Barbe-Bleue (1951)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Christian-Jaque

Writers:

André-Paul Antoine (writer)
Jean Bernard-Luc (adaptation)

Release Date:

28 September 1951 (France)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

What to do when you are nicknamed Bluebeard and you have lost your your sixth wife? Marry a seventh one of course...

Cast

Cécile Aubry	...	Aline
Pierre Brasseur	...	Le comte Amédée de Salfère dit Barbe-Bleue
Jean Debucourt	...	Le Majordome
Robert Arnoux	...	Mathieu Les Grands Pieds
Jacques Sernas	...	Giglio
Reggie Nalder	...	Le capitaine des gardes
Ina Halley	...	Anne
Henri Rollan	...	Le comte d'Etioles
Denise Cormand	...	Valentine d'Etioles
Carl Wery
Georges Chamarat	...	Le chapelain
Elly Norden	...	Cunégonde von Kronberg Meinsnichtgonfried
Diane Lefort	...	Lucrezia
Espanita Cortez	...	Carmen Esmeralda Dulcinée de la Yotta
Geneviève Gérald	...	Anny Fling

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

France | Switzerland | West Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Gevacolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Austria

Company:

Alcina

Trivia:

Finnish censorship certificate # 037671.

Movie Connections:

Alternate language version of Blaubart (1951)

Bluebeard in Gévacolor

Gévacolor was a new treatment of the color: unfortunately now,the colors have faded and the pictures are rather ugly.

Bluebeard (la Barbe Bleue) was a fairytale by Charles Perrault -who appears in the film- which was published during the Sun King 's reign.It may have been inspired by Joan of Arc's companion Gilles de Rais -who did not kill women but children .This sinister person's castle is still called "Château de Barbe -Bleue " today.Unlike "Cinderella " ("Cendrillon" ) or "Donkey Skin" ("Peau d'Ane"),"La Barbe-Bleue " was actually hardly a fairy tale: in several respects,it is a thriller, nay a horror tale ;only the key -present in the movie - is a fairy.There are hints at "Barbe Bleue" in some thrillers of the forties and the fifties,Fritz Lang's "Secret beyond the door " being the most prominent example .

Unlike Jean Cocteau (Beauty and the Beast) and Jacques Demy (Donkey Skin) Christian-Jaque's attempt at a classic is a failure.However the choice of his two leads was excellent:Pierre Brasseur was ideally cast as the Ogre whereas Cecile Aubry -discovered by HG Clouzot in "Manon" (1949)- was the perfect "Femme-Enfant" .But both overplay and are almost unbearable .

It's not a movie for children -it's not sure that the tale was as well- and it does not really appeal to adults either.I do not want to write a spoiler but there is a very big difference between Perrault's story and the screenplay.Although sister Anne is here and the heroine asks her the famous question "Ann,My Sister Ann,can't you see anything coming?",the film lacks finesse,magic,everything that made "la Belle et la Bête " the masterpiece of the genre.