The Affair of the Poisons (film)

The Affair of the Poisons (French: L'affaire des poisons, Italian: Il processo dei veleni) is a 1955 French-Italian historical drama film directed by Henri Decoin and starring Danielle Darrieux, Viviane Romance and Paul Meurisse. The film is adapted from the 1907 play of the same title by Victorien Sardou. It was shot in Technicolor at the Boulogne Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jean d'Eaubonne. The film is set against the backdrop of the real Affair of the Poisons in seventeenth century France, and demonstrates a darker tone than many more nostalgic depictions of the past.[1]

The Affair of the Poisons
Directed byHenri Decoin
Written byHenri Decoin
Georges Neveux
Albert Valentin
Based onThe Affair of the Poisons by Victorien Sardou
Produced byHenry Deutschmeister
Antonio Mosco
Nicola Naracci
StarringDanielle Darrieux
Viviane Romance
Paul Meurisse
CinematographyBorys Lewin
Edited byClaude Durand
Music byRené Cloërec
Production
companies
Franco London Films
Excelsa Film
Distributed byGaumont
Release date
  • 4 November 1955 (1955-11-04)
Running time
111 minutes
CountriesFrance
Italy
LanguageFrench

Synopsis

edit

Worried that she is losing the interest of Louis XIV, his lover Madame de Montespan turns to a young witch who takes part in network of black magic and poisoning. The ensuing scandal rocks the French court and leads to arrests, executions and the banishment of de Montespan from public life.

Cast

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Oscherwitz p.36

Bibliography

edit
  • Oscherwitz, Danya. Past Forward: French Cinema and the Post-Colonial Heritage. SIU Press, 2010.
edit