- Madame Sans-Gêne (film)
Infobox Film
name = Madame Sans-Gêne
image_size =
caption = Film poster
director =Christian-Jaque
producer =Maleno Malenotti
writer =Christian-Jaque Ennio De Concini
narrator =
starring =Sophia Loren Robert Hossein Renaud Mary
music =Angelo Francesco Lavagnino (original music)Umberto Giordano (from the eponymous opera)
cinematography =Roberto Gerardi
editing =
distributor =
released = 1962
runtime = 98 min.
104 min. (USA)
108 min. (Italy-DVD)
country =Spain /Italy /France
language = Italian / French
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0056208"Madame Sans-Gêne" is a 1962 Spanish-Italian-French film co-production distributed by
Embassy Pictures . It was directed byChristian-Jaque and adapted from the 1893 play byVictorien Sardou andÉmile Moreau .The film stars
Sophia Loren and a cast of French and Italian players, including Robert Hossein, Julien Berthaeu, Renaud Mary, Léa Gray, Gianrico Tedeschi andMarina Berti .Background
"Madame Sans-Gêne" has a legendary history in
France . It is based on the life of Catherine Hubscher, born inGoldbach-Altenbach (Haut-Rhin ) in 1753. She started off as a laundress who used to wash and iron Napoleon's clothes when he was a common corporal. She marriedFrançois Joseph Lefebvre , an Army sergeant who becameMarshal of France and was later elevated by Napoleon I to the rank of Duke of Dantzig. She was known by the nickname of Madame Sans-Gêne, (literally "Mrs No Embarrassment") because of her behaviour, free speech and lack of proper manners at court.The play by Sardou and Moreau was extremely popular and was serialised in novel form by Raymond Lepelletier.
The role was played on stage by
Réjane , inFrance ,England and New York and who also brought it to the screen twice, in 1900 and 1911. In 1924, silent screen starGloria Swanson played the title role and it was an international box-office success. In 1941, it was played byArletty . In 1945 it was made into an Argentinian film. The story was also the subject of the opera "Madame Sans-Gêne" byUmberto Giordano which had its world premiere at theMetropolitan Opera in 1915.The 1961 film featured a US $6 million budget, lavish period sets, and costumes designed for Loren by
Marcel Escoffier andItala Scandariato .
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.