Albert Capellani

Directing

Albert Capellani

Born — Died

1874-08-23 — 1931-09-26

Place of birth

Paris, France

Known for

Directing

Credits

42 titles

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

Known for

L'Assommoir poster
5.9

Everyman Coupeau's attempts to stop drinking are routinely thwarted by the wicked and vengeful Virginie. Based on Zola's novel, Capellani's film is about the free fall of a group of working-class French folk into degradation and tragedy due to carelessness, jealousy, and alcohol abuse. At the time of its release, L'Assommoir was hugely successful.

L'Assommoir

1908

Germinal poster
5.7

Based on Emile Zola's novel, an uncompromisingly harsh and realistic story of a coalminers' strike in northern France in the 1860s.

Germinal

1913

Sisters poster
NR

Cherry, the youngest daughter of Dr. Strickland, marries Martin Lloyd; and Peter, a neighbor who was in love with her, unhappily begins a world tour. Returning home, Peter finds that the doctor has died, leaving the older daughter, Alix, alone; and he marries her out of desperation. Cherry, unhappy with her marriage, leaves her husband and comes to live with her sister and Peter; learning that Peter still loves her, Cherry agrees to run away with him, but they are discovered by his wife and upbraided. Martin is injured in a logging camp accident, and Cherry, realizing that she still loves her husband, goes to him. Peter resolves to free Alix, but she forgives him and they agree to start anew.

Sisters

1922

Athalie poster
9.0

“The Queen of Judah has gained her throne by eliminating the Royal Princes, but one is still alive and protected by the high priest. In a dream the Queen sees the young Prince as a king. She orders an assault on the Temple but when the Priest draws back a curtain to reveal the child king on his throne, she rushes from the scene believing it to be the fulfilment of her dream (incomplete).” - BFI.

Athalie

1910

The Young Diana poster
7.0

Mr. May wants his daughter Diana to marry into society. The man he wishes her to wed is a scientist, Dr. Dimitrius, but Diana is in love with an officer, Commander Cleeve.

The Young Diana

1922

Camille poster
NR

Camille is a courtesan in Paris. She falls deeply in love with a young man of promise, Armand Duval. When Armand's father begs her not to ruin his hopes of a career and position by marrying Armand, she acquiesces and leaves her lover. However, when poverty and terminal illness overwhelm her, Camille discovers that Armand has not lost his love for her.

Camille

1915

Film credits

Behind the camera

L'Assommoir poster
5.9

Everyman Coupeau's attempts to stop drinking are routinely thwarted by the wicked and vengeful Virginie. Based on Zola's novel, Capellani's film is about the free fall of a group of working-class French folk into degradation and tragedy due to carelessness, jealousy, and alcohol abuse. At the time of its release, L'Assommoir was hugely successful.

L'Assommoir

1908

L'Assommoir poster
5.9

Everyman Coupeau's attempts to stop drinking are routinely thwarted by the wicked and vengeful Virginie. Based on Zola's novel, Capellani's film is about the free fall of a group of working-class French folk into degradation and tragedy due to carelessness, jealousy, and alcohol abuse. At the time of its release, L'Assommoir was hugely successful.

L'Assommoir

1908

Germinal poster
5.7

Based on Emile Zola's novel, an uncompromisingly harsh and realistic story of a coalminers' strike in northern France in the 1860s.

Germinal

1913

Germinal poster
5.7

Based on Emile Zola's novel, an uncompromisingly harsh and realistic story of a coalminers' strike in northern France in the 1860s.

Germinal

1913

Sisters poster
NR

Cherry, the youngest daughter of Dr. Strickland, marries Martin Lloyd; and Peter, a neighbor who was in love with her, unhappily begins a world tour. Returning home, Peter finds that the doctor has died, leaving the older daughter, Alix, alone; and he marries her out of desperation. Cherry, unhappy with her marriage, leaves her husband and comes to live with her sister and Peter; learning that Peter still loves her, Cherry agrees to run away with him, but they are discovered by his wife and upbraided. Martin is injured in a logging camp accident, and Cherry, realizing that she still loves her husband, goes to him. Peter resolves to free Alix, but she forgives him and they agree to start anew.

Sisters

1922

Athalie poster
9.0

“The Queen of Judah has gained her throne by eliminating the Royal Princes, but one is still alive and protected by the high priest. In a dream the Queen sees the young Prince as a king. She orders an assault on the Temple but when the Priest draws back a curtain to reveal the child king on his throne, she rushes from the scene believing it to be the fulfilment of her dream (incomplete).” - BFI.

Athalie

1910

The Young Diana poster
7.0

Mr. May wants his daughter Diana to marry into society. The man he wishes her to wed is a scientist, Dr. Dimitrius, but Diana is in love with an officer, Commander Cleeve.

The Young Diana

1922

Camille poster
NR

Camille is a courtesan in Paris. She falls deeply in love with a young man of promise, Armand Duval. When Armand's father begs her not to ruin his hopes of a career and position by marrying Armand, she acquiesces and leaves her lover. However, when poverty and terminal illness overwhelm her, Camille discovers that Armand has not lost his love for her.

Camille

1915

Anna Karenina poster
4.0

In Imperial Russia, Anna, wife of the officer Karenin, goes to Moscow to visit her brother. On the way, she meets charming cavalry officer Vronsky, to whom she's immediately attracted. But in St. Petersburg’s high society, a relationship like this could destroy a woman’s reputation.

Anna Karenina

1912

The Mysteries of Paris poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

The Mysteries of Paris

1912

The Mysteries of Paris poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

The Mysteries of Paris

1912

No artwork available
9.0

The Count of Champcenetz is governor of the Palace of the Tuileries. His mistress Grace Elliott, a young widow, begs him not to go the Palace where he must defend King Louis XVI, who is threatened by the Revolution. After a few hours fight, in spite of the Count's best efforts, the crowd captures the King, the Queen, their children and their are taken to the prison of the Temple. Champcenetz, wounded, escapes and, disguised as a sans-culotte, walks back to Mrs. Elliott's. He leaves out of the country with her and marries her.

The Escape from the Tuileries

1910

No artwork available
10.0

The story of a free-spirited Bohemian. Capellani would remake the film in the U.S. in 1916 with a longer runtime.

La Bohème

1912

Éternel amour poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Éternel amour

1914

The Impostor poster
NR

Comedy of errors about Sir Anothony, his twin brother Blink and his son Aubrey. Mary Priestly is fooled but by the end flourishes.

The Impostor

—

The Schemer poster
6.5

A cheating bride is caught on photographic film.

The Schemer

1911

The Schemer poster
6.5

A cheating bride is caught on photographic film.

The Schemer

1911

La Vie de Bohème poster
NR

Mimi, an orphan, is taken in by a drunken innkeeper and becomes a domestic. She meets Rudolphe, scion of a well-to-do family, who rescues her from the unwanted advances of a drunken hotel guest. They fall madly in love, but Rudolphe's uncle, M. Durandin, wants Rudolphe to marry a family friend, Madame de Rouvre, and writes Mimi a letter, telling her that she is ruining Rudolphe's life. Musette and Marcel, friends of Mimi, also try to break up the romance by introducing Mimi to other men, and Rudolphe becomes jealous and leaves her. Brokenhearted, Mimi declines in health and eventually throws herself into the river but is rescued and taken to the hospital. Realizing it is only a matter of time before she dies, she drags herself back to the room where she and Rudolphe were happiest. Rudolphe is there and she dies knowing that he loves her.

La Vie de Bohème

1916

Le Nabab poster
NR

Bernard Jeansoulet supports his brother Louis and his mother through his work. Louis finds a job in Paris, where he gets carried away by the intoxicating atmosphere, and ends up in prison... An adaptation of Alphonse Daudet's work by one of the pioneers of cinema.

Le Nabab

1913

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Patrie

1914

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Patrie

1914

The Feast of Life poster
NR

Aurora Fernandez, a poor Cuban girl, is persuaded against her will to become betrothed to Don Armada, a wealthy Cuban. She loves Pedro, a young fisherman, who lives with his uncle, Father Venture, and his sister Celida, who has been secretly stealing to Don Armada's villa, but is cast off by him on his engagement to Aurora. Longing for a sight of Pedro, disguised as a dancing girl, Aurora goes to an inn where Pedro comes with other fishermen for a nights revelry.

The Feast of Life

1916

Le Chemineau poster
5.7

An adaptation of an episode in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, where Jean Valjean is welcomed into the Bishop of Digne's home, and steals his silverware.

Le Chemineau

1905

Le Chemineau poster
5.7

An adaptation of an episode in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, where Jean Valjean is welcomed into the Bishop of Digne's home, and steals his silverware.

Le Chemineau

1905

The Foolish Virgin poster
NR

A 1916 film.

The Foolish Virgin

1916

A Damsel in Distress poster
9.0

Maud March, the rebellious daughter of a millionaire, goes to New York to see her sweetheart Geoffrey who left town years ago. Her aunt Carolyn wants Maud to marry her son Reggie and sends the Maud's brother Percy after her to act as chaperone. Maud, trying to escape, enters a taxi where she meets handsome composer George Bevan. The man falls in love with the young lady who, when she sees how Geoffrey has changed, soon agrees to marry George.

A Damsel in Distress

1919

Marie Stuart poster
8.0

The film depicts the main events in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. She married Francis II, King of France. After her husband's death in 1560, Mary Stuart left France and returned to her native Scotland. Her father having died around the same time, she became Queen. She was about 19 years old, and her youth, great beauty, and charming manner won the hearts of the Scots. She was a devout Catholic, and when she ascended the throne, she found the country in the hands of Protestants, who caused much unrest. They revolted and imprisoned the young Queen. She escaped and sought help from Queen Elizabeth, but Elizabeth betrayed her and imprisoned her again. With the help of a page, she escaped through a window, but Elizabeth had her recaptured by her soldiers after a fierce struggle. She was therefore returned to prison once again and sentenced to death after a sham trial. It was with her gentle smile that Marie laid her head on the block.

Marie Stuart

1908

No artwork available
1.0

The story begins with Jean Valjean as a humble worker endeavoring to provide for his invalid mother. They live in a squalid home, made more wretched by his inability to provide sufficient food. He goes out in search of work, but is unsuccessful. Finally, in desperation, he steals a loaf of bread regardless of consequences. He hastens home with it, pursued by a crowd, and gives it to his mother. Valjean is arrested for the theft and sentenced to five years at hard labor.

Les Misérables - Part 1: Jean Valjean

1913

The Dark Silence poster
7.0

In Paris Mildred White becomes romantically involved with both Derwent Ainsworth and Dr. Mario Martinez. She prefers Derwent, but when he leaves suddenly to see his dying father, Mario convinces Mildred that he has deserted her. World War I begins, Derwent returns for Mildred, but upon learning that she is leaving Paris with Mario, he enlists in the army. Mildred, learning of Mario's deception joins the Red Cross to be near Derwent. When he is blinded in battle unbeknownst to him Mildred assumes his care. Their love renewed, though he is unaware of her identity, the two soon marry. Mildred then prevails upon Mario to perform a special operation on Derwent's eyes. His vision restored the pair restate their love.

The Dark Silence

1916

The Reign of Terror poster
5.5

The scene takes place in Paris in March 1793 during the Reign of Terror. The Knight of Maison-Rouge, posing as Citizen Morand, is organizing the escape of Queen Marie-Antoinette. He is assisted in his undertaking by Dixmer, a master tanner who passes himself off as an ardent revolutionary and his wife Geneviève, who also happens to be the Knight's sister. While on mission with her brother, she is saved from arrest thanks to the intervention of Lieutenant Maurice Lindey. Geneviève, who is married without love to Dixmer, falls for the young man, who requites her love. A tunnel is dug between a house rented by Dixmer and the Tower of the Temple but the various attempts to rescue the queen attempts fail. Marie-Antoinette risks the guillotine/ Moreover, Lindey finds himself involved in the plot...

The Reign of Terror

1914

Sleeping Beauty poster
4.6

Based on the story of "Sleeping Beauty" by Charles Perrault. Titles read: The Christening of the Princess; The Good Fairies Fatal Prediction; The Royal Edict; The Princess is Sixteen Years Old; Searching for the Princess; The Prediction Comes True; Thou Shalt Sleep for a Hundred Years; A Hundred Years later the Prince Charming Goes Hunting; Prince Charming Dismisses His Escort; The Castle of Sleep; The Guard's Hall; You Have Been a Long Time Coming, prince; The Wedding of the Sleeping Beauty to Prince Charming.

Sleeping Beauty

1908

No artwork available
5.5

La Glu tells the story of a woman, separated from her husband, and of evil reputation, who at a summer resort tries to capture the fortune of a wealthy aristocrat whose nephew had been in love with her, and is herself caught in the toils of her interest in a poor and primitive Breton lobster-fisherman. His simple soul discovering the past career and the heartlessness of the Parisian woman, in despair he tries to kill himself by throwing him-self on the rocks. When the Glu, the name given to the woman in question, tries to see the youth, his mother kills her with a mallet on the steps leading to the room of the invalid.

The Siren

1913

Aladdin and His Wonder Lamp poster
6.2

The legend of Aladdin and his magic lamp: Aladdin finds a magic lamp which brings him wealth, luxury, and marriage to a princess. But his rival, an evil magician, steals the lamp for himself. Aladdin must regain the lamp or lose everything.

Aladdin and His Wonder Lamp

1906

Aladdin and His Wonder Lamp poster
6.2

The legend of Aladdin and his magic lamp: Aladdin finds a magic lamp which brings him wealth, luxury, and marriage to a princess. But his rival, an evil magician, steals the lamp for himself. Aladdin must regain the lamp or lose everything.

Aladdin and His Wonder Lamp

1906

No artwork available
8.0

The Thenardiers and their small daughter, Eponine, and young son, Gavroche, are seen at their dingy country tavern. Here little Cosette, the daughter of Fantine, is seen performing drudgery and menial tasks. The Thenardiers are treating their own children kindly, but are cruel to Cosette.

Les Misérables - Part 3: Cosette

1913

The Veil of Happiness poster
7.0

A Chinese mandarin named Chang is blind and finds his only happiness is the caresses of his wife and the adoration of his son. One day, while out walking with his servant, Chang comes across a sorcerer who recognizes his rank and begs to be allowed to give the great man a potent liquid which will restore his sight. Chang submits to the administration of the sorcerer's cure and in a moment, for the first time in his life, he beholds the beauty of the world; everything about him holds untold ecstasies for his unaccustomed sight. He finds beauty in the very soil on which he walks. Hastening home he admonishes his servant not to say anything, but decides to surprise his family. Stealing into the house he peeks through the door into the study where his son and his tutor are supposed to be at work. There he witnesses his son's burlesque of his own helplessness and the tutor crawling on the floor in mirth. In the garden he discovers his young wife in the embrace of a neighboring mandarin.

The Veil of Happiness

1910

Bread for the Birds poster
5.5

Like Max Ophüls, Capellani set many films in the theatre – backstage, on stage, in the public eye; Here is a rags-to-riches story of a dancer and her older benefactor, a kind-hearted piano tutor.

Bread for the Birds

1911

The Face in the Moonlight poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Face in the Moonlight

1915

No artwork available
6.5

A insane child killer is loose! He finds a place to hide. A home where a little girl and an infant are alone.....

Le signalement

1912

The Missing Bride poster
10.0

During a wedding party, according to tradition, hide-and-seek is played in a local abandoned castle. The bride falls into a hidden corridor. As she enters a room, the door falls shut behind her. Inside, she finds a dead woman and a book that says she cannot get out of here. However, a cat taking her scarf outside is her salvation. The cat puts the searchers on the right track, and the groom finds his bride.

The Missing Bride

1910