''Dialogue with the Carmelites'' (, , also known as ''The Carmelites'') is a 1960 French-Italian

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

written and directed by

Raymond Léopold Bruckberger Raymond Léopold Bruckberger (; 10 April 1907, in Murat, Cantal – 4 January 1998, in Fribourg), was a French Dominican priest, Résistance member, writer, translator, screenwriter and director of Austrian heritage. He was elected member o ...

and

Philippe Agostini Philippe Agostini was a French cinematographer, director and screenwriter born 11 August 1910 in Paris (France), died 20 October 2001. He was married to Odette Joyeux until the end of her life. Biography Founder of École Louis-Lumière (sit ...

and starring

Jeanne Moreau Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...

Alida Valli Baroness Alida Maria Laura Altenburger von Marckenstein-Frauenberg (31 May 1921 – 22 April 2006), better known by her stage name Alida Valli, or simply Valli, was an Italian actress who appeared in more than 100 films in a 70-year career, span ...

Madeleine Renaud Lucie Madeleine Renaud (; 21 February 1900 – 23 September 1994) was a French actress best remembered for her work in the theatre. She did though appear in several films directed by Jean Grémillon including '' Remorques'' (''Stormy Waters'', 1 ...

, Pascale Audret,

Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (; 22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur was an actor as well. The family tradition of using the name ''Br ...

and

Jean-Louis Barrault Jean-Louis Bernard Barrault (; 8 September 1910 – 22 January 1994) was a French actor, director and mime artist who worked on both screen and stage. Biography Barrault was born in Le Vésinet in France in 1910. His father was 'a Burgundi ...

. It is based upon the play by

Georges Bernanos Louis Émile Clément Georges Bernanos (; 20 February 1888 – 5 July 1948) was a French author, and a soldier in World War I. A Catholic with monarchist leanings, he was critical of elitist thought and was opposed to what he identified as d ...

, which in turn was adapted from the novella ''

The Song at the Scaffold ''The Song at the Scaffold'' () is a 1931 novella by the German writer Gertrud von Le Fort. Description It is set during the French Revolution and is written as a letter from an exiled French nobleman who recounts what he has seen in France. ...

'' by

Gertrud von Le Fort Baroness Gertrud von Le Fort (born Gertrud Auguste Lina Elsbeth Mathilde Petrea Freiin von Le Fort; 11 October 1876 – 1 November 1971) was a German writer. Life Le Fort was born in Minden, in the former Province of Westphalia, then the Kin ...

. It's the story of the

Martyrs of Compiègne The Martyrs of Compiègne were the 16 members of the Carmel of Compiègne, France: 11 Discalced Carmelite nuns, three lay sisters, and two externs (or tertiaries). They were executed by the guillotine towards the end of the Reign of Terror, at ...

, Carmelite nuns who were guillotined in Paris in 1794 in the waning days of the

Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror (French: ''La Terreur'', literally "The Terror") was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the French First Republic, First Republic, a series of massacres and Capital punishment in France, nu ...

during the French Revolution, after refusing to renounce their vocation.

Plot

During the difficult years of the French Revolution, the young noblewoman Bianca, on the advice of her father, the Marquis de la Force, has entered the cloistered convent of the Carmelites of Compiègne. Her need to find a safe refuge is accompanied by a certain religious vocation, but, despite this, she is afraid of facing sacrifices and suffering and of not being up to her choice. Soon the revolutionary authorities and the people begin to harass the nuns, accusing them of being reactionary enemies of the homeland, who grab riches and give hospitality to fugitives. Forced to leave the convent, the nuns vow to be willing to sacrifice their lives so that the Catholic religion can survive in France. Dispersed in small groups, almost all of them are arrested, found guilty and sentenced to death. The procession that accompanies them to the Place du Trône-Renversé (now the

Place de la Nation The Place de la Nation (; formerly the Place du Trône , subsequently the Place du Trône-Renversé during the French Revolution) is a circle on the eastern side of Paris, between the Place de la Bastille and the Bois de Vincennes, on the bo ...

), where the execution is to take place, crosses the streets of Paris between prayers, blessings and religious songs. Bianca de la Force, with courage, climbs the gallows in place of Mother Mary of the Incarnation, who is the only one to be saved and who alone will continue to practice the teaching of Carmel.

Cast

as Mère Marie de l'Incarnation *

as Mère Thérèse de Saint-Augustin *

as La première prieure * Pascale Audret as Soeur Blanche de l'Agonie du Christ (Blanche de la Force) *

as Le commissaire de la République *

as Le Mime *

Anne Doat Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie and Ana. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in t ...

as Soeur Constance de Saint-Denis (Marie-Geneviève Meunier) *

Georges Wilson Georges Wilson (né Willson, ; 16 October 1921 – 3 February 2010) was a French actor and director of stage and screen. He was a significant figure in French theatre during the latter 20th-century, serving as director of the Theatre Nation ...

as L'aumǒnier du Carmel *

Pierre Bertin Pierre Victor Théophile Bertin (24 October 1891 – 13 May 1984) was a French stage and film actor. In 1948, he starred in the film '' The Lame Devil'' under Sacha Guitry. He was the librettist of the opéra-comique ''La Gageure imprévue' ...

as Le marquis de la Force *

Claude Laydu Claude Laydu (; 10 March 1927 – 29 July 2011) was a Belgian-born Swiss actor on stage and in films. He was renowned for his performance in his film debut in the role of the young priest in Robert Bresson's ''Diary of a Country Priest'' (1951) ...

as Le Chevalier de la Force *

Judith Magre Judith Magre (born 20 November 1926) is a French actress, born in Montier-en-Der, Haute-Marne. Filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Magre, Judith 1926 births Living people French film actresses French television ...

as Rose Ducor * Simone Angèle as Soeur Agnès (as Simone Angele) *

Pascale de Boysson Pascale de Boysson (16 April 1922 – 9 August 2002) was a French film, television and stage actress who also adapted and translated plays for the French stage. She was a two-time winner of the Molière Award, winning it in 1988 and posthumously i ...

as Soeur Cécile * Jacqueline Dane as Soeur Gabrielle * Paula Dehelly as Soeur Catherine * Hélène Dieudonné as Soeur Jeanne de la Divine Enfance (as Helene Dieudonne) *

Yvette Etiévant Yvette Etiévant (1922–2003) was a French actress. She starred in Yves Robert's '' War of the Buttons'' (''La Guerre des boutons'') in 1962. Filmography *1945: '' Les Dames du bois de Boulogne'' (directed by Robert Bresson) - La bonne *194 ...

as Soeur Lucie, la tourière (as Yvette Etievant) *

Anouk Ferjac Anouk Ferjac (born 25 May 1932) is a French actress. She has appeared in 100 films and television shows between 1946 and 2000. Selected filmography * '' City of Hope'' (1948) * '' Scandal on the Champs-Élysées'' (1949) * '' Justice Is Done'' ...

as Soeur Gabrielle * Sophie Grimaldi as Soeur Anne de Jésus * Lydia Lester as Soeur Gertrude * Margo Lion as Soeur Saint-Louis * Nicole Polack as Soeur Charlotte *

Hélène Vallier Hélène Vallier (2 February 1932 – 1 August 1988) was a French film, stage and television actress.Marill p.294 She was born Militza de Poliakoff-Baïdaroff in Paris to an exiled White Russian family, and was the sister of actresses Odile Vers ...

as Soeur Agathe * Lucien Arnaud as Le cocher * Camille Guérini as Docteur Javeline, le médecin du Carmel (as Camille Guerini) * Renaud Mary as Fouquier-Tinville * Lucien Raimbourg as Le commissaire -adjoint *

Albert Rémy Albert Rémy (; 9 April 1915 – 26 January 1967) was a French actor best known for his supporting roles in François Truffaut's first two feature films. He played Antoine Doinel's father in ''The 400 Blows'' and Charlie Koller's (Charles Aznavo ...

as un sans-culotte (as Albert Remy) *

Daniel Ceccaldi Daniel Ceccaldi (25 July 1927 – 27 March 2003) was a French actor. He was born in Meaux, Seine-et-Marne, France. The mild-mannered Daniel Ceccaldi is famous as Claude Jade's father ''Lucien Darbon'' in François Truffaut's movies ''Stolen Kis ...

as L'Officier

References

External links

* 1960 films Films directed by Philippe Agostini Drama films based on actual events Films based on works by Georges Bernanos Films set in the 1790s French Revolution films 1960s historical drama films French historical drama films Italian historical drama films 1960s French-language films 1960s French films 1960s Italian films Films set in convents {{1960s-Italy-film-stub