LADY OF THE CAMELIAS (STORIA VERA DELLA SIGNORA DALLE CAMELIE
Italy, 1981, 115 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Huppert, Bruno Ganz, Gian Maria Volonte, Fabrizio Bentivoglio.
Directed by Mauro Bolognini.
Lady of the Camellias is the story behind the popular tale of Camille by Alexander Dumas. Audiences know the Camille story well from the opera by Verdi, La Traviata as well as Camille starring Greta Garbo. There have been other versions (including a lavish telemovie with Greta Scacchi). The film has beautiful sets and decor, an atmosphere of 19th century countryside France as well as Paris. The cast is very strong with Isabelle Huppert very effective as Alexandrine, the naive yet calculating young woman who becomes the celebrated Courtesan of Paris. Gian Maria Volonte is effective as her father and servant. Bruno Ganz is her protector and husband. The film was directed by Mauro Bolognini, director, for many decades, of contemporary, dramas as well as some period melodramas including The Ferramonti Inheritance.
1. Audience familiarity with the story of Camille? The operas and the films? This look at the background of the story?
2. Production values, colour photography, 19th century sets and decor, costumes? The strength of the cast?
3. The title and the focus on Alexandrien, the courtesan, the flowers? Her career, consumption and death? The writing of the play by Alexander Dumas, immortalising Alexandrine as the Lady of the Camellias?
4. The play within the film? The performance, the dramatisations? Dumas and his writing, his interpretation of his experience?
5. Alphonsine as the country girl, her poverty, the hardships of her life? Pills? Her work, the gutter? Her being used by men? Men wanting to rescue her? Her being taken by her father to the presbytery, the priest and his response, hanging himself? Her reaction?
6. Her relationship with her father, his attitude to the family, the need for money? Moral questions? Seeing his daughter as a prostitute? Her going to Paris? The encounter with Serge? Relationships?
7. Alphonsine adapting to the life of Paris, work? Relationship with the girls at work? At the theatre? At Les Halles? The response of the men? At the theatre, allowing herself to be picked up, her calm attitude towards the encounters? The idea of being protected and a comfortable way of life?
8. Isabelle Huppert’s performance as Alphonsine - naive yet shrewd? Strength of character? Motivation? Dogged by illness all her life? The many men in her life and her dealings with them? The rewards of being a courtesan? Well set-up, clothes, and luxury? Money? Her father coming to Paris, acting as her steward? Not being known as her father? Her servants and lifestyle?
9. Serge, reading, the money? Help?
10. The encounter with the count, the relationship, his travels, proposal, the marriage and the arrangement? His absences, his return and the effect on Alphonsine?
11. The character of Alexander Dumas, his celebrated father, literature and high society? The young man of the city? His relationship with women, with the courtesans? His growing love for Alphonsine? The model for Armand in his story?
12. Alphonsine and her illness, the prostitutes and their style, at the theatre? Defying everyone? The count and his care for her? Her growing illness, going to the country? Dumas and his support of her? The violence of her death? Consumption and the racking pain? Her isolation? The response of her father, protecting her - and also receiving the money?
13. The portrait of her father, loving his daughter, yet cold and callous? Serving her, the go-between? His final words- and his response to the final performance? His wanting money?
14. 19th Century France, society, values? romance and reality? The experience of death? Romanticised as Camille?
