French film/stage director, actor, and writer Sacha Guitry (1885-1957) was a huge proponent of historical films. Most notably, he made a biopic of Napoleon (1955), and several episodic films depicting French history: The Pearls of the Crown (1937), Let’s Go Up the Champs-Elysées (1938), Royal Affairs in Versailles (1955) — and If Paris Were Told to Us (1956). I’ve wanted to watch Royal Affairs in Versailles for a while now, since French history is my jam and it hits on many of the fabulous people associated with that palace, including Queen Marie-Antoinette. I got all excited because I finally found an online version, only to discover that the original French dialogue had been overdubbed with Russian. So I gave in and watched Guitry’s film about the history of Paris, since I could at least watch it in the original French.
If Paris Were Told to Us (Si Paris Nous Etait Conté) is basically framed as a modern-day (what I think is a) professor talking about Parisian history to a bunch of college-age students. I’m semi-fluent in French, but often miss some of the subtleties, so you’re going to have to go with my vagueness here! The film cuts back and forth between this prof and various scenes from Parisian history; it mostly moves in chronological order, but not always — for example, we see King François I acquiring the Mona Lisa in the 16th century, and then jump to the famous theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911. Because of this jumping through history, I don’t know that it’s the most riveting film ever made — it’s hard to get attached to any characters here. But it was interesting at least as a visual skim!
Also, this guy periodically shows up and sings very, very cheesy songs.
The film is VERY 1950s in terms of costumes and design. The two credited costume designers are Monique Dunan (1924-2002), who also costumed Royal Affairs in Versailles, Napoleon (1955), and Les Rois Maudits (1972), and Maggy Rouff, who co-designed Royal Affairs and Napoleon. Unfortunately I can’t find much information about the costumes — there’s lots written on director Guitry and the various subtexts of his “costume movies,” but I can’t really find anything about the costume design or execution.
So instead, let’s content ourselves with checking out If Paris Were Told to Us‘s take on various key figures from French history!
Charlotte of Savoy (1461-83) and Louis XI (1423-83)
Her dress is very unfortunately Christmas-y, and okay so yes they liked wimples and draped headdresses, but I have many, many questions about the execution of this one.
The real Charlotte:
Charlotte de Savoie, detail of the right pane of a diptych of devotion representing the Adoration of the shepherds with Charlotte of Savoy and Saint Francis, c. 1472, via Wikimedia Commons.
Agnès Sorel (1422-50)
Mistress of Charles VII of France (the king Joan of Arc fought for).
Danielle Darrieux as Sorel.
I doubt that period hennins looked like atomic Christmas trees, but ok!
Unfortunately the only contemporary image I can find of Sorel is this one, where she’s dressed as the Madonna:
Jean Fouquet, Madonna Surrounded by Seraphim and Cherubim, 1452 (Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp).
I’m not sure if her tomb effigy is contemporary, but in case it is:
Tomb of Agnès Sorel in the Collégiale Saint-Ours de Loches, via Wikimedia Commons
Tomb of Agnès Sorel in the Collégiale Saint-Ours de Loches, via Wikimedia Commons. I flipped this image around to try to get a perspective on her dress.
François I (1494-1547), Eleanor of Austria (1498-1558), and Diane de Poitiers (1499-1566)
François is played by Jean Marais (Princess of Cleves). He does some taunting of his wife, who I THINK must be Eleanor of Austria?? Acquires the Mona Lisa and heads off to shag a mistress.
Jean Marais on the set of “Si Paris Nous Etait Conte”. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
François’s ensemble seems inspired by this portrait:
Jean Clouet, Francis I of France, 1527-30, Louvre Museum
I THINK this is Diane de Poitiers — anyone know?
Jean Marais on the set of “Si Paris Nous Etait Conte”. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
The real Diane:
Workshop of François Clouet, Diane de Poitiers duchesse de Valentinois, mid-16th c., Musée Condé
That’s the queen, seated in the center, and some court floozies.
Assuming that is Eleanor, here’s the only contemporary image I can find of her in French dress:
Francis I of France (1494-1547) with Eleanor of Austria, 1520-40, Royal Collection
Henri IV (1553-1610) and Gabrielle d’Estrées (1573-99)
Henri is shown as being poncy with his Easter Egg-colored courtiers while the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre takes place, then an older Henri hangs with his chief mistress, Gabrielle d’Estrées (Michèle Morgan of Shadow of the Guillotine).
Seriously, all those guys on the left look just as Easter Egg-y on screen.
Michèle Morgan’s dress is actually quite beautifully made, even if the embroidery(?) is way too heavy handed, color-wise, and there’s some serious bust darts going on.
FRANCE – OCTOBER 07: Jean Martinelli (Henri Iv) And Michele Morgan (Gabrielle D’Estrees) In Sacha Guitry’S Play. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
All the contemporary images of Gabrielle show her naked, which aren’t very helpful.
Presumed portrait of Gabrielle d’Estrées and one of her sisters (the duchess of Villars?), c. 1594. Louvre Museum.
I wonder if they were inspired at all for her costume by this early 19th c. image?
François Fleury-Richard, Henri IV chez Gabrielle d’Estrées, c. 1810-12, Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon
Léonard Autié (c. 1751-1820) and Rose Bertin (1747-1813)
There’s a whole mid- to late-18th century bit centered around what I think are fictional aristocrats, but in between pop up 18th century hairdresser to the stars Léonard and marchande de modes/fashion designer Rose Bertin. Voltaire and others show up, but they’re SO not shiny and I got bored.
I think Ms. Casa Collection is random?
Léonard doing his thing!
Sadly I can’t find any contemporary images of the real Léonard!
Rose Bertin should beat her shop assistants more, given the fit of that bodice.
The real Rose Bertin:
The real Rose Bertin, by Pierre Adolphe Hall, via Drouot
Marie-Antoinette (1755-93) and Louis XVI (1754-93)
The French Revolution breaks out, and while there’s a few shots of rabble rousers, it’s mostly focused on a tragic Marie-Antoinette (Lana Marconi) being sent to the Conciergerie prison and then being tried before the revolutionary tribunal.
Marconi is ALL white satin with weird wrist ruffles; I think that’s Madame Elisabeth in the back?
Marie-Antoinette mostly wears this white cotton number to her trial. Sadly, the moment where she appeals to her fellow mothers falls SUPER flat.
She does get one change into this black number.
Because backs-of-hair interest me!
I’m guessing they were inspired by these two portraits of Marie-Antoinette during her imprisonment:
Alexander Kucharsky, Portrait of Marie Antoinette, 1792, Palace of Versailles
Alexander Kucharsky, La reine Marie-Antoinette en habit de veuve à la prison de la Conciergerie, 1793, Palace of Versailles
Empress Eugenie (1826-1920)
Empress Eugenie and her ladies-in-waiting turn up, recreating the famous portrait by Winterhalter that a group including myself, Trystan, and Sarah recreated — so we’ve spent FAR too much time looking at the original, and of course I was then overly excited to see their translation in the film.
Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Eugénie, Empress of the French and her Ladies, 1855, Musée National de Palais de Compiègne
I could point out a million differences, but I’ll try to keep it to a low roar:
WHY is Eugenie a redhead? Also, they’re missing a fichu.
Detail from Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Eugénie, Empress of the French and her Ladies, 1855, Musée National de Palais de Compiègne
They’ve repositioned some of the ladies and missed the tiers on the pink dress’s skirt. They did okay by green.
Detail from Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Eugénie, Empress of the French and her Ladies, 1855, Musée National de Palais de Compiègne
Detail from Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Eugénie, Empress of the French and her Ladies, 1855, Musée National de Palais de Compiègne
She should have many, many blue bows! And a blue and black hair hooha!
Detail from Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Eugénie, Empress of the French and her Ladies, 1855, Musée National de Palais de Compiègne
Trystan is currently laugh/crying, as this was her dress. They went SUPER CLUNKY with the lace.
Detail from Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Eugénie, Empress of the French and her Ladies, 1855, Musée National de Palais de Compiègne
No idea who this rando is, she’s not in the portrait.
Neither was Cinderella blue!
Have you managed to make it through a Sacha Guitry historical film?
I’m trying not to laugh uproariously especially the bad Winterhalter portrait version. I would be very interested in seeing yours and Tristan’s. Why do most of the costumes look in need of a fitter?
Here’s ours — http://www.trystancraft.com/costume/2008/05/01/marquise-de-la-tour-maubourg-in-the-eugenie-project/
We won Best in Show at Costume-Con 26’s Historical Masquerade competition :)
Thanks for the link. They DO looks millions no billions of times better than the movie schlock. You and your group deserve the win.
The chap with the Easter Egg courtiers is Henri III, with his ‘mignons’; not a young Henri IV.
Ohhhh that makes SO much more sense! Thanks!
I blame climate change on all the polyester in this movie specifically.
If you thought 1940’s doing Period was bad! You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
I imagine you needed many Pink Drinks to get through the Eugenie portion.
I made it through “Napoléon” (1955). Very very boring. Sacha Guitry has his own idea of Cinema. I had the Impression that he refused to entertain the audience. “Napoléon” had some of the most boring battle Scenes I ever saw (although the miniseries with Christian Clavier was very boring too). Even the uniforms were bad.
However I alway tried to look the movie about Versailles, just for my interest.
Wow, those imitation Winterhalter costumes are total failures aren’t they?
Royal affairs on Versailles is very fun, if you are not affraid of a lot of witty sparkling dialogs (some deliberately anachronistics). Guitry came from the theatre and is famous for his « bons mots ».
If you want a lot of action, you may find it boring. Otherwise if you like a stellar cast ( all the french who’ s who plus Claudette Colbert and Orson Welles), great funny dialogues and not affraid of very 50’s costumes (and zippers), you’ll love it.
Not about the costumes in the film, but does anyone else think Agnés Sorel as the Madonna looks like she’s thinking “where the fuck did my nipple go?”
Also, this is the first time i’ve seen that contemporary portrait of Francis I and Eleanor of Austria; i’m not sure if it was meant to look like caricature, but i like it.
Oh, placement of boobs (and to a smaller extent, the many ugly babies) in medieval paintings, you never cease being a source of amusement for me.
Well,at least they were trying to make an effort. A lot of 40’s films did not.