Lady of the Camelias [La storia vera della signora dalle camelie] *** (1981, Isabelle Huppert, Gian Maria Volontè, Bruno Ganz) – Classic Movie Review 8821

Director Mauro Bolognini’s Italian, French and German 1981 co-production Lady of the Camelias [La storia vera della signora dalle camelie] [La Dame aux Camélias] stars the formidable European art movie trio of Isabelle Huppert (in the title role), Gian Maria Volontè (as Plessis) and Bruno Ganz (as Count Perregaux).

Fading away impressively as the consumptive courtesan Marguerite Gauthier, but now called Alphonsine Plessis, Huppert brings exactly the right tragic dimension to this plush, stirring and lovingly conscientious Eighties ‘real story’ version of the famous Alexandre Dumas Fils tale set in Paris in the 1840s.

Also in the cast are Fabrizio Bentivoglio as Alexandre Dumas Fils, Clio Goldsmith as Clémence, Mario Maranzana as Alexandre Dumas Père, Yann Babilée, Carla Fracci, Cécile Vassort, David Jajil, Piero Vida and Fabio Traversa.

Lady of the Camelias [La storia vera della signora dalle camelie] [La Dame aux Camélias] is directed by Mauro Bolognini, runs 115 minutes, is made by Gaumont, Les Films du Losange, France 3 (FR 3), Opera Film Produzione and Tele-München, is released by Gaumont (1981) (France), is written by Jean Aurenche, Vladimir Pozner and Enrico Medioli, is shot in Technicolor by Ennio Guarnieri, is produced by Manolo Bolognini and Margaret Ménégoz, is scored by Ennio Morricone and is designed by Mario Garbuglia, with Costume Design by Piero Tosi.

Piero Tosi, nominated for five Oscars.

Piero Tosi, the famed costume designer who also worked on The Leopard, Death in Venice, The Night Porter, L’Innocente and La Cage aux Folles, died on 10 August 2019 in Rome, aged 92. He was nominated for five Oscars.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8821

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