Captain Fracasse (Le Capitaine Fracasse)

Captain Fracasse is a French-Italian co-production, a screen version of Théophile Gautier's 1863 novel of the same name. It belongs to the French cloak-and-dagger tradition, a period adventure of swordplay and rivalry in love. Pierre Gaspard-Huit shot it in 1960 and it was released in 1961. Titles include Le Capitaine Fracasse (France), Capitan Fracassa (Italy) and Fracass, der freche Kavalier (Germany). The French-language film runs 108 minutes.

Its hero is the Baron de Sigognac, who shelters a troupe of travelling players and falls for Isabelle, its young ingénue, and resolves to leave with the company. A capable swordsman, he takes to the stage for love of her and performs under the name Captain Fracasse. Yet the Duke de Vallombreuse, another admirer of Isabelle, will stop at nothing to be rid of him and carry her off. Jean Marais heads the cast, with Geneviève Grad and Gérard Barray, and Louis de Funès in a smaller part.

Gaspard-Huit wrote the screenplay with Jean Cosmos. Filming used the Epinay Studios in Paris and on location in the Forest of Rambouillet and the Château de Maintenon. The cast also includes Anna Maria Ferrero, Bernard Dhéran, Bernard Lajarrige, Christian Marin and Danielle Godet, and Philippe Noiret is named among the leads.