A Carmen of the North
Encyclopedia
A Carmen of the North is a 1919 Dutch
silent
romantic drama film directed by Maurits Binger
.
) is a young farmer who has been ordered to leave his mother (Paula de Waart
) and childhood sweetheart Mareike (Jeanne van der Pers), in order to join the army during the Great War
. Carmen (Annie Bos
) is a fatally attractive coquette
living in the poor quarters, and working in a cigarette factory. One day, she plays a practical joke on one of her co-workers. The girl can't appreciate this and starts a fight; to which Carmen responds by stabbing her with a knife.
Stationed in the factory, Jozef is ordered to hold Carmen. While being guarded, Carmen successfully seduces Jozef and convinces him to undo her from her handcuffs: "For Carmen's heart was fickle. Her passions wild and bold. Proud of every conquest. And fond of foolish gold." She gratefully thanks him and then escapes through the window. While she joins her confederates - a group of bandits - Jozef feels guilty not for having released her, but for having fallen in love with her. He is arrested for having helped a fugitive, and is imprisoned.
One day, Jozef receives a letter from Carmen: "Come to me Jozef, and I shall show you the way to freedom, where none shall be afraid of their past – no loss or trouble to either of us again." He is able to distract his guards and flees to the bar where Carmen is staying. He feels guilty for kissing her, but then starts a fight with another man who seduces her. Afterward, the guards arrive at the bar to search for Jozef, and he is convinced by Carmen to join her as a fugitive. They become part of an organised crime, which includes Carmen entertaining a group of soldiers, while the other men, among them Jozef, get the stuff over the border.
Meanwhile, Mareike has left her home to search for Jozef on the cold streets. She is satisfied to find him, but Jozef orders her to leave. He then returns to Carmen, and demands that she will never love another man. Carmen, aware that she can't live up to Jozef's expectations, finds refuge in a bar. Jozef follows her and blames her for having ruined his life. He then leaves, as he realizes that his love for Carmen is gone. The same night, Carmen falls for Dalboni (Jan van Dommelen
), a celebrated baritone
. She seduces him, and he in turn is impressed with her.
Several nights later, Dalboni reads from The Bohemian Girl
. Carmen, realizing that she has fallen in love with Dalboni, writes to Jozef that she no longer can see him. A year later, she is a happily married woman living in extreme wealth, while Jozef wanders through the streets. At the premiere of an opera, Dalboni is praised by the audience, and he calls Carmen his inspiration. "But the shadow returned again. The man forsaken came out of her past." Jozef finds Carmen backstage and confronts her with all that she has caused in his life. When he asks her if she still loves him, she responds by describing her love for Dalboni: "He is everything to me. Now, at last, I know what real love is. I shall live for him alone." In a rage, Jozef condemns Carmen and stabs her to death.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
romantic drama film directed by Maurits Binger
Maurits Binger
Maurits Binger was a Dutch film director, producer and screenwriter of the silent era. He directed 39 films between 1913 and 1922 and is considered one of the pioneers of fictional films in the Netherlands...
.
Plot
Jozef (Adelqui MigliarAdelqui Migliar
Adelqui Migliar , also known als Adelqui Millar, was a Chilean film actor, director, writer and producer. He appeared in 31 silent films between 1916 and 1928. He also directed 24 films between 1922 and 1954....
) is a young farmer who has been ordered to leave his mother (Paula de Waart
Paula de Waart
Paula de Waart was a Dutch film actress of the silent era. She appeared in 24 films between 1915 and 1935.-Filmography:* Het Mysterie van de Mondscheinsonate * De man op den achtergrond...
) and childhood sweetheart Mareike (Jeanne van der Pers), in order to join the army during the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Carmen (Annie Bos
Annie Bos
Johanna "Annie" Bos was a Dutch theater and silent film actress, known as Holland's first movie star and diva....
) is a fatally attractive coquette
Flirting
Flirting is a playful, romantic, or sexual overture by one person to another subtly indicating an interest in a deeper relationship with the other person, and can involve verbal communication as well as body language...
living in the poor quarters, and working in a cigarette factory. One day, she plays a practical joke on one of her co-workers. The girl can't appreciate this and starts a fight; to which Carmen responds by stabbing her with a knife.
Stationed in the factory, Jozef is ordered to hold Carmen. While being guarded, Carmen successfully seduces Jozef and convinces him to undo her from her handcuffs: "For Carmen's heart was fickle. Her passions wild and bold. Proud of every conquest. And fond of foolish gold." She gratefully thanks him and then escapes through the window. While she joins her confederates - a group of bandits - Jozef feels guilty not for having released her, but for having fallen in love with her. He is arrested for having helped a fugitive, and is imprisoned.
One day, Jozef receives a letter from Carmen: "Come to me Jozef, and I shall show you the way to freedom, where none shall be afraid of their past – no loss or trouble to either of us again." He is able to distract his guards and flees to the bar where Carmen is staying. He feels guilty for kissing her, but then starts a fight with another man who seduces her. Afterward, the guards arrive at the bar to search for Jozef, and he is convinced by Carmen to join her as a fugitive. They become part of an organised crime, which includes Carmen entertaining a group of soldiers, while the other men, among them Jozef, get the stuff over the border.
Meanwhile, Mareike has left her home to search for Jozef on the cold streets. She is satisfied to find him, but Jozef orders her to leave. He then returns to Carmen, and demands that she will never love another man. Carmen, aware that she can't live up to Jozef's expectations, finds refuge in a bar. Jozef follows her and blames her for having ruined his life. He then leaves, as he realizes that his love for Carmen is gone. The same night, Carmen falls for Dalboni (Jan van Dommelen
Jan van Dommelen
Jan van Dommelen was a Dutch film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 44 films between 1911 and 1939.-Filmography:* Boefje * De Big van het regiment * De Familie van mijn Vrouw...
), a celebrated baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
. She seduces him, and he in turn is impressed with her.
Several nights later, Dalboni reads from The Bohemian Girl
The Bohemian Girl (short story)
The Bohemian Girl is a short story by Willa Cather. It was written when Cather was living in Cherry Valley, New York with Isabelle McClung whilst Alexander's Bridge was being serialised in McClure's. It was first published in McClure's in August 1912.-Plot summary:Nils Ericson gets off the train at...
. Carmen, realizing that she has fallen in love with Dalboni, writes to Jozef that she no longer can see him. A year later, she is a happily married woman living in extreme wealth, while Jozef wanders through the streets. At the premiere of an opera, Dalboni is praised by the audience, and he calls Carmen his inspiration. "But the shadow returned again. The man forsaken came out of her past." Jozef finds Carmen backstage and confronts her with all that she has caused in his life. When he asks her if she still loves him, she responds by describing her love for Dalboni: "He is everything to me. Now, at last, I know what real love is. I shall live for him alone." In a rage, Jozef condemns Carmen and stabs her to death.
Cast
- Annie BosAnnie BosJohanna "Annie" Bos was a Dutch theater and silent film actress, known as Holland's first movie star and diva....
as Carmen - Adelqui MigliarAdelqui MigliarAdelqui Migliar , also known als Adelqui Millar, was a Chilean film actor, director, writer and producer. He appeared in 31 silent films between 1916 and 1928. He also directed 24 films between 1922 and 1954....
as Jozef - Jan van DommelenJan van DommelenJan van Dommelen was a Dutch film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 44 films between 1911 and 1939.-Filmography:* Boefje * De Big van het regiment * De Familie van mijn Vrouw...
as Dalboni - Paula de WaartPaula de WaartPaula de Waart was a Dutch film actress of the silent era. She appeared in 24 films between 1915 and 1935.-Filmography:* Het Mysterie van de Mondscheinsonate * De man op den achtergrond...
as Jozef's moeder - Jeanne van der Pers as Mareike
- Ernst WinarErnst WinarErnst Winar was a Dutch actor and film director. He appeared in 34 films between 1916 and 1955...
- Fred Homann
- Leni Marcus