Chalumeau [Robert Saidreau - Chapter 3]

  To read the previous chapter of this essay on the work of director Robert Saidreau, click here.

 

Chalumeau's debut

Despite the films already discussed in the two previous chapters, Jean Tulard retains the "Chalumeau series" as his first achievements. Chalumeau is the main character in a series of comedy short films.

The first mention of the series is in Ciné pour Tous, July 15, 1919, where it is announced as a short story. The director planned is Jean de Rovera "our excellent colleague of the Film and the Future". The collaborators announced are Edgar George, "Miss Suzie Renaud, a charming blonde, and the good fat Bouf-Bouf, who appeared in many old Eclair movies." The Bouf-Bouf (or Bou-Bouf as one finds it on the site of the cinematheque) in question is in fact Louis Moret, who indeed turned with Charles Burguet a series of films under this name.
But it seems prudent to be wary of the term "series": if one does not doubt the desire to shoot several films, the people announced as being attached to the series perhaps only collaborate, for some at least, on only just one movie.
It seems that the first Chalumeau in the series is Chalumeau se lance, 560 meters, that the director is also the author, and that the story is not of excellent quality if we are to believe the criticism of La Cinématographie Française of January 3, 1920. (Ciné Club anounces it as showing in Parisian theaters on January 30, 1920).

Chalumeau's Passions

The Cinematographie Française of April 3, 1920 therefore informs us that "La Société des Films" Eclipse ", 94, rue Saint-Lazare, Paris, announces the forthcoming release of a series of Chalumeau films. The scenarios of M. Henri Pellier were directed by Saidreau. The first will be: Les Ficelles de Chalumeau, Chalumeau enragé and Les grandes passions de Chalumeau. We are also offered a photo of the first on the list, while reminding us that Chalumeau se lance is still available. "The 'Chalumeau Film crew''s stay in Nice is coming to an end and soon we will see them again in Paris."

On April 10, 1920, Ciné Pour Tous confirms that "Mr. Saidreau is filming, with Edgar-George as the star, the comic series Chalumeau." The shooting of the three films may have been carried out in the order announced, but in any case, the releases do not follow that order.

Les passions de Chalumeau (650 m) is presented on Monday June 14 at the Palais de la Mutualité and is available on July 16, 1920. A 120x160 poster can be ordered to ensure its promotion. It is the third part of a program which includes a documentary on the Armorican coasts, the drama A Romance of the Underworld with Catherine Calvert, and finally the eighth episode of the serial Impéria, entitled La Revenche des Bohémiens, notably with Charles de Rochefort.

Chalumeau's strings

The second film announced among the three directed by Robert Saidreau, Les Ficelles de Chalumeau, was in fact the first released (June 18, 1920).
The 680-meter film is presented on Monday, May 17 at the Palais de la Mutualité and is available on June 18 as the third part of a program which includes the documentary Picturesque Guernsey, the drama A House Divided with Hubert Ramlinson and Sylvian Braemer, the fifth and sixth episodes of Imperia, titled Condemned, and The Light in the Prison.
Ciné-Club reports the release of the film ("20 minutes of crazy laughter") on December 24, 1920 at l'Epatant in the XXth arrondissement, which proves that copies circulate for a long time throughout France.
For example, the film was released at the Quimper Cinéma on October 20, 1920, presented with The Turn with Suzanne Grandais, recently deceased, as well as at the Bretagne Cinéma de Pont L'abbé on October 24.

 

The criticism of La Cinématographie Française fell on May 22, 1920: "In the script of this comic film, very well directed by R. Saidreau, we see a real effort to create something new and look for new situations. Oh, not quite, but there is progress. What is progressing is the young artist who has just created this type of Chalumeau which is not without originality. Good film. "

Chalumeau enraged

This fourth opus (third produced by Saidreau), is announced as coming out "soon" on September 5, 1920. After which ... I can no longer find any trace of it.

 

Chalumeau at Pathé

It seems that the series then went to Pathé because there is a Chalumeau series with the same screenwriter, but with in the main role, an actor identified as Georges Bernier. If we believe the photographic resemblance, it would be the same person as the Edgar-Georges from the Éclair series.
The Pathé site retains seven films shown, at least to the press, between October 11, 1921 and May 4, 1923.
None of these are identified as being made by Robert Saidreau. In fact, Bernier directed several and in 1936 became general manager of Pathé Consortium Cinéma after a career as production manager. And Saidreau's first attested achievements came out long before that.

Georges Bernier in 1928

To read the next chapter on the work of director Robert Saidreau, click here.

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