#mam'zelle bonaparte (1942)

[la-cocotte-de-paris]

#undertones

MAM'ZELLE BONAPARTE (1942), dir. Maurice Tourneur

#this film is not at all wlw but there are bizarre moments where it seems like it really could be #between that and the women's sword-fight scene between edwige and monique's characters #anyway this is party goals <3 #period drama #costume drama #mam'zelle bonaparte (1942) #films #vintage #classic film #edwige feuillère #simone renant #french #dreamy #coquette #maurice tourneur #noir et blanc #pretty #femme #idek if i should tag this as wlw/sapphic?? bc technically it's not #however. vibes?? ugh fuck it i'll tag but i've warned you! #wlw #sapphic #masked ball #masquerade #no fr you could caption this 'when he starts tryna flirt w you but then your gf talks shit ab him into your ear' #anywaysss #old hollywood #cinéma français #aesthetic #ALSO OMG I LEARNED HOW TO FADE TEXT ON HERE FINALLY LOLLL

[la-cocotte-de-paris]

MAM'ZELLE BONAPARTE (1942), dir. Maurice Tourneur

#mam'zelle bonaparte (1942) #edwige feuillère #maurice tourneur #raymond rouleau #lol ik this won't get as much attention as the other gifset but i still think this is pretty #couple #period drama #costume drama #historical drama #people #masquerade #romance #dreamy #pretty #vintage #1940s #homme #femme #masked ball #aesthetic #retro #classic film #france #hand kiss #kiss #love #amour

[la-cocotte-de-paris]

Returning to Paris, I had to pay. With rage in my heart and often tears in my eyes (the makeup artist Chakatouny lamented each morning my poor appearance, and couldn't make me look any better), I made one film — just one — to guarantee the freedom of a person I loved. I was ugly, terrible; everything in me refused to be. I still remember the look of my [screen] partner Raymond Rouleau (who knew Igor and the causes of my breakdown) studying me and trying in vain to give me a little encouragement!

— Edwige Feuillère reflecting on the making of Mam'zelle Bonaparte (1942) and aiding the escape of her fiancé (named here as Igor) from Nazi-occupied France

(From Les Feux de la mémoire by Edwige Feuillère, 1977. Translated by me. ♡)

#please be nice my translation may not be perfect but i tried my best :') #it's kinda difficult to convey the same tone and emotion into english #anyway for brief context: she and her partner (Igor) were under threat of death during Nazi occupation #igor more-so and the nazis had already tried to arrest him but he dodged it #so edwige used all her money to help him escape and did this film to help pay off her debts to those who got him out #this is one of the rare times she publicly discussed her experience of this film bc it was so negative for her (understandably so) #edwige feuillère #classic film #french film #cinéma français #les feux de la mémoire #memoir #history #1940s #vintage #quote #excerpt #raymond rouleau #mam'zelle bonaparte (1942) #monique joyce #maurice tourneur #wwii #la résistance #period drama #cora pearl #napoleon iii #old hollywood #(it's not but shh) #costume drama #film

[la-cocotte-de-paris]

Edwige Feuillère and Monique Joyce duel in MAM’ZELLE BONAPARTE (1942)

#don't let the gifset fool you this scene lasts like 10 seconds tops and that's it #despite a ton of posters back then advertising this scene as the climax lmao #like my ex the film was overall a total anticlimax #however. #i cannot say no to some homoerotic swordfighting #i think the scene would have been more interesting if they became lovers afterward but alas #also i thought the costumes were beautiful #duel #you look at the posters that depict this scene and tell me they weren't trying to imply some sapphic undertones lmao #mam'zelle bonaparte (1942) #edwige feuillère #cora pearl #monique joyce #lucy de kaula #costume drama #period drama #napoleon iii #19th century #vintage #film #movie #noir et blanc #also this film was made during the german occupation of france so #it does sorta make sense that it wasn't an overwhelming success #edwige was asked about this film later in life and was basically like 'I am NOT talking about that film!! Terrible memories! Everything was #horrible! No no no no NO!' #i'm paraphrasing but she did yell and it was all negative #femmes #if edwige had to duel me i'd simply let her win and get on my knees immediately lol but that's just me--