#ossip runitsch

Camille Desmoulins acted by Ossip Runitsch (Josef Runitsch) in Danton (silent film, 1921, dir. Dimitri Buchowetzki)

According to the credits, it is based on Georg Büchner's play The Death of Danton (Dantons Tod). However, the story, setting, and characters are far removed from both the history and the originals. Almost all the characters are completely different from any of them.

But Runitsch played Camille beautifully. His lovable charm and cuteness were so perfectly realized that I felt as if the real him was on the screen. I would love to see more of Runitsch's movies, but I am very sad that most of them have disappeared.

Anyway, despite the historical inaccuracies and deviations from Büchner of the film, this is my best Camille.

I have the pamphlet of the movie and I will upload these photos later.

I found the film on YouTube: fre

I found Camille is engaged with music in some French Revolution movies made in early 20th century.

In Danton (1921), he sings a song with a guitar that mock Robespierre and Saint-Just, and gets the crowd erupting.

In Napoléon (1927), he was the first to realize how great "La Marseillaise" was. He read the score and found the song to be wonderful.

(with the composer Rouget de Lisle)

In Danton (1931), he performs an original song to celebrate Danton's marriage. This Camille (looks rather like Fabre d'Églantine) is a most devoted friend and I was angry with Danton for almost neglecting him during the film. Far different from the outrageous spoiled brat in Danton (1983). This is an early talkie, so perhaps it was challenging attempt to include a singing scene.

Front row, from left, Westermann (Eduard von Winterstein), Camille (Ossip Runitsch), Danton (Emil Jannings) and Hérault (Ferdinand von Alten)

From left, Fouquier-Tinville (Friedrich Kühne), Saint-Just (Robert Scholz) and Robespierre (Werner Krauss)

Babette (OC in the film played by Hilde Wörner and not related to Elisabeth Le Bas), Danton, Camille, and Hérault

And this is the cover (Camille, Danton, and Babette):

I found it on eBay about a year ago. I can't read Danish, but I got it because documents on this film are rare. (I used Google Translate to read the text, which was more about the historical Danton's life than about the film).