Lyda Borelli’s seventh film, the only one directed by Enrico Guazzoni, was already shown last year at Il Cinema Ritrovato. Therefore why are we showing it again? Simple – a print of the French version of the film has rediscovered in the inexhaustible archives of Cinémathèque Française. It is in colour and most importantly it has all the intertitles.

The copy presented last year was in 16mm and without titles. Collating the original negative saved by the Cineteca Italiana with the French version, it was possible to reconstruct a version of splendid photographic quality with sparkling colours (pink, orange, blue, yellow, and violet tintings, green, blue and sepia tonings, combinations of tinting and toning: pink on blue and pink on sepia).

Yet another element of interest: the film’s advertising material underlines the tragic ending of the story, when Teresia Cabarrus becomes Madame Tallien in order to save her lover Jean Guéry who dies, however, notwithstanding this sacrifice.

In both our versions (and one is the original negative), Guéry saves himself and so the film concludes with a happy ending, lightly veiled by a slight sadness. Evidently, at the moment of release of the film, when the advertising material had already been printed, those responsible for the film found the first ending too negative for the large audience which they wanted to attract.

A review from 1917

“Guazzoni, in putting on this sensational work must have encountered many difficulties. However, he overcame them brilliantly. He presents the episodes and vicissitudes which characterise the lives of Robespierre, Tallien, Teresa and the others around whom he revolved the plot of the film, with a wonderful sense of reality. The Convention scene is particularly beautiful and successful. The scenes of the masses are truly admirable as they give us an exact, rather than approximate, idea of memorable struggles and famous insurrections in those revolutionary times (the masses are laudably and magisterially disciplined and instructed when one takes into account the innumerable difficulties which cropped up).

Another particular which confers added value to Madame Tallien is the acting. The actors prove themselves to be perfectly in harmony with the action. I would say that they are absolutely informed about about the lives of the persons they depict.

Lyda Borelli plays a part which is not certainly suitable to assess her true value. However, she is natural, beautiful, enchanting and not worried (as I noted on previous occasions) about obtaining a plastic effect which often had a detrimental effect on her performances. Fabiani is very good, he is a perfect Robespierre, with his squinting glance, hard-set features and expression. Novelli is also excellent -an actor of beautiful physical presence and ingenuity, as also is Barni who made up the figure of Guéry with a rare nobility of attitude”. (Nino Maggi, La vita cinematografica, Turin, Jan. 7-15, 1917)