With his customary cinematographic flourish and, for the first time, vibrant color, max ophuls charts montess scandalous past through the bombastic ringmaster peter ustinov of the american circus where she. Oct 08, 2008 max ophuls 1955 lola montes revolves around the life and many loves of a beautiful courtesan and dancer, now destitute, who is forced to relive her exploits nightly at a lowrent circus. The fall of lola montes, the sins of lola montes, i ptosi tis lola montes. The film was quickly cut down by the films producers in the hopes recouping their investment, the films running time shrinking from 114minutes to 91minutes. Max ophuls 1955 lola montes revolves around the life and many loves of a beautiful courtesan and dancer, now destitute, who is forced to relive her exploits nightly at a lowrent circus. Once, lola montes martine carol was a famous cabaret dancer and the lover of many. He died two years later, still engaged in a battle with the film s producers. Lola montes was rereleased by rialto pictures in november 2008 with the full cinemascope aspect ratio restored and with five minutes of additional. Ophuls is such a beguiling director that it wasnt until i was about halfway through that i realized what a complete and utter downer i was watching about a womans inability to fully. Jun 29, 2018 the one that proved to be the last, lola montes, from 1955which was, at the time of its production, the costliest european film ever madewas similarly mutilated by its producers soon. Nov 20, 2008 martine carol as the title character in the 1955 max ophuls movie lola montes, which has been restored and rereleased in 2008. The sins of lola montes 1955 published september 15, 2019 by alex sorondo. It was an complete commercial flop upon its release, and was then mangled, reedited, in a futile attempt to make it more acceptable to 1950s audiences. Lola montes martine carol 1955 dvd for sale online ebay.
Film critic andrew sarris there are films that demand undivided attention. With martine carol, peter ustinov, anton walbrook, henri guisol. Cinematography christian matras film editor medeleine gug. Lola montes was a commercial flop when ophuls released it in 1955. At its heart sits the eponymous 19thcentury actress and socialite the very lovely martine carol, first observed as a numbed presence in a touring circus overseen by ringmaster peter ustinov, answering questions from the audience on the subject of her. An even more savagely butchered version was in circulation for a few years. A masterpiece, lola montes is certainly director max ophuls greatest. As originally shown in france in 1955, the audience sees the events of lola montes life through the use of flashbacks. Watch lola montes full movie in hd visit movie 35987 lola montes, previously a great adventurer, is reduced to being the attr. Now at long last we can watch it as ophuls meant it. Watch the front row lola montes the new yorker video cne. Lola montes 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Lola montes 1955 is a historical romance film and the last completed film of germanborn.
The actors are in ophuls complete control, an additional element in his. I was about halfway through that i realized what a complete and utter downer i was watching about a womans inability to fully love, as. Oskar werner, as a young student, is not much better than ever. With his customary cinematographic flourish and, for the first time, vibrant color, max ophuls charts the course of montess scandalous past through the invocations of the bombastic ringmaster peter ustinov of the american circus where she. Use of the technique was criticized upon its release and the movie did poorly at the box office. Lola montes 1955 is a historical romance film and the last completed film of germanborn director max ophuls. The best performance in the film is by anton walbrook as the deaf, touching old king.
Lola montes dancer 19182008, stage name of chita equizabal, americanborn spanish dancer lola montez, a 1958 australian musical by alan burke, peter stannard and alan. Lola montes martine carol is a character within these sequences although a passive one. Lola montez 182161, stage name of elizabeth rosanna gilbert, irishborn spanish dancer and courtesan. France 20 january 1956 alternate version italy 9 february 1956. It recounts the life of a 19th century dancer presented within the framework of a circus show. Ophulss lola montes is all mise en scene which treats its protagonist or heroine as ophuls would rather think of her as both object and subject. Featuring contributions from key personnel and cast. Biopic of adventurer lola montes who ends up as a circus attraction after being romantically involved with famous european men. Ophulss final film, lola montes is at once a magnificent romantic melodrama, a meditation on the lurid fascination with celebrity, and a oneofakind movie. Then, a bit later in the evening, there was the debut of paul currans production of bergs lulu at lyric opera, conducted by andrew davis, with marlis petersen in. Lola montes, previously a great adventurer, is reduced to being the attraction of a circus after having been the lover of various important men. Lola montes 1955 full movie download full hd youtube. Lola montes is a visually ravishing, narratively daring dramatization of the life of the notorious courtesan and showgirl, played by martine carol. The film tells the tragic story of lola montes, a great adventurer who becomes the main attraction of a circus.
When lola montes failed so miserably with parisian audiences, the producers decided to recall all prints and despite ophulss protests, recut the film. Montez was the last role played by conchita montenegro, in the film lola montes 1944, with a moralizing script, directed by antonio roman. February 23rd, 1999 not yet rated 1 hr 50 min plot summary. Directed by ophuls scholar robert fischer, this is a fascinating and detailed look at the production of lola montes, from preproduction phase through to completion of the film, and manages to be informative without becoming staid or academicallyoriented as i had expected it might. The late francois truffaut remarked that lola montes is reminiscent, in terms of narrative brilliance, of citizen kane. The sins of lola montes 1955 thousand movie project. From the fluidity of the cameras movement and staging to the immensity of the production and costume design, the film is a product of sumptuous visual delight a masterpiece of filmmaking. Its a classy film to look at, shot in very wide cinemascope, and admirably directed by max ophuls.
Film criticdirector francois truffaut the audience is expecting a cream cake, but instead it gets a punch in the stomach. Lola montes 1955 cast and crew once, lola montes martine carol was a famous cabaret dancer and the lover of many of 19thcentury europes most prominent men. Their version reduced the film from 140 to 90 minutes by abandoning the flashback structure in favor of a strict chronological rendering of the story. He died two years later, still engaged in a battle with the films producers. Max ophuls final film and his only movie in color is a cinematic. It is based on the life of the celebrated irish dancer and courtesan lola montez 18211861, portrayed by martine carol, and tells the story of the most famous of her many notorious affairs, those with franz liszt and ludwig i of bavaria. Montezs time in the australian goldfields was the subject of the musical lola montez staged in melbourne, brisbane, and sydney in 1958 starring mary preston. Martine carol as the title character in the 1955 max ophuls movie lola montes, which has been restored and rereleased in 2008.
Lola montes 1955 lola montes is in my unhumble opinion the greatest film of all time. Max ophulss final film, lola montes is at once a magnificent romantic melodrama, a meditation on the lurid fascination with celebrity, and a. Lola montes is a treasure, long thought disfigured, from a time when the movies were still aspiring to be the greatest show on earth. Lola montes 1955 max ophuls, martine carol dvd new lola montez, lola montes 1955 max ophuls, martine carol dvd new. The film tells the story of lola montes or, lola montez, a reallife 19th century femme fatale born eliza gilbert in ireland in 1821, who as a spanish dancer and actress became a courtesanmistress to a string of famous lovers including supposedly franz liszt and, finally, king ludwig i of bavaria, who made her countess of landsfeld. But, overall, i find it is a film that seems more complete and successful than i first thought. In response, the producers recut the film and shortened it in favor of a more chronological storyline, against the directors.
She lived too intensely and far too well the film tells the tragical story of the life of lola montes who was a great adventurer and stopped being the attraction of her circus after having been the lover of various important men. Andrew sarris in 1963 dubbed this film the greatest ever made, and although hes noted for his quirky opinions, hes no fool. The criterion collection lola montes is a visually ravishing, narratively daring dramatization of the life of the notorious courtesan and showgirl, played by martine carol. It recounts the life of a 19th century dancer presented within the. One which disappointed me when i first saw it, but to which ive returned time and again with pleasure and a growing respect. Lola montes was a commercial flop when ophuls released it in 1955, shortened against his will. Martine carol in lola montes 1955 peter ustinov and martine carol in lola montes 1955 martine carol in lola. Max ophuls final film and his only movie in color is a cinematic tourdeforce masquerading as a biography, in this case a dazzling fictionalized life of the notorious 19th century dancer. During its initial release audiences booed the film. Lola montes trailer 1955 the criterion collection youtube. She lived too intensely and far too well the film tells the tragical story of the life of lola montes who was a great adventurer and stopped being the attraction of her. Max ophuls lola montes was a critical and financial disaster upon its initial release back in 1955.
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