Passion; Madame Du Barry

520. PASSION (Madame Du Barry) {1919-GERMANY). With POLA NECRI, EMIL JANNING. DIRECTED by ERNST LUBITSCH. A spectacular production from the Golden Age of German Cinema, combining the epic sweep of grand historical events with intimate portraits of the rich and famous. This is the film that made Pola Negri literally an overnight sensation in the U.S., and established director Ernst Lubitsch as a master of visual style, elegant proÂduction values and ironic, often irreverent studies of human folly. The setting is Paris under Louis XV, ‘the most dissolute capital in Europe.” Jeanne, an innocent young milliner from the country, forsakes romance with a nice student and uses one love affair after another to work her way up to the top of French society. King Louis himself (Emil Jannings) falls for Jeanne, and makes her his courtesan, causing nationwide scandal. To prevent further humiliation, the king decides to present her properly at court, but as a married woman: thus she becomes Madame Du Barry. This doesn’t stop the rebellious citizens, who see Madame Du Barry as symbolic of everything they hate about the oppressive aristocracy; and their revolutionary fervor grows to an explosive climax. Superb action scenes, richly detailed costumes and sets, and extraordinarily sophisticated visual techniques make this a classic of the silent era, Silent film with music score, correct projection speed. 135 minutes. ÒSilentÓ Drama