Judex (1916 film)
| Judex | |
|---|---|
Scene from the film
|
|
| Directed by | Louis Feuillade |
| Produced by | Robert-Jules Garnier |
| Written by |
Arthur Bernède Louis Feuillade |
| Starring |
René Cresté Musidora René Poyen Édouard Mathé Gaston Michel Yvonne Dario |
| Music by | Robert Israel (new score) |
| Cinematography |
André Glatti Léon Klausse |
| Distributed by | Gaumont |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
300 minutes (total) |
| Country | France |
| Language | Silent film French intertitles |
Judex is the title of a 1916 silent French film serial concerning the adventures of Judex, who is a pulp hero, similar to The Shadow, created by Louis Feuillade and Arthur Bernède.
Feuillade had made two earlier serials, Fantômas and Les Vampires, about cunning criminals. Though popular with audiences, the serials both drew criticism for glorifying outlaws. Feuillade answered these concerns by creating the hero Judex, who had the sinister trappings of the flamboyant villains so popular at the time.
Judex anticipated later pulp heroes and superheroes in many respects; he was a masterful fighter, an expert at disguise, and boasted a secret headquarters in the subterranean passages beneath a ruined castle - which was lavishly outfitted with high-tech gadgets. His secret identity - Judex (Latin for judge) - was the nom-de-guerre he adopted in his quest for revenge. While Judex was derivative of Fantômas and Les Vampires, its story, with the hero's quest for revenge, bore many similarities with The Count of Monte Cristo.
The story is complex and is told in 12 chapters. The basic plot involves a corrupt banker named Favraux, who is the target of Judex's revenge. It is eventually revealed that Judex's real identity is Jacques de Trémeuse, a man trying to avenge his family ruined by Favraux. Complicating matters is Favraux's beautiful and innocent daughter Jacqueline, with whom the avenger has fallen in love. A final element comes in the form of Diana Monti and her criminal gang who are working at cross purposes with Judex.
Judex was played by French matinee idol René Cresté and Diana was played by Musidora, who had previously played the villainess Irma Vep in Les Vampires.
...
Wikipedia