Credits
Director (1)
Actors (19)
Production and distribution (2)
- Foreign production company : Les Films Albatros
- French distribution : Les Films Armor
Full credits (9)
- Screenwriter : Herbert Juttke
- Directors of Photography : Maurice Desfassiaux, Jules Kruger
- Assistant Director : Marcel Carné
- Costume designer : Eugène Lourie
- Producer : Alexandre Kamenka
- Line Producer : Richard Oswald
- Assistant Operators : Jean Dréville, Marcel Carné
- Production Manager : Wladimir Zederbaum
- Production Designer : Lazare Meerson
Media Gallery
Technical details
- Type : Short film
- Genres : Fiction
- Sub-genre : Horror, Fantasy
- Production language : Silent
- Coproducer countries : Germany, France, Sweden
- Original French-language productions : Unspecified
- Nationality : Minority French (Germany, France, Sweden)
- Production year : 1929
- Runtime : 58 min
- Production formats : 35mm
- Color type : Black & White
- Aspect ratio : 1.33
- Audio format : Mono
News & awards
About
Cagliostro" was an European film co-production that involved different nationalities of the old continent: the film was directed by an Austrian, performed by German actors, who played in a story about a magician, alchemist and adventurer during the times of the French king Louis XVI and Frau Marie-Antoinette, and with a frenchified film crew (including Herr Marcel Carné ) and finally was produced by "Film Albatros", a film company supported by Russian émigrés in France.
Such varied artistic backgrounds resulted in a film done with great care; unfortunately it cannot be fully enjoyed because "Cagliostro" has survived only in an abridged form; the restored version available nowadays is a "Pathé-Baby" 9.5 mm copy that represents half of the original footage, a fact this that obviously affects the film continuity and the development of many characters of the picture. In spite of this, "Cagliostro" can still be enjoyed by silent film fans due to its powerful images and thrilling sequences.
The most evident aspect of the film is its conventional film narrative, perfect for an epoch film production which balances doses of adventure with stylish film elements borrowed from other genres. An example of the latter can be found in the sequences wherein Cagliostro the magician demonstrates his powers and tricks in front of a shocked audience in shots full of the mystery and darkness of Expressionist shadows. In contrast is the French royal court where everything is luminous and at the same time decadent, a court full of hypocrites and opportunists with corruption and ambition everywhere. The set design provides a perfect background for all this and Herr Oswald's direction catches the mood of the times.
Especially remarkable is the last part of the picture wherein Herr Cagliostro, who has to flee to Italy due his involvement in the Queen's Necklace affair, is imprisoned along with his wife Frau Lorenza. They are condemned to death and their devotion to each other is poignant and moving. It ends happily with their escape (a thrilling sequence and the beautiful cinematography of Herr Maurice Desfassiaux und Herr Jules Kruger is particularly striking in these moments).
"Cagliostro" is an excellent depiction of a careerist and adventurer as well as being a social portrait of the decadence of the Royal French court, a dark film full of intrigues and action, a remarkable achievement whose virtues shine through splendidly even in this abridged form.
Source : IMDb
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