The Assassination of the Duke de Guise (1908) User Reviews

First Movie Soundtrack in Cinema

[springfieldrental · 5/10 · 19 January 2021]

The first movie with an original musical score was Le Film d'Art Studio's "The Assassination of the Duke of Guise," first played in front of a Parisan audience in November 1908. (Technically, the very first original film score to be documented was played with a movie shown during a play/stage show called "The Fairylogue and Radio-Play," in September 1908. That movie, considered lost, was the first to bring L. Frank Baum's "Oz" books to the theatre.)

Concerning "L'Assassinat du duc de Guise," French classical composer Camille de Saint-Saens' music was played on a phonograph, accompanying the silent film. When the movie was brought to the United States early in 1909, Nickelodeons had no way of fully capturing the soundtrack since amplification of sound was not advanced enough for the music to be clearly heard throughout the theaters.

Consistent with France's Film d'Art Studio's philosophy, the film d'art's purpose was to hire the best Parisian actors for historical or famous literary/dramatic works using well-known writers to script the plots in elaborate settings. "Assassination's" storyline was written by famous writer Henri Lavedan depicting the 1588 murder of a main rival to the Queen of France. The movie itself was filmed inside the studio and is rather stagey, consisting of a mere nine shots. "Assassination" stands in stark contrast to another film d'art French film, "L'Arlesienne," released just the previous month. Pathe Studios, knowing its French rival was embarking on an aesthetically new cinematic path, began its own production using professional actors and writers, filming in front of actual scenic backdrops. The 43 shots quickened the excitement in "L'Arlesienne," presenting an entirely new and different pacing and look to cinema.

the original art film?

[ronspencer547 · 4/10 · 14 May 2014]

"My best memory of the cinema? The sensation given me twelve years ago by a marvelous film, L'assasinat du duc de Guise. It was a complete revelation. If only your compatriots had been able to continue producing such films they would today be the first and foremost film makers in the world." This is a quote from D.W. Griffith to Robert Florey concerning this 1908 French film produced by Film d'Art and distributed by Pathé Freres. And he wasn't the only one, Carl Dreyer was also a fan. Personally, I don't see it. To my eye it looks like the typical tableau one reeler from the era of big gestures from the actors and a stationary camera from the producers.

Maybe you need the background information

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 20 June 2016]

"L'assassinat du duc de Guise" or "The Assassination of the Duke de Guise" is a French black-and-white silent film from 1908 and even if this is already much more than 100 years old, it is not from the very early days of film. The proof for that is also that in the early days French films were really always by Georges Méliès, but this one here is by a different trio of writers and directors and also has a really political context, which is something that was not existent in 19th century films. Other than that, it was not too great a watch. At 15 minutes, it was longer than most films from that time, but not necessarily better. Maybe you have to be French or just know the people this film is about and I cannot say I am aware of anybody, which also made it difficult to understand and appreciate the story. I do not recommend the watch. Thumbs down.

The murder of the Duc de Guise in 1588

[germouse · 19 September 2002]

Typical epic movie of this time, but one of the first great production in history: famous actors from the Comedie Française and one of the best theater director, André Calmette.

The setting is fine and rich for the time but the interpretation is a little pathetic and updated.

L'assassinat du Duc de Guise is above all a rarity because of the composer: it was the first and only music composed by very famous classic composer Camille Saint Saens.

for a 1908 production... WOW!

[aniol-marin · 8/10 · 26 April 2020]

Ok, I must say I write this review after a systematic approach. In the last weeks I've rewatched 180 films made before 1908 (more or less in order). Then I started this one, unaware about that I was about to watch one of the first Film d'Art. In my opinion it's really worth the name!

From modern standards it's difficult to appreciate, but it really feels great for its time. Méliès and Chomón did great "filmed theater" years before, and Williamson surprised me by his cinematic eye, much more advanced than their theatrical approach. Griffith, Fitzhamon, Zecca, Smith,... they all were slowly mastering the medium and building up the craft. But they were still producing for the audiences that attended vaudeville theaters and nickelodeons. In this film Calmettes borrows their craft and forges something for a "higher" audience, the ones used to the more refined western theater tradition.

Technically it feels like an average 1908 movie, leaning rather towards the theater side. The plot isn't the most interesting one (especially for non-french viewers) although it's pretty good for its time. But the visual flow and the performances of the actors are brilliant. Much, much better than most of any previous film I could find yet. And of course, nowadays it can't be compared with better films that were to come. However, in my opinion, is one of the first examples of the seventh art. And it's definitely a worthy title to watch for those who already have a trained eye on very early cinema.

The Events of December 1588

[theowinthrop · 25 November 2005]

I have never seen this early silent film, and I am somewhat surprised that it was even made into an early film. It sounds very interesting, in that Camille Saen - Saens composed the score. That makes it more than a curiosity.

The Duc De Guise was one of the most powerful men in France in his day. His niece was Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the leader of the French Catholics, and was determined to be the dominant figure in France. This did not seem too impossible in the late 1580s, as the king of France, Henri III (of the house of Valois) was a relatively weak figure - dominated by his mother Catherine De Medici (as his two brothers, Francois II and Charles IX were dominated). Henri III was a homosexual, and it was not expected that he would ever father a successor. His closest relative was a cousin, King Henri of Navarre (who was also a Huguenot ("Protestant"). The Duc De Guise was opposed to Navarre getting the throne, and (with the backing of King Philip II of Spain) he was willing to create a state of civil war until Henri III agreed to change the succession.

The story of De Guise's conspiracy against his monarch gets deeply involved in Spanish, French, and English history, involving the execution of his niece Mary by Queen Elizabeth I of England, and the attempted invasion of England by the Spanish Armada. I recommend Garrett Mattingley's classic study, THE ARMADA, to get the full story. For our purposes I will only add this. In December 1588 the Duc and his brother the Cardinal of Lorraine, were invited by King Henri III to a private meeting. While awaiting the King, both men were attacked and murdered in an anti-chamber. The King was fully aware of the plot as he was behind it. His dying mother Catherine was shocked at the act, and said her son would not long survive his two victims or herself. She was right. Within six months, King Henri III was stabbed by a fanatical Catholic monk, and died. He was succeeded by Henri of Navarre, who would face a religious civil war until 1598. He finally won the war when he converted to Catholicism, but wrote (as his first successful law) the Edict of Nantes, granting religious tolerance to the Protestant Huguenots. Although there would be rough spots yet to come (Cardinal Richelieu would go after La Rochelle, a Protestant stronghold in 1628 - see THE THREE MUSKETEERS), it lasted until revoked in 1685 by King Louis XIV. As for Henri of Navarre, first Bourbon monarch of France and known as Henri IV would reign until 1610, when he too was assassinated by a Catholic fanatic.

This is the background of this early film.

Good motion picture history but not very compelling French history

[morrisonhimself · 8/10 · 8 March 2022]

As a movie, "Assassination" is interesting, because it's early, but not very entertaining.

Except for the king, it's rather well acted and and directed and photographed, for 1908.

But one problem: I have not been able to find a print with the original -- or any -- soundtrack.

Again, it's great history, since that original soundtrack is by Charles Camille Saint-Saens (one of my favorite composers). The soundtrack is available by several performers on YouTube, but no one has, at least to my knowledge, merged the sound with the picture.

I do, though, recommend this short movie to students of motion pictures.