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MADEMOISELLE

mademoiselle_mv_mfa mademoiselle_mv_mpv
 
Full Name: Mademoiselle
Nationality: French
Organization: French Intelligence
Occupation Agent

Creator: Maurice Elvey
Time Span: 1926 - 1928

ABOUT THE SERIES

Mademoiselle is a part-time spy hunter.

That in itself is a far exaggeration because she has not training as such in any capacity. She is simply a very attractive, quite appealing young woman who is gifted with the ability to talk to people and to make them feel comfortable talking back. She will be asked to use this charm to help out on two known occasions, one of them to trap a spy and the other to catch a thief.

So why does that qualify her for membership in this compendium? Well, it probably does not except that the recording of her two "missions" were captured back in the days of silent movies, in black and white, of course, and the spy-related aspect of the first adventure definitely makes it notable.

We quickly gain a lot of 'unspoken' information about the main character very early in the first adventure. Unfortunately, what her name actually might be is not one of them. In fact, we would go through both of the stories without ever knowing what she is called, other than the standard 'Mademoiselle' used to address any young woman working in a cafe in France at the time.

We know that her new British soldier boyfriend in the first story is named Johnny but since his real name is John Smith, we have to just assume it to be real. When in the second adventure we find that the lovely main character is now married to Johnny and has moved to London with him after the Great War is over, we at least know that Mademoiselle is now Mrs. Smith.

We also know that she is very attractive and comely and has quite observant, so much so that twice we will find her being asked to watch and investigate suspected ne'er-do-wells. Her skills in this matter will be enough to foil the espionage plans of a German agent and the thievery spree of a crooked entertainer as well.

And we know by the way that she pursues her loved Johnny into the trenches to prove her devotion to him shows she is as intrepid as them come. Not to mention resourceful and not a little bit on the lucky side.

MOVIES

Number of Movies:2
First Appearance:1926
Last Appearance:1928

According to Wikipedia, the first film "opened in London in September 1926 and was still playing in cinemas around the country until well into 1927. It was reportedly the most profitable British film of 1926 and made an instant star of [Estelle] Brody".

Unfortunately much of the first movie has been lost and the film is included in the British Film Institute's "75 Most Wanted" list of missing British films.

The concept of the movie was based on the very popular song from the Great War, a tune with a long and varied set of verses which were considered quite risque in its day.


1 Mademoiselle From Armentieres Mademoiselle From Armentieres
Director: Maurice Elvey
Writers: Maurice Elvey, Victor Saville
Actors: Estelle Brody as Mademoiselle, John Stuart as Johnny, Gabriel Rosca as Branz, Boris Ranevsky as Liaison Officer, Marie Ault as Aunt
Released: 1926

A British black and white silent movie running 55 minutes long.
Mademoiselle helps run her aunt's restaurant in Armentieres, France, during WWI. A British liaison officer asks her to keep an eye on a suspicious patron, a man named Branz. She discovers he is a German spy. Unfortunately the young British soldier she had been dating, Johnny, mistakes her investigations for amorous affections and considerable trouble results.

2 Mademoiselle Parley Voo Mademoiselle Parley Voo
Director: Maurice Elvey
Writers: John Longden, Fred V. Merrick
Actors: Estelle Brody as Mademoiselle, John Stuart as Johnny, John Longden as Le Beau - Illusionist, Alf Goddard as Fred - Escape Artist
Released: 1928

A British black and white silent movie.
When Mademoiselle is asked to help investigate a magician who might be stealing jewelry as part of his act, she agrees. When the detective who asked for her help is killed, though, she is the prime suspect.

MY COMMENTS

As spy series go, this one is weak as to its criteria for membership as there are only two adventures and one is not really a spy story. Historically, however, it has its value and therefore, here it is. Silent movies about espionage work seem almost non-existent, for figuratively and literally (i.e. very, very few were made and even less still exist to view).

I would have enjoyed watching these. The first one sounds like it had a lot of range. Plus the pictures of the actress playing the main character show her to be a very attractive young woman that the camera obviously liked.

GRADE

My Grade: C

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