Rosita (film)
| Rosita | |
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Theatrical poster
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| Directed by |
Ernst Lubitsch Uncredited: Raoul Walsh |
| Produced by | Mary Pickford |
| Written by |
Edward Knoblock Hanns Kräly Norbert Falk |
| Starring | Mary Pickford |
| Music by | Louis F. Gottschalk |
| Cinematography | Charles Rosher |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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90 min |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
Silent film English intertitles |
| Box office | $900,000 |
Rosita is a 1923 American silent film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. The film is based upon an 1872 opera Don César de Bazan of Adolphe d'Ennery et Philippe Dumanoir.
The film takes place in Seville, in a period where the city has sunk into the depths of depravity and sin. Shocked by the depths his people have sunk to, the king of Spain (Holbrook Blinn) decides to give the town a visit when a carnaval is organized in order to redeem it. One of its inhabitants is Rosita (Mary Pickford), a beloved street singer praised by the townspeople for her entertainment.
Rosita is the only source of income to her poor family, who are always fighting each other. She is fed up with living in extreme poverty, while the king is living in wealth. After being forced to pay taxes, Rosita is enraged and comes up with a song in which she insults the king. Soon, the king is informed with the offensive ballad and visits her anonymously. Instead of being angry, he is charmed by the woman. However, the soldiers have come to arrest her for publicly insulting the king.
While being taken to prison, Don Diego (George Walsh) tries to defend her. Instead of convincing the soldiers to set her free, however, he is arrested as well. They fall in love at the police station, but she is unaware Diego is a powerful captain. By the king's request, Rosita is set free and escorted to his castle. Diego, however, is told he will be hung. When she meets him, Rosita doesn't believe he is the king. He tries to seduce her, but she isn't impressed until he offers her fashionable clothes. She doesn't want to have anything to do with him, but is pressured into giving in on his advances by her family, who see an opportunity on becoming wealthy.
Living a luxurious life in the castle, the family still feels disrespected. Rosita's mother (Mathilde Comont) demands for her daughter to have a noble husband, and the king offers her to be married to Diego. Rosita's mother is pleased, not knowing he will be sentenced to death shortly after the wedding. Diego is manipulated into participating by the offer of being shot like a respectable soldier, rather than hanged. At the wedding, they are married with their eyes covered, thus not knowing who they will be married to. The king's plan fails when Rosita breaks the rules and looks at her future husband.
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Wikipedia