Alice Guy-Blaché

Directing

Alice Guy-Blaché

Born July 1, 1873 · Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne, France

Died March 24, 1968 · aged 94

Alice Guy-Blaché (July 1, 1873 – March 24, 1968) is generally considered to be the world's first female director. French-born Alice Guy entered the film business as a secretary at Gaumont-Paris in 1896. The next year Gaumont changed from manufacturing cameras to producing movies, and Guy became one of its first film directors. She impressed the company so much with the output (she averaged two two…

Known For

The Ocean WaifThe Ocean Waif · 1916
The Ocean Waif
★ 5.71916
MovieComedyDrama
An abused young woman finds safety and love in the arms of a famous novelist.
A Fool and His MoneyA Fool and His Money · 1912
A Fool and His Money
★ 6.41912
MovieComedy
Sam the white-washer pines for the affluent Lindy, but she has dumped him in favor of another. Sam finds a large sum of money, and goes to New York to enjoy a shopping spree, buying new clothes, jewelry and a car with a driver. Back home, Lindy flips for Sam and his newfound wealth, and dumps the rival. Sam throws an engagement party where he indulges in a friendly game of cards with his former rival and another man, who unbeknownst to Sam, is a card shark.
Tarnished ReputationsTarnished Reputations · 1920
Tarnished Reputations
★ 7.01920
MovieDrama
While visiting a small village, popular young artist Robert Williams meets innocent country girl Helen Sanderson and, enchanted by her beauty, induces the girl to pose for him. An attraction develops between them, but just as the portrait is completed, Robert is called back to the city. Helen fails to hear from him again and Robert's neglect draws her to the city, where she is sent to a reformatory on a false charge. Once released, she begs Judge Princeton for help and, feeling sorry for the unfortunate girl, he introduces her to playwright George Wendbourg, who adopts Helen and makes her a great actress. Seeing Helen on stage reawakens Robert's love for her and he begs her for forgiveness. After initially snubbing him, Helen relents and the two finally are reunited.
The ThiefThe Thief · 1913
The Thief
★ 5.01913
MovieDrama
Three wartime friends, two wealthy, and one poor, reunite at an upscale dinner party. Things take a turn when the poor man is accused of stealing something.
Making an American CitizenMaking an American Citizen · 1912
Making an American Citizen
★ 5.11912
MovieDrama
A recent immigrant learns several hard lessons about how husbands in America are expected to behave.
EsmeraldaEsmeralda · 1905
Esmeralda
★ 3.01905
MovieDrama
It was the first film version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The Consequences of FeminismThe Consequences of Feminism · 1906
The Consequences of Feminism
★ 6.21906
MovieComedy
It's a society in which gender roles are switched. Will men stand to be unequal?
The Race for the SausageThe Race for the Sausage · 1907
The Race for the Sausage
★ 5.91907
MovieComedy
Chaos erupts when a dog steals a string of sausages from a butcher shop.

Filmography

Sort
Tarnished ReputationsTarnished Reputations · 1920
Tarnished Reputations
★ 7.01920
MovieDrama
While visiting a small village, popular young artist Robert Williams meets innocent country girl Helen Sanderson and, enchanted by her beauty, induces the girl to pose for him. An attraction develops between them, but just as the portrait is completed, Robert is called back to the city. Helen fails to hear from him again and Robert's neglect draws her to the city, where she is sent to a reformatory on a false charge. Once released, she begs Judge Princeton for help and, feeling sorry for the unfortunate girl, he introduces her to playwright George Wendbourg, who adopts Helen and makes her a great actress. Seeing Helen on stage reawakens Robert's love for her and he begs her for forgiveness. After initially snubbing him, Helen relents and the two finally are reunited.

Director

Two Little RangersTwo Little Rangers · 1912
Two Little Rangers
★ 6.01912
MovieWesternDrama
"Wild Bill" Gray is a renegade and a wife-beater. He is about to start on some expedition of crime and his wife implores him to stay at home. She receives a beating for her trouble. Jim, a cowboy, rides past the shack, hears Mrs. Gray's screams and interferes, and takes Mrs. Gray over to his friend, the postmaster, so that she may have a good home. "Wild Bill" plans vengeance. Paxton, the postmaster, starts for the station with money and gold, and is accompanied a short way by Jim. Gray sneaks after them. After going with Paxton a short distance, Jim takes a turn in the road and Paxton rides on alone. Gray closes up on the postmaster, gets the drop on him, but Paxton is quick and there's a hand-to-hand struggle. Bill, however, worsts Paxton, and finally sends him over a precipice. But in falling, Paxton falls into a tree and thus is saved from sure death.

Director

The Scarlet WomanThe Scarlet Woman · 1916
The Scarlet Woman
1916
MovieDramaCrime
Bank official Hanlin Davis is ruined in the stock market. Desperate, he fails to rob the bank but kills someone in the attempt. His wife Thora goes to D.A. Hastings to plead for a light sentence which the corrupt Hastings agrees to only if Thora gives herself to him. Upon his release the worthless Davis learning of her sacrifice divorces and turns her into the street. An outcast she becomes "the scarlet woman.” When wealthy crusader Robert Blake institutes an investigation exposing D.A. Hastings he is disbarred and decides to revenge himself upon Thora, considering her the cause of his downfall. Blackmailing unscrupulous society woman, Paula Gordon, he forces her to introduce Thora to Blake as a naïve woman while deceiving Thora that he knows about her past. After they marry Hastings denounces Thora, she flees, returning to her old life, but Blake, seeing her worth seeks her and they reunite.

Director