented a retrospective full of subversive pleasures. Again, the series features shorts made largely in the 1910s and earlier, showcasing strong-minded women and girls delighting in wreaking havoc and upending the rules of patriarchal power. For this post we selected five cards from our Pathé album from 1911. If the short comedies of these three nasty women are on show in Pordenone or not, we don't care. This post is our little subversive pleasure.

Léocadie

French collectors cards by Pathé Frères, 1911. Photo: SCAGL / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett and Juliette Clarens in Léocadie veut se faire mannequin (Frédéric Mauzens, 1911).

Léocadie veut se faire mannequin/Leocadia Wishes to Be Fashion-model came out in August 1911. It was directed and scripted by Frédéric Mauzens. Uncle Dufond wants to marry his nephew Onésime to a charming widow, Boxing Clorinde (Juliette Clarens). But Onésime, prey to a fatal love, formally repels the offer of his uncle who threatens to cut off his food and ruthlessly chases away his girlfriend, the young Léocadie (Mistinguett).

Léocadie soon finds a job as a model and has just started in her new job, when the boy of her janitor comes to warn that Onésime is drowning in his tub, out of despair. Listening only to her heart, Leocadie flies to his aid without worrying about the elegant dress she wears, which is precisely the one the rich Boxing Clorinde has selected.

The fashion designer, the client, and the model are all at Léocadie's, where Onésime, recalled to life by their good care, escapes only with difficulty to the fury of the two rivals. In the end, Léocadie, who triumphs as mistress of the battlefield, chases the importune uncle and his dangerous protegee.


French collectors cards by Pathé Frères, 1911. Photo: SCAGL / Pathé Frères. Mistinguett and Juliette Clarens in Léocadie veut se faire mannequin (Frédéric Mauzens, 1911).

Léontine

French collectors cards by Pathé Frères, 1911. Photo: SCAGL / Pathé Frères. Scene from Le bateau de Léontine (1911).

The Pathé series about Léontine, a girl always into terrible mischief, is typical 'Nasty women' stuff. In the short comedy Le bateau de Léontine/Betty's Boat (?, 1911), 'Titine' has received a superb three-master for her party. She has promised her parents to be very good in their absence, but she cannot resist the temptation to have her boat sailing.

She turns the kitchen faucets wide-open, so the room serves as a pool to her exploits. Soon the ship is sailing in the 'open sea', but Titine is still dissatisfied. However, the water, crossing the floor, flows in large streams onto the lower floors, drowning the tenants, and transforming the stairs in impassable torrents.

Titine, unsuspecting the dramas that take place below her, quietly floats in a barrel amidst the disaster. It is still unclear which actress played Leontine in this series.

Rosalie

French collector's cards by Pathé Frères, 1911. Photo: Pathé Comica. Sarah Duhamel as Rosalie in Rosalie a trouvé du travail (Romeo Bosetti, 1911).

Rosalie is hired as worker at a fashion shop in Rosalie a trouvé du travail (Romeo Bosetti, 1911). She has to promise to be at work always at 7 sharp, but the next morning she awakes at 10 to 7, shoots out of bed, dresses in haste, jumps down the stairs, and crosses the obstacles like a tornado.

After a dishevelled run full of wild episodes, Rosalie arrives, red-headed and muddy, scarred with snags, at the fashion shop, only to read the sign on the closed front door, 'closed on Sundays and holidays'.


French collector's cards by Pathé Frères, 1911. Photo: Pathé Comica. Sarah Duhamel as Rosalie in Rosalie veut en finir avec la vie (1911).

In Rosalie veut en finir avec la vie/Rosalie wants to finish life (Romeo Bosetti, 1911), Rosalie is fired, so she wants to commit suicide. She shoots herself with a revolver but only destroys the mirror. She throws herself on the tramway rails, but, alas, this one takes another track. She throws herself from a parapet but in vain.

Desperate, she goes into a gun shop, throws a bomb and mounts to heaven. But is only to cause her to descend again, this time in the arms of a well-moustached police officer, so gets lust for life again. The film was released in March 1911.

Sources: Fondation Jerome Seydoux (French) and IMDb.