The Reign of Terror

The story of two orphaned girls.

“The Queen of Judah has gained her throne by eliminating the Royal Princes, but one is still alive and protected by the high priest. In a dream the Queen sees the young Prince as a king. She orders an assault on the Temple but when the Priest draws back a curtain to reveal the child king on his throne, she rushes from the scene believing it to be the fulfilment of her dream (incomplete).” - BFI.

Maud March, the rebellious daughter of a millionaire, goes to New York to see her sweetheart Geoffrey who left town years ago. Her aunt Carolyn wants Maud to marry her son Reggie and sends the Maud's brother Percy after her to act as chaperone. Maud, trying to escape, enters a taxi where she meets handsome composer George Bevan. The man falls in love with the young lady who, when she sees how Geoffrey has changed, soon agrees to marry George.

The film depicts the main events in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. She married Francis II, King of France. After her husband's death in 1560, Mary Stuart left France and returned to her native Scotland. Her father having died around the same time, she became Queen. She was about 19 years old, and her youth, great beauty, and charming manner won the hearts of the Scots. She was a devout Catholic, and when she ascended the throne, she found the country in the hands of Protestants, who caused much unrest. They revolted and imprisoned the young Queen. She escaped and sought help from Queen Elizabeth, but Elizabeth betrayed her and imprisoned her again. With the help of a page, she escaped through a window, but Elizabeth had her recaptured by her soldiers after a fierce struggle. She was therefore returned to prison once again and sentenced to death after a sham trial. It was with her gentle smile that Marie laid her head on the block.

Dries, a farmer and a widower, lives with his mother-in-law Grietje and his son Peter. He falls in love with Minna, a widow, and marries her despite the opposition of his family and friends. In anger his son Peter leaves home to enlist, while Grietje takes up her residence in another cottage. Six years pass, during which Grietje becomes acquainted with Minna's daughter Dina. Peter falls ill in Sumatra, but after falling in love with Dina, through the medium of photographs, he recovers and is drafted home again to Holland. He meets Dina and the two find that they truly love.

"Le Pied de Mouton" is an adaptation of an old French stage play titled "The Talisman" written by Alphonse Martainville and César Ribié. The atmosphere is hilarious, oneiric and delicious. The film tells the story of Gusman and Léonora, two lovers who must deal with many spells and troubles in order to preserve their love. The tale is full of princes and princesses, damsels in distress, good witches and wicked lords and is an amazing piece of work.

An actress returns from the theatre and discovers her apartment has been burglarized; she lights a cigarette and the room catches fire; the burglar saves her life, and she, in return, saves his, and he returns her jewels.

Mahlee and Blanche Sackville are half-sisters, Blanche the daughter of an Englishman and his wife, Mahlee of the Englishman and his Chinese mistress. Mahlee rejects her people and attempts to find a life for herself among the Europeans. But she finds the color line impossible to pass and returns to lead her Chinese people in rebellion.

A cheating bride is caught on photographic film.

Pathé's version of José Zorrilla's play, Don Juan Tenorio.

Everyman Coupeau's attempts to stop drinking are routinely thwarted by the wicked and vengeful Virginie. Based on Zola's novel, Capellani's film is about the free fall of a group of working-class French folk into degradation and tragedy due to carelessness, jealousy, and alcohol abuse. At the time of its release, L'Assommoir was hugely successful.

An adaptation of an episode in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, where Jean Valjean is welcomed into the Bishop of Digne's home, and steals his silverware.

Esmeralda, a beautiful gypsy street dancer, arouses the desire of men, especially of Claude Frollo, the archdeacon of Notre Dame. The latter asks Quasimodo, the deaf and deformed bell-ringer of the cathedral, to kidnap the girl. Quasimodo, who has been adopted by Frollo and obeys his every word, captures the gypsy but she is saved thanks to Phoebus, a handsome captain, and his archers. Arrested by Phoebus, the hunchback is condemned to be flogged at the pillory. When Esmeralada, moved to pity by his lot, gives him water to drink, Quasimodo falls in love with her. Later, Phoebus is stabbed to death and Esmeralda is wrongly accused of the murder. Sentenced to hang, she is saved by Quasimodo who offers her asylum and... the love of his heart.

Based on Emile Zola's novel, an uncompromisingly harsh and realistic story of a coalminers' strike in northern France in the 1860s.