Victorien Sardou ( , ; 5 September 1831 – 8 November 1908) was a French

dramatist A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Ben Jonson coined the term "playwri ...

. He is best remembered today for his development, along with

Eugène Scribe Augustin Eugène Scribe (; 24 December 179120 February 1861) was a French dramatist and librettist. He is known for writing "well-made plays" ("pièces bien faites"), a mainstay of popular theatre for over 100 years, and as the librettist of man ...

, of the well-made play. He also wrote several plays that were made into popular 19th-century operas such as '' La Tosca'' (1887) on which

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...

's opera ''

Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1 ...

'' (1900) is based, and ''

Fédora ''Fédora'' is a play by the French author Victorien Sardou. It opened at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris on 11 December 1882,Noël, Edouard and Philippe StoulligLes Annales du théâtre et de la musique, 1882 p. 245 and ran for 135 perfor ...

'' (1882) and '' Madame Sans-Gêne'' (1893) that provided the subjects for the lyrical dramas ''

Fedora A fedora () is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown.Kilgour, Ruth Edwards (1958). ''A Pageant of Hats Ancient and Modern''. R. M. McBride Company. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both sides ...

'' (1898) and '' Madame Sans-Gêne'' (1915) by

Umberto Giordano Umberto Menotti Maria Giordano (28 August 186712 November 1948) was an Italian composer, mainly of operas. His best-known work in that genre was Andrea Chénier (1896). He was born in Foggia in Apulia, southern Italy, and studied under Paolo Se ...

. His play '' Gismonda'', from 1894, was also adapted into an opera of the same name by

Henry Février Henry Février (; 2 October 18756 July 1957) was a French composer. Biography Henry Février was born in Paris, France, on 2 October 1875, the son of architect Jules Février. He married and had a son, the pianist Jacques Février. He studied ...

Early years

Victorien Sardou was born at 16 rue Beautreillis (), Paris on 5 September 1831. The Sardous were settled at

Le Cannet Le Cannet (; ; older ) is a commune of the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. Administration Le Cannet was part of Cannes until 1778, when it was made a separate commune. Location Le Cannet is located in the north of Canne ...

, a village near

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

, where they owned an estate, planted with olive trees. A night's frost killed all the trees and the family was ruined. Victorien's father, Antoine Léandre Sardou, came to Paris in search of employment. He was in succession a book-keeper at a commercial establishment, a professor of book-keeping, the head of a provincial school, then a private tutor and a schoolmaster in Paris, besides editing grammars, dictionaries and treatises on various subjects. With all these occupations, he hardly succeeded in making a livelihood, and when he retired to his native country, Victorien was left on his own resources. He had begun studying medicine, but had to desist for want of funds. He taught French to foreign pupils: he also gave lessons in Latin, history and mathematics to students, and wrote articles for cheap encyclopaedias.

Career

At the same time, he was trying to make headway in the literary world. His talents had been encouraged by an old , Mme de Bawr, who had published novels and enjoyed some reputation in the days of the Restoration, but she could do little for her protégé. Victorien Sardou made efforts to attract the attention of Mlle Rachel, and to win her support by submitting to her a drama, ''La Reine Ulfra'', founded on an old Swedish chronicle. A play of his, ''La Taverne des étudiants'', was produced at the Odéon on 1 April 1854, but met a stormy reception, owing to a rumour that the débutant had been instructed and commissioned by the government to insult the students. ''La Taverne'' was withdrawn after five nights. Another drama by Sardou, ''Bernard Palissy'', was accepted at the same theatre, but the arrangement was cancelled in consequence of a change in the management. A Canadian play, ''Fleur de Liane'', would have been produced at the

Ambigu Ambigu is an historical French vying game, composed of the characteristic elements of Whist, Bouillotte and Piquet. A Whist pack with the court cards removed is used, and from two to six persons may play. Each player is given an equal number ...

but for the death of the manager. ''Le Bossu'', which he wrote for Charles Albert Fechter, did not satisfy the actor; and when the play was successfully produced, the nominal authorship, by some unfortunate arrangement, had been transferred to other men. Sardou submitted to Adolphe Lemoine, manager of the Gymnase, a play entitled ''Paris à l'envers'', which contained the love scene, afterwards so famous, in ''Nos Intimes''. Lemoine thought fit to consult

, who was revolted by the scene in question. In 1857, Sardou felt the pangs of actual want, and his misfortunes culminated in an attack of

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often ther ...

fever. He was living in poverty and was dying in his

garret A garret is a habitable attic, a living space at the top of a house or larger residential building, traditionally small with sloping ceilings. In the days before elevators this was the least prestigious position in a building, at the very to ...

, surrounded by his rejected manuscripts. A lady who was living in the same house unexpectedly came to his assistance. Her name was Mlle de Brécourt. She had theatrical connections and was a special favourite of Mlle Déjazet. She nursed him, cured him, and, when he was well again, introduced him to her friend. Déjazet had just established the theatre named after her, and every show after ''La Taverne'' was put on at this theatre. Fortune began to smile on the author. It is true that ''Candide'', the first play he wrote for Mlle Déjazet, was stopped by the censor, but ''Les Premières Armes de Figaro'', ''Monsieur Garat'', and ''Les Prés Saint Gervais'', produced almost in succession, had a splendid run. ''Garat'' and ''Gervais'' were done at Theatre des Varlétés and in English at Criterion Theatre in London. ''Les Pattes de mouche'' (1860, afterwards anglicized as ''A Scrap of Paper'') obtained a similar success at the Gymnase. Sarah Bernhardt as Theodora by Nadar

'' (1882), a work that popularized the

fedora hat A fedora () is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown.Kilgour, Ruth Edwards (1958). ''A Pageant of Hats Ancient and Modern''. R. M. McBride Company. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both sides ...

as well, was written expressly for

Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...

, as were many of his later plays. This was later adapted by

, and he made an opera entitled ''Fedora''. The play dealt with

nihilism Nihilism () encompasses various views that reject certain aspects of existence. There have been different nihilist positions, including the views that Existential nihilism, life is meaningless, that Moral nihilism, moral values are baseless, and ...

, which was coined from '' Fathers and Sons'' by

Ivan Turgenev Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev ( ; rus, links=no, Иван Сергеевич ТургеневIn Turgenev's day, his name was written ., p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ tʊrˈɡʲenʲɪf; – ) was a Russian novelist, short story writer, poe ...

. He struck a new vein by introducing a strong historic element in some of his dramatic romances. Thus he borrowed '' Théodora '' (1884) from

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

annals (which was also adapted into an opera by

Xavier Leroux Xavier Henry Napoleón Leroux (; 11 October 1863 – 2 February 1919) was a French composer and a teacher at the Paris Conservatory. He was married to the famous soprano Meyrianne Héglon (1867–1942). Life Born in Italy at Velletri, 30 ...

), '' La Haine'' (1874) from Italian chronicles, ''La Duchesse d'Athénes'' from the forgotten records of medieval Greece. ''Patrie!'' (1869) is founded on the rising of the Dutch

Geuzen ''Geuzen'' (; ; ) was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called ''Watergeuzen'' (; ; ). In the Eigh ...

at the end of the 16th century, and was made into a popular opera by Emile Paladilhe in 1886. The scene of ''La Sorcière'' (1904) was laid in Spain in the 16th century. The French Revolution furnished him three plays, ''Les Merveilleuses'', ''

Thermidor Thermidor () was the eleventh month in the French Republican calendar. The month was named after the French word ''thermal'', derived from the Greek word ''thermos'' 'heat'. Thermidor was the second month of the summer quarter (''mois d'été ...

'' (1891) and ''Robespierre'' (1899). His play ''Gismonda'' (1894) was adapted into an opera by

. The last named was written expressly for

Sir Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

, and produced at the Lyceum theatre in London, as was ''Dante'' (1903). The

Napoleonic era The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and history of Europe, Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly (French Revoluti ...

was revived in '' La Tosca'' (1887). Sardou Grave

'' Madame Sans-Gêne'' (1893) was written specifically for Gabrielle Réjane as the unreserved, good-hearted wife of Marshal Lefevre. It was translated into English and starred Irving and

Ellen Terry Dame Alice Ellen Terry (27 February 184721 July 1928) was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and toured ...

at the Lyceum Theatre. Later plays were ''La Pisie'' (1905) and '' The Affair of the Poisons'' (1907). In many of these plays, however, it was too obvious that a thin varnish of historic learning, acquired for the purpose, had been artificially laid on to cover modern thoughts and feelings. But a few – ''Patrie!'' and ''La Haine'' (1874), for instance – exhibit a true insight into the strong passions of past ages. ''L'Affaire des Poisons'' (1907) was running at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin and was very successful at the time of his death. The play involved the poisoning

camarilla A camarilla is a group of courtiers or favourites who surround a king or ruler. Usually, they do not hold any office or have any official authority at the Court (royal), royal court but power behind the throne, influence their ruler behind the sce ...

under

Louis XIV of France LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

. Toward the end of his life, Sardou made several recordings of himself reading passages from his works, including a scene from ''Patrie!''

Personal life and death

Sardou married his benefactress, Mlle de Brécourt, but eight years later he became a widower, and soon after the Revolution of 1870 was married a second time, to Mlle Soulié on 17 June 1872, the daughter of the erudite Eudore Soulié, who for many years superintended the Musée de Versailles. He was elected to the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

in the room of the poet Joseph Autran (1813–1877), and took his seat on 22 May 1878. He lived at Château de Marly for some time. He was a fervent book collector who assembled an immense collection of 80,000 books. The rooms at his home in Marly were devoted to housing his book and print collections. After his death his books were sold as described in the ''Catalogue de la bibliothèque de feu M. Victorien Sardou'' He obtained the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

in 1863 and was elected a member of the Académie française in 1877. Sardou died on 8 November 1908 in Paris. He had been ill for a long time. Official cause of death was

pulmonary congestion The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in many animals, including humans. In mammals and most other tetrapods, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart. Their function in the respiratory syste ...

Writing style

Sardou modelled his work after

. It was reported in Stephen Sadler Stanton's intro to ''Camille and Other Plays'' that Sardou would read the first act of one of Scribe's plays, rewrite the rest, and then compare the two. One of his first goals when writing was to devise a central conflict followed by a powerful climax. From there, he would work backwards to establish the action leading up to it. He believed conflict was the key to drama. He was ranked with the two undisputed leaders of dramatic art at that time, Augier and Dumas. He adhered to Scribe's constructive methods, which combined the three old kinds of comedy —the comedy of character, of manners and of intrigue— with the ''drame bourgeois'', and blended the heterogeneous elements into a compact body. He opened a wider field to social satire: He ridiculed the vulgar and selfish middle-class person in ''Nos Intimes'' (1861: anglicized as ''Peril''), the gay old bachelors in ''Les Vieux Garçons'' (1865), the modern Tartufes in ''Seraphine'' (1868), the rural element in ''Nos Bons Villageois'' (1866), old-fashioned customs and antiquated political beliefs in ''Les Ganaches'' (1862), the revolutionary spirit and those who thrive on it in ''Rabagas'' (1872) and ''Le Roi Carotte'' (1872), the then threatened divorce laws in '' Divorçons'' (1880).

Legacy

Irish playwright and critic

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

said of ''La Tosca'': "Such an empty-headed ghost of a shocker... Oh, if it had but been an opera!" He also came up with the dismissive term " Sardoodledom" in a review of Sardou plays (''The Saturday Review'', 1 June 1895). Shaw believed that Sardou's contrived dramatic machinery was creaky and that his plays were empty of ideas. After producer Sir Squire Bancroft saw the dress rehearsal for ''Fedora'', he said in his memoirs "In five minutes the audience was under a spell which did not once abate throughout the whole four acts. Never was treatment of a strange and dangerous subject more masterly, never was acting more superb than Sarah showed that day." William Winter said of ''Fedora'' that "the distinguishing characteristic of this drama is carnality." Sardou is mentioned in part two, chapter two of

Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust ( ; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, literary critic, and essayist who wrote the novel (in French language, French – translated in English as ''Remembrance of Things Pas ...

's ''The Guermantes Way'', the third volume of ''

In Search of Lost Time ''In Search of Lost Time'' (), first translated into English as ''Remembrance of Things Past'', and sometimes referred to in French as ''La Recherche'' (''The Search''), is a novel in seven volumes by French author Marcel Proust. This early twen ...

''. In New Orleans, during the period when much of its upper class still spoke French, Antoine Alciatore, founder of the famous old restaurant Antoine's, invented a dish called Eggs Sardou in honor of the playwright's visit to the city. The Rue Victorien Sardou and Square Victorien Sardou near the Parc Sainte-Périne in Paris are named after him. There are also streets named rue Victorien Sardou in

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

and

Saint-Omer Saint-Omer (; ; Picard: ''Saint-Onmé'') is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France. It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Sa ...

. There are at least two dishes made in honor of Sardou: Lobster Thermidor in Paris and Eggs Sardou in Louisiana.

Works

Stage works

*''La Taverne des étudiants'' (1854) *''Les Premières Armes de Figaro (1859), with Emile Vanderbuch *''Les Gens nerveux'' (1859), with

Théodore Barrière Théodore Barrière (1823 – 16 October 1877), French playwright, was born in Paris. He belonged to a family of map engravers which had long been connected with the war department, and spent nine years in that service himself. The success o ...

*''Les Pattes de mouche'' (''A Scrap of Paper''; 1860) *''Monsieur Garat'' (1860) *''Les Femmes fortes'' (1860) *''L'écureuil'' (1861) *''L'Homme aux pigeons'' (1861), as Jules Pélissié *''Onze Jours de siège'' (1861) *''Piccolino'' (1861), comedy in 3 acts with songs *''Nos Intimes!'' (1861) *''Chez Bonvalet'' (1861), as Jules Pélissié with Henri Lefebvre *''La Papillonne'' (1862) *''La Perle Noire'' ('' The Black Pearl''; 1862) *''Les Prés Saint-Gervais'' (1862), with Philippe Gille and music by

Charles Lecocq Alexandre Charles Lecocq (; 3 June 183224 October 1918) was a French composer, known for his opérettes and opéra comique, opéras comiques. He became the most prominent successor to Jacques Offenbach in this sphere, and enjoyed considerable su ...

*''Les Ganaches'' (1862) *''Bataille d'amour'' (1863), with Karl Daclin and music by Auguste Vaucorbeil *''Les Diables noirs'' (1863) *''Le Dégel'' (1864) *''Don Quichotte'' (1864), rearranged by Sardou and Charles-Louis-Etienne Nuitter and music by Maurice Renaud *''Les Pommes du voisin'' (1864) *''Le Capitaine Henriot'' (1864), by Sardou and Gustave Vaez, music by François-Auguste Gevaert *''Les Vieux Garçons'' (1865) *''Les Ondines au Champagne'' (1865), as Jules Pélissié with Henri Lefebvre, music by Charles Lecocq *''La Famille Benoîton'' (1865) *''Les Cinq Francs d'un bourgeois de Paris'' (1866), with Dunan Mousseux and Jules Pélissié *''Nos Bons Villageois'' (1866) *''Maison neuve'' (1866) *''Séraphine'' (1868) *''Patrie!'' (''Fatherland'') (1869), adapted by Sardou in 1886 into a grand opera with music by Emile Paladilhe *''Fernande'' (1870) *'' Le roi Carotte'' (1872), music by

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''The Tales of Hoffmann''. He was a p ...

*''Les Vieilles Filles'' (1872), with Charles de Courcy *''Andréa'' (1873; performed on Broadway as '' Anselma'' in 1885 in an English language adaptation by Leander Richardson) *''L'Oncle Sam'' (''Uncle Sam''; 1873) *''Les Merveilleuses'' (1873), music by Félix Hugo *''Le Magot'' (1874) *'' La Haine'' (''Hatred''; 1874), music by Jacques Offenbach *''Ferréol'' (1875) * ''Piccolino'' (1876), 3-act

opéra-comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...

, with Charles-Louis-Etienne Nuitter and with music by

Ernest Guiraud Ernest Guiraud (; 23 June 18376 May 1892) was an American-born French composer and music teacher. He is best known for writing the traditional orchestral recitatives used for Bizet's opera '' Carmen'' and for Offenbach's opera '' Les contes d ...

*''L'Hôtel Godelot'' (1876), with Henri Crisafulli *''Dora'' (1877) *''Les Exilés'' (1877), with Gregorij Lubomirski and Eugène Nus *''Les Bourgeois de Pont-Arcy'' (1878) *''Les Noces de Fernande'' (1878), with

Émile de Najac Comte Émile de Najac (December 1828 – 11 April 1889) was a French librettist. He was a prolific writer during the Second Empire (France), Second Empire and early part of the Third Republic (France), Third Republic, supplying plays and opéra co ...

and music by Louis-Pierre Deffès *''Daniel Rochat'' (1880) *'' Divorçons'' (''Let's Get a Divorce''; 1880), with

*'' Odette'' (1881) *''

'' (1882) *''Théodora'' (1884), later revised in 1907 with Paul Ferrier and music by

*''Georgette'' (1885) *''Le Crocodile'' (1886), with music by

Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are ''Manon'' (1884 ...

*'' La Tosca'' (1887), with music by Louis Pister *''Marquise'' (1889) *''Belle-Maman'' (1889), with Raymond Deslandes *''Cléopâtre'' (1890), with Émile Moreau and music by Xavier Leroux"The latest 'Cleopatra
In: ''The New York Times'', 24 October 1890. *''

'' (1891) *'' Madame Sans-Gêne'' (1893), with Émile Moreau *'' Gismonda'' (1894) *''Marcelle'' (1895) *''Spiritisme'' (1897) *''Paméla'' (1898) *''Robespierre'' (1899) with music by Georges Jacobi *''La Fille de Tabarin'' (1901), with Paul and music by

Gabriel Pierné Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné (16 August 1863 – 17 July 1937) was a French composer, conductor, pianist and organist. Biography Gabriel Pierné was born in Metz. His family moved to Paris, after Metz and part of Lorraine were annexed to Germ ...

*'' Les Barbares'' (1901), opera libretto with Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi, music by

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...

*''Dante'' (1903), with Émile Moreau *''La Sorcière'' (''The Sorceress''; 1903) *''Fiorella'' (1905), with Pierre-Barthélemy Gheusi and music by Amherst Webber *''L'Espionne'' (1906) *''La Pisie'' (1906) *'' The Affair of the Poisons'' (1907), as Jules Pélissié

Books

*''Rabàgas'' (1872) *''Daniel Rochet'' (1880)

Adapted works

Translations of plays

*''Nos Intimes!'' (1862), translated by Horace Wigan into ''Friends or Foes?'' *''La Papillonne'' (1864), translated by

Augustin Daly John Augustin Daly (July 20, 1838 – June 7, 1899) was one of the most influential men in American theatre during his lifetime. Drama critic, theatre manager, playwright, and adapter, he became the first recognized stage director in America. He ...

into ''Taming of a Butterfly'' *''Le Degel'' (1864), translated by Vincent Amcotts into ''Adonis Vanquished'' *''Les Ganaches'' (1869) translated and adapted by

Thomas William Robertson Thomas William Robertson (9 January 1829 – 3 February 1871) was an English dramatist and stage director known for his development of Naturalism (theatre), naturalism in British theatre. Born to a theatrical family, Robertson began as an acto ...

into ''Progress'' *''Nos Intimes!'' (1872), translated by George March into ''Our Friends'' *''Les Pres Saint-Gervais'' (1875), translated and adapted by Robert Reece *''Dora'' (1877), translated and adapted into ''

Diplomacy Diplomacy is the communication by representatives of State (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, non-governmental institutions intended to influence events in the international syste ...

'' *''Divorçons!'' (1882), translated into ''Cyprienne'' *''Robespierre'', translated by Laurence Irving

Operas and musicals

*'' Patrie!'' (1886) an opera with music by Emile Paladihle and libretto by Sardou and Louis Gallet *''

'' (1898) an opera by

*''

'' (1900) an opera by

*''Les Merveilleuses'' (1907), adapted by Basil Hood as the musical play '' The Merveilleuses'' *''Théodora'' (1907) an opera by

*'' Madame Sans-Gêne'' (1915) an opera by Umberto Giordano *'' Gismonda'' (1919) an opera by

Film adaptations

*''La Tosca'', directed by Andre Calmettes (1908, based on the play ''La Tosca''), starring

*''

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...

'', directed by (1912, based on the play ''Cléopâtre'') *', directed by

Frank Powell Francis William Powell (May 8, 1877 – ?) was a Canadian-born American stage and silent film actor, director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter who worked predominantly in the United States."Ontario Births, 1869-1912", digital copy of ...

(1915, based on the play ''Fédora'') *'' The Song of Hate'', directed by J. Gordon Edwards (1915, based on the play ''La Tosca'') *', directed by Baldassarre Negroni (Italy, 1915, based on the play ''Marcelle'') *'' Odette'', directed by Giuseppe de Liguoro (Italy, 1916, based on the play ''Odette'') *'' The Witch'', directed by

(1916, based on the play ''La Sorcière'') *''

'', directed by Sidney Olcott (1916, based on the play ''Dora'') *''Váljunk el!'' (Austria-Hungary, 1916, based on the play ''Divorçons'') *'' The Chalice of Sorrow'', directed by Rex Ingram (1916, based on the play ''La Tosca'' - uncredited) *''Ferréol'', directed by

Edoardo Bencivenga Edoardo Bencivenga (Naples, 1885 – Rome, June 6, 1934) was an Italian film director. Bencivegna began his career in 1907 with his first short film ''Raffaello e la Fornarina.'' In his career, he made over 60 films, the last one in 1922. Caree ...

(Italy, 1916, based on the play ''Ferréol'') *'' Madame Guillotine'', directed by

Enrico Guazzoni Enrico Guazzoni (18 December 1876 – 23 September 1949) Birth name Enrico Guazzone. Additionally, document states in lower right, "è morte in Roma in 23-9-49 / died in Rome 23 September 1949". was an Italian screenwriter and film director. G ...

and Mario Caserini (Italy, 1916, based on the play ''Madame Tallien'') *', directed by Gustavo Serena (Italy, 1916, based on the play ''Fédora'') *'' White Nights'', directed by

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; ; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)

(Austria-Hungary, 1916, based on the play ''Fédora'') *'' Patrie'', directed by

Albert Capellani Albert Capellani (23 August 1874 – 26 September 1931) was a French film director and screenwriter of the silent film, silent era. He directed films between 1905 and 1922. One of his brothers was the actor-sculptor Paul Capellani, and anoth ...

(France, 1917, based on the play ''Patrie'') *''Andreina'', directed by Gustavo Serena (Italy, 1917, based on the play ''Andréa'') *''Fernanda'', directed by Gustavo Serena (Italy, 1917, based on the play ''Fernande'') *''

'', directed by J. Gordon Edwards (1917, based on the play ''Cléopâtre'', and other sources) *''Az anyaszív'', directed by Sándor Góth (Austria-Hungary, 1917, based on the play ''Odette'') *', directed by (Italy, 1918, based on the play ''La Tosca'') *'' La Tosca'', directed by

Edward José Edward José (5 July 1865 – 18 December 1930) was a Belgian film director and actor of the silent film, silent era. He directed 42 films between 1915 and 1925. He also performed in 12 films between 1910 and 1916.Let's Get a Divorce'', directed by

Charles Giblyn Charles Giblyn (September 6, 1871 – March 14, 1934) was an American film director and actor of the silent film, silent era. He directed nearly 100 films between 1912 and 1927. He also appeared in 23 films between 1914 and 1934. He was one ...

(1918, based on the play ''Divorçons'') *'' Love's Conquest'', directed by Edward José (1918, based on the play ''Gismonda'') *''

'', directed by Edward José (1918, based on the play ''Fédora'') *'' The Burden of Proof'', directed by John G. Adolfi and (1918, based on the play ''Dora'') *''I nostri buoni villici'', directed by Camillo De Riso (Italy, 1918, based on the play ''Nos Bons Villageois'') *''Spiritismo'', directed by Camillo De Riso (Italy, 1919, based on the play ''Spiritisme'') *''Dora o Le spie'', directed by

Roberto Roberti Vincenzo Leone (24 July 1879 – 10 January 1959), known professionally as Roberto Roberti, was an Italian actor, screenwriter and film director. He made over sixty films, mostly during the silent era. He was married to the actress Bice Waleran. ...

(Italy, 1919, based on the play ''Dora'') *''Three Green Eyes'', directed by

Dell Henderson George Adelbert "Dell" Henderson (July 5, 1877 – December 2, 1956) was a Canadian-American actor, film director, director, and writer. He began his long and prolific film career in the early days of silent film. Biography Born in the southwest ...

(1919, based on the play ''Les Pattes de mouche'') *''Giorgina'', directed by and Giuseppe Forti (Italy, 1919, based on the play ''Georgette'') *''Ferréol'', directed by Franz Hofer (Germany, 1920, based on the play ''Ferréol'') *', directed by (Italy, 1920, based on the play ''Les Bourgeois de Pont-Arcy'') *'' Napoleon and the Little Washerwoman'', directed by Adolf Gärtner (Germany, 1920, based on the play ''Madame Sans-Gêne'') *'' Theodora'', directed by (Italy, 1921, based on the play ''Théodora'') *''Rabagas'', directed by Gaston Ravel (Italy, 1922, based on the novel ''Rabàgas'') *', directed by Henri Desfontaines (France, 1923, based on the play ''L'Espionne'') *'' Madame Sans-Gêne'', directed by

Léonce Perret Léonce Joseph Perret (14 March 1880 – 12 August 1935) was a prolific and innovative French film actor, director and producer.The Museum of Modern Art(retrieved 7 June 2007) He also worked as a stage actor and director. Often described as avan ...

(1925, based on the play ''Madame Sans-Gêne'') *'' Kiss Me Again'', directed by

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...

(1925, based on the play ''Divorçons'') *''

'', directed by

Jean Manoussi Jean Manoussi (14 November 1868 - 21 December 1929) was a French dramatist, film director and screenwriter. Jean Manoussi has written several theatre plays in collaboration with playwrights such as Paul Armont, Marcel Gerbidon or Gabriel Timm ...

(Germany, 1926, based on the play ''Fédora'') *''

'', directed by

Marshall Neilan Marshall Ambrose "Mickey" Neilan (April 11, 1891 – October 27, 1958; also credited Marshall Neilon) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, whose work in films began in the early Silent film, silent era. Early life Born ...

(1926, based on the play ''Dora'') *''

Don't Tell the Wife Don't Tell the Wife may refer to: * Don't Tell the Wife (1937 film), an American comedy film * Don't Tell the Wife (1927 film), an American silent romantic comedy film {{dab ...

'', directed by Paul L. Stein (1927, based on the play ''Divorçons'') *'' Odette'', directed by Luitz-Morat (Germany, 1928, based on the play ''Odette'') *'' A Night of Mystery'', directed by

Lothar Mendes Lothar Mendes (19 May 1894 – 24 February 1974) was a German-born screenwriter and film director. His two best known films are ''Jew Süss (1934 film), Jew Süss'' (1934) and ''The Man Who Could Work Miracles'' (1936), both productions for Briti ...

(1928, based on the play ''Ferréol'') *'' The Woman from Moscow'', directed by Ludwig Berger (1928, based on the play ''Fédora'') *''L'Évadée'', directed by Henri Ménessier (France, 1929, based on the play ''Le Secret de Délia'') *''

'', directed by Louis J. Gasnier (France, 1934, based on the play ''Fédora'') *'' Odette'', directed by Jacques Houssin and Giorgio Zambon (France/Italy, 1934, based on the play ''Odette'') *', directed by

Jean Grémillon Jean Grémillon (; 3 October 1901 – 25 November 1959) was a French film director. Biography Grémillon was born in Bayeux and spent his early years in Cerisy-la-Forêt in Normandy. His father was employed by the Ouest railway company. Durin ...

(France, 1936, based on the play ''Les Pattes de mouche'') *', directed by

Guido Brignone Guido Brignone (6 December 1886 – 6 March 1959) was an Italian film director and actor. He was the father of actress Lilla Brignone and younger brother of actress Mercedes Brignone. Brignone was born in Milan, Italy. He was the first Italian ...

(Italy, 1937, based on the play ''Marcelle'') *''

'', directed by Carl Koch and

Jean Renoir Jean Renoir (; 15 September 1894 – 12 February 1979) was a French film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and author. His '' La Grande Illusion'' (1937) and '' The Rules of the Game'' (1939) are often cited by critics as among the greate ...

(Italy, 1941, based on the opera ''Tosca'') *'' That Uncertain Feeling'', directed by

(1941, based on the play ''Divorçons'') *'' Madame Sans-Gêne'', directed by Roger Richebé (France, 1941, based on the play ''Madame Sans-Gêne'') *''

'', directed by

Camillo Mastrocinque Camillo Mastrocinque (11 May 1901 – 23 April 1969) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 60 films between 1937 and 1968, and is known to horror film fans for directing ''Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) starring ...

(Italy, 1942, based on the opera ''Fedora'') *', directed by

Raffaello Matarazzo Raffaello Matarazzo (17 August 1909 – 17 May 1966) was an Italian filmmaker. Life Matarazzo started writing film reviews for the Roman newspaper ''Il Tevere'' before re-editing scripts for the Italian film company Cines. His first films ...

(Italy, 1943, based on the play ''Dora'') *'' Madame Sans-Gêne'', directed by

Luis César Amadori Luis César Amadori (28 May 1902 – 5 June 1977) was an Italian-Argentine film director and screenwriter and one of the most influential directors in the cinema of Argentina of the classic era. He directed over 60 films between 1936 and 1967, wri ...

(Argentina, 1945, based on the play ''Madame Sans-Gêne'') *'' Pamela'', directed by

Pierre de Hérain Pierre de Hérain (24 July 1904 – 25 September 1972) was a French film director. de Hérain was born as Pierre Déhérain on 24 July 1904 in Avilly-Saint-Léonard, Oise, France. His father, François de Hérain, was a painter. His mother, Eugén ...

(France, 1945, based on the play ''Paméla'') *', directed by Carlos Hugo Christensen (Argentina, 1945, based on the play ''Divorçons'') *''En tiempos de la inquisición'', directed by Juan Bustillo Oro (Mexico, 1946, based on the play ''La Sorcière'') *'' Patrie'', directed by

Louis Daquin Louis Daquin (20 May 1908 – 2 October 1980) was a French film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed 14 films between 1938 and 1963. He also appeared in 11 films between 1937 and 1979. Selected filmography * ''The Man from Nowhere ...

(France, 1946, based on the play ''Patrie'') *'' Distress'', directed by (France, 1946, based on the play ''Odette'') *', directed by

Adelqui Migliar Adelqui Migliar (5 August 1891 – 6 August 1956), also known as Adelqui Millar, was a Chilean film actor, director, writer and producer. He appeared in 31 silent films between 1916 and 1928. He also directed 24 films between 1922 and 1954. ...

(Argentina, 1947, based on the play ''Fédora'') * '' The Affair of the Poisons'', directed by

Henri Decoin Henri Decoin (18 March 1890 – 4 July 1969) was a French film director and screenwriter, who directed more than 50 films between 1933 and 1964. He was also a swimmer who won the national title in 1911 and held the national record in the 500 ...

(1955, based on the play '' The Affair of the Poisons'') *''

'', directed by

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

(Italy, 1956, based on the opera ''Tosca'') *', directed by Carlos Hugo Christensen (Brazil, 1960, based on the play ''Divorçons'') *'' Madame'', directed by

Christian-Jaque Christian-Jaque (byname of Christian Maudet; 4 September 1904 – 8 July 1994) was a French filmmaker. From 1954 to 1959, he was married to actress Martine Carol, who starred in several of his films, including ''Lucrèce Borgia'' (1953), ''M ...

(France/Italy, 1961, based on the play ''Madame Sans-Gêne'') *'' La Tosca'', directed by

Luigi Magni Luigi Magni (21 March 1928 – 27 October 2013) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. Life and career Born in Rome, Italy, Magni started his career as a screenwriter, in 1956, with '' Tempo di villeggiatura''. In 1968 he collabo ...

(Italy, 1973, based on the play ''La Tosca'') *''

'', directed by

Benoît Jacquot Benoît Jacquot (; born 5 February 1947) is a French film director and screenwriter who has had a varied career in European cinema. In July 2024, Jacquot was charged with rape, including of a minor, and was barred from directing and having cont ...

(France, 2001, based on the opera ''Tosca'')

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sardou, Victorien 1831 births 1908 deaths Writers from Paris 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights Members of the Académie Française 19th-century French male writers 20th-century French male writers French bibliophiles

Early years

Career

Personal life and death

Writing style

Legacy

Works

Stage works

Books

Adapted works

Translations of plays

Operas and musicals

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References

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