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Richelieu; or, The Conspiracy
(1910) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 992 feet
Directed by J. Stuart Blackton
Cast: Maurice Costello, William Humphrey, James Young, Clara Kimball Young [Julie DeMortemar], Charles Kent
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The Vitagraph Company of America. / Scenario by Eugene Mullin, from the play Richelieu by Edward George Bulwer-Lytton. / Released 8 January 1910. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Historical.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 31 December 1909, page ?] In the magnificent reception room of the chief executive of the French capital, Baradas and a number of conspirators are seen plotting. Julie DeMortemar, the beautiful ward of Cardinal Richelieu, enters, and Baradas attempts to show his regard for her. Chevalier Adrien DeMauprat also enters and greets Julie, and the two men exchange jealous glances. The Cardinal is announced, and all fall back while he affectionately greets Julie. The plotters show their hate of the Cardinal behind his back, but quail under his searching glances. The Cardinal passes on, and DeMauprat is seen to make love to Julie. This is discovered by the Cardinal, who has DeMauprat seized and accuses him of conspiracy, and, while pretending to send him to his doom, in reality ushers him into the room where Julie is waiting, and gives his consent to the marriage, thereby winning DeMauprat’s devotion. Shortly after the wedding, Julie is separated from her husband and imprisoned in the palace of King Louis XIII on the pretext that the marriage had been without his consent. In reality the King is infatuated with Julie, and he is aided in the abduction by the jealous Baradas, who informs DeMauprat that Richelieu is responsible for the loss of his bride. DeMauprat swears to kill Richelieu, and that is just what the arch-traitor and conspirator Baradas desires. Julie, a prisoner in the royal palace, is terrified as the King enters and makes love to her, but when the Queen enters, the King, repulsed, slinks away. The Queen aids Julie’s escape, and she reaches the Cardinal’s apartments at midnight and tells him what has occurred. He secretes her in an inner room, then hears knocks at the door. Opening the door, he confronts DeMauprat, who is masked, and who calmly informs the Cardinal that he has come to kill him. Defying him, the Cardinal dares DeMauprat to reveal his identity, and the chevalier unmasks. Richelieu orders him to his knees to ask pardon, as he calls Julie from the adjoining room. She flies to the arms of her husband. Realizing that Baradas has deceived him, DeMauprat determines to save the life of the Cardinal, and draws his sword to defend him from the other masked conspirators who are clamoring for entrance. Richelieu suggests a ruse, and, sending Julie out of the room, lies down on the bed and feigns death, while DeMauprat admits the conspirators and, pointing to the outstretched form, explains that he strangled the Cardinal. Baradas and DeMauprat meet and fight. DeMauprat is arrested by order of the King. Consternation reigns as the supposed dead Cardinal appears and denounces Baradas to the King. Baradas whispers something in the King’s ear, and the monarch orders DeMauprat a prisoner and sends a letter to Julie demanding her presence at court. Richelieu defies the King’s messenger. The final scene of this dramatic series of events shows the King on his throne, surrounded by Baradas and other courtiers, who are really aspiring to dethrone the King. Julie enters and pleads for the life of her husband. The King refuses and says that DeMauprat must die. Here the Cardinal totters in, seemingly very weak, and hands a paper to a page, which is given to the King to read. King Louis starts, as it unmasks Baradas as the arch conspirator who had been in secret connivance with the King’s enemies. Louis orders the arrest of Baradas, and the Cardinal, throwing off his simulated weakness, triumphs over all his enemies. DeMauprat is released, and he and Julie embrace and kneel to the King and to the great Cardinal, who blesses them.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 22 January 1910, page ?] A sumptuous and strongly dramatic production of an episode in the life of the famous Cardinal, dealing with a conspiracy in which the lives of important French government officials were threatened. Much time and money were expended upon the staging of this picture, and the costumes and settings are as nearly historically correct as it is possible to make them. A love story runs through the picture, adding materially to its interest, since jealousy, however repulsive an exhibition of it may be, supplies a reasonable motive for the movements of different actors which might not otherwise seem plain. Dramatically this picture will rank with the best productions of the Vitagraph’s capable players. And what is perhaps more pleasing to a critical audience, the acting is well balanced and evenly sustained through the different scenes. Perhaps it is not too much to say that the acting is convincing, each actor giving what seems to be a good reason for his movements. Such elaborate pictures, presented with the beautiful stage settings and sumptuous costumes, add materially to the educational value of the motion picture, and what is of even more importance, they furnish an opportunity whereby those who cannot afford expensive theater tickets are enabled to see and enjoy dramatic masterpieces. The influence of such pictures is beneficial. They stimulate interest in important historic events and they graphically present the beauties of literary masterpieces. Under their influence public taste will improve and the artistic and literary impulses will be cultivated and become stronger. It is one important feature of the diffusion of artistic and literary education through the medium of the motion picture.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 April 2024.
References: MovPicWorld-19100108 p. 6 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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