Bluebeard (1951 film)

Bluebeard (German: Blaubart) is a 1951 black comedy film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Hans Albers, Cécile Aubry and Fritz Kortner.^[1] Based on the fairy tale Bluebeard by Charles Perrault, it was a co-production between West Germany, France and Switzerland. It was made using the Gevacolor process. A separate French-language version, Barbe-Bleue, was also made.

Bluebeard (1951), directed by Christian-Jaque, is a lighthearted, satirical French comedy-fantasy in Gevacolor that reinterprets the classic tale. The plot follows Count de Salfère (Pierre Brasseur), a blue-bearded nobleman notorious for murdering his wives, as he marries his seventh wife, the young Aline (Cécile Aubry), who discovers a non-lethal, surprising secret behind his locked door.

Key details of the 1951 film include: Plot Shift: Departing from the horror elements of the original story, the film presents a more farcical take where the anticipated grisly discovery is subverted. Characters: The film features a humorous, over-the-top performance by Pierre Brasseur as the titular character and Cécile Aubry as his new wife. Setting: The film emphasizes a, at the time, modern and vibrant, visual style using the Gevacolor process.

• Hans Albers as Blaubart
• Cécile Aubry as Aline
• Fritz Kortner as Haushofsmeister
• Lina Carstens as Amme
• Arno Paulsen as Matthes
• Jacques Sernas as Florian
• Ina Halley as Anna
• Henri Rollan as Freiherr d'Etioles
• Denise Cormand as Valentine d'Etioles
• Carl Wery as Herzog
• Reggie Nalder as Captain of the guard
• Elly Claus as Kunigunde, die Deutsche
• Diane Lefort as Lucrezia, die Italienerin
• Espanita Cortez as Mercedes, die Spanierin
• Geneviève Gérald as Lady Anny Fling, die Schottin
• Phung Thi Nghiep as Tschao Ming Kuong, die Chinesin
• Leila Fouad as Fatme, die Araberin
• Georges Chamarat
• Aziza Néri
• Fernand Fabre
• Fred Barius

• Zipes, Jack. The Enchanted Screen: The Unknown History of Fairy-Tale Films. Routledge, 2011.

• Bluebeard at IMDb