The Madwoman of Chaillot

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The Madwoman of Chaillot
Directed by Bryan Forbes
Produced by Ely A. Landau
Anthony B. Unger
Written by Edward Anhalt
Maurice Valency
Jean Giraudoux (play)
Starring Katharine Hepburn
Paul Henreid
Oskar Homolka
Yul Brynner
Richard Chamberlain
Edith Evans
Donald Pleasence
John Gavin
Margaret Leighton
Charles Boyer
Nanette Newman
Claude Dauphin
Fernand Gravey
Gilles Ségal
Danny Kaye
Music by Michael J. Lewis
Cinematography Burnett Guffey
Claude Renoir
Editing by Roger Dwyre
Distributed by Warner Bros
Release date(s) Flag of United States 12 October 1969
Running time 132 min
Country USA
Language English
IMDb profile

The Madwoman of Chaillot is a 1969 satirical comedy-drama film made by Commonwealth United Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros-Seven Arts. It was directed by Bryan Forbes and produced by Ely A. Landau with Anthony B. Unger as associate producer. The screenplay was by Edward Anhalt, adapted by Maurice Valency from the celebrated play La folle de Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux. The music score was by Michael J. Lewis and the cinematography by Burnett Guffey and Claude Renoir.

The film stars Katharine Hepburn with Paul Henreid, Oskar Homolka, Yul Brynner, Richard Chamberlain, Edith Evans, Donald Pleasence, John Gavin, Margaret Leighton, Charles Boyer, Nanette Newman, Claude Dauphin, Fernand Gravey, Gilles Ségal and Danny Kaye.

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[edit] Background

Chaillot is the name of a district of Paris in the elegant XVIe arrondissement.

Jean Giraudoux wrote the play during the German occupation of Paris. It was not performed until after his death (1944). The premiere was in Paris in December 1945 in a production by Louis Jouvet starring the celebrated French actress Marguerite Moreno who was the inspiration for the piece. Jouvet played the Ragpicker. The play has frequently been revived in France and the title role played by Edwige Feuillère, Madeleine Robinson and Judith Magre. On Broadway, Martita Hunt played the role for over 350 performances (1948-1950) and won a Tony Award for her performance. The play was turned into the musical Dear World (1969), with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and won a Tony for Angela Lansbury. It was also adapted into a ballet by Rodion Shchedrin (1992)

The play is at once satirical, political, ecological, poetical, prophetic, anti-psychiatry as well as being a fairy tale and a love story.

[edit] Plot

The story is of a modern society endangered by power and greed and the rebellion of the "little people" against corrupt and soulless authority.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

A group of four prominent men, The General (Paul Henreid), The Commissar (Oskar Homolka), The Chairman (Yul Brynner) and The Prospector (Donald Pleasence) discuss how they can increase their fortunes. The Prospector tells them that there is oil in the middle of Paris and they resolve to acquire the rights with or without the consent of the people of Paris. Countess Aurelia (Katharine Hepburn), the "madwoman" of the title, learns of this plan to drill for oil under the very streets of her district from Roderick (Richard Chamberlain) an activist and The Ragpicker (Danny Kaye). She enlists the help of her friends, a motley crew of "little people" who include the "madwomen" of neighbouring districts, Constance, the Madwoman of Passy (Margaret Leighton), Gabrielle, the Madwoman of St. Sulpice (Giulietta Masina). A trial takes place in the Countess' cellar presided over by Aurelia's friend Josephine (Edith Evans), the Madwoman of La Concorde as judge and the Ragpicker as the lawyer for the defence.

[edit] Cast

[edit] External links

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