Information
- BFI identifier22277
- Date1899 (Release)
- Production countryFrance
- Production company
- SynopsisDRAMA-DOCUMENTARY. A recreation of episodes from the Alfred Dreyfus case giving the pro-Dreyfus point of view. No titles. [1: LA DICTÉE DU BORDEREAU] 1894. In an office Du Paty de Clam requests Captain Dreyfus to write so that he can compare his handwriting with that on the incriminating document (the 'Bordereau'). He notices Dreyfus' nervousness and accuses him of being the author of the document. He hands Dreyfus a revolver with which to commit suicide, an offer which Dreyfus spurns (62ft). [2: LA DEGRADATION] [scene missing showing Dreyfus' military disgrace] [3: L'ÎLE DU DIABLE] Dreyfus within the palisades on Devil's Island. He sits on a block and meditates. A guard enters and hands Dreyfus a letter from his wife. Dreyfus attempts to talk to the guard, who declines to reply (being under strict orders from his Government) and Dreyfus becomes despondent (61ft). [4: MISE AUX FERS DE DREYFUS] 1896. The interior of the hut in which Dreyfus is confined. Two guards approach him while he is asleep, wake him, and read to him an order from the French minister to put him in irons. This they proceed to do, despite Dreyfus' protests. The guards inspect the hut with a lantern (62ft). [5: SUICIDÉ DU COLONEL HENRY] The interior of a cell, in which Colonel Henry (whose forgeries helped to incriminate Dreyfus) sits at a table writing a letter. He rises, takes out a razor concealed in his porte-manteau, and cuts his throat. The sergeant of the guard and officers enter to discover his dead body (62ft). [6: DÉBARQUEMENT À QUIBERON] 1899. At night Dreyfus is landed by French marines at the port of Quiberon following his period of imprisonment on Devil's Island. He is received by the French authorities and led away. It is a stormy night with rain and flashes of lightning (52ft). [7: ENTRETIEN DE DREYFUS ET DE SA FEMME À RENNES] Interior of room in the military prison at Rennes in which Dreyfus is confined. He is visited by his counsel Maître Labori and Demange. His wife is announced, and there is a pathetic reunion between the two (59ft). [8: ATTENTAT CONTRE MAÎTRE LABORI] Maître Labori, Colonel Picquart and M. Gast, Mayor of Rennes, are walking near the bridge at Rennes. They notice that they are being followed by a man but do not consider this of importance. When their backs are turned the man draws a revolver and fires twice at Labori, hitting him in the back. The assassin then runs away, pursued by Picquart and Gast. Two passers-by ignore Labori before a third comes to his aid (57ft). [9: BAGARRE ENTRE JOURNALISTES] Journalists attending the proceedings of the court martial enter into an animated discussion, highlighted by a dispute between Arthur Meyer of the 'Gaulois' and Mme Séverine of the `Fonde', resulting in a fight between Dreyfusards and Anti-Dreyfusards. Canes and chairs are brought down on people's heads; the melée is eventually cleared by the gendarmes (63ft). [10: LE CONSEIL DE GUERRE EN SÉANCE À RENNES] The scene at the Lycée at Rennes, showing the military court martial of Dreyfus. The scene initally shows just Maître Demange and secretary. Other advocates and stenographers arrive, and the sergeant of the court announces the arrival of Colonel Jouaust and the other judges. Others arriving and taking their places include Maître Labori, Commandier Cordier and Adjutant Coupois. Jouaust order the sergeant to bring in Dreyfus. Dreyfus enters, followed by the Captain of the Gendarmerie. He sits, and Colonel Jouaust puts questions to him. The first witness, General Mercier, is then called. He tells the court his deposition is a lengthy one, and requests a chair. There is animated discussion and cross-questioning between Jouaust, Mercier and Demange. Dreyfus, much excited, gets up and vigorously protests against the proceedings (131ft). [11: DREYFUS ALLANT DU LYCÉE DE RENNES À LA PRISON] [scene missing showing Dreyfus leaving the Lycée on his way to prison] Note: The NFTVA's copy has nine of the original eleven scenes. The French titles are those cited in the CNC catalogue cited below; Sadoul gives a different set of titles. The description above is partly based on that given in the Warwick Trading Company catalogue (reproduced in Barnes). The original Star-Film catalogue numbers are 206-217 (the court martial scene counted as two). The missing degradation scene is sometimes given after the court martial, but it should clearly come second. References: John Barnes, Filming the Boer War (1992), pp 71-74. CNC, Essai de Reconstitution du Catalogue Français de la Star-Film (1981). Georges Sadoul, Histoire Générale du Cinéma vol 2 (1948), pp 107-109. Warwick Trading Company catalogue 1901 p 66. (Shotlist)
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Title
L' AFFAIRE DREYFUS (Original)
The DREYFUS CASE (Alternative)
The DREYFUS AFFAIR (Help search)
Category
Fiction- Collections
- Film / Video
35mm BW Positive - Safety - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Acetate - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Polyester - Silent - Viewing
35mm BW Positive - Polyester - Silent - Viewing
1-inch C-Format - Video - Viewing
VHS cassette - Video - Viewing
HD Cam SR - Video - Viewing
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- +L' AFFAIRE DREYFUS
Work - 22277 - 1899 (Release)
France - Film - Fiction
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