Nana (1955 film)

Nana
Directed by	Christian-Jaque
Written by	Christian-Jaque
Screenplay by	Jean Ferry Albert Valentin
Based on	Nana by Émile Zola
Produced by	Jacques Roitfeld
Starring	Charles Boyer Martine Carol Jacques Castelot
Cinematography	Christian Matras
Edited by	Jacques Desagneaux
Music by	Georges Van Parys
Production companies	Les Productions Jacques Roitfeld Cigno Film
Distributed by	La Société des Films Sirius
Release date	25 July 1955 (1955-07-25)
Running time	120 minutes
Countries	France Italy
Language	French

Nana is a 1955 French-Italian historical drama film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Martine Carol, Charles Boyer and Jacques Castelot. An adaptation of the 1880 novel Nana by Émile Zola, it tells the story of two French aristocrats who are fatally ruined by their obsession for Nana, a mediocre actress and prostitute. Using the ancient theme of a worthless woman beguiling powerful men, the film portrays the moral corruption of the nominally Catholic court and nobility under the Second Empire. It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in Paris and filmed in Eastmancolor. The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert Gys.

Plot

Nana, who appears nightly at a downmarket Parisian theatre where her impudence and the scantiness of her costumes make up for her lack of dramatic talent, supplements her income by assignations with admirers. She catches the eye of Muffat, a faithful Catholic husband who is a trusted aide of the Emperor. By perseverance and heavy expenditure, he makes her his exclusive mistress in a palatial private residence. His wife leaves him, his daughter's fiancé breaks off their engagement, and his fortune has gone.

Vandeuvres, his most persistent rival, imports a promising filly and bets heavily on her first race. Sure of a major coup, he persuades Nana to join him at the railway station for Italy. The horse wins and Nana starts packing her bags but, when the stewards find that the losing horse was doped, Vandeuvres commits suicide. Going round to Nana's mansion, Muffat finds her about to depart and, when she says she is leaving him for Vandeuvres, he strangles her.

Cast

• Martine Carol as Nana
• Charles Boyer as Count Muffat
• Jacques Castelot as Duke of Vandeuvres
• Jean Debucourt as Napoléon III
• Walter Chiari as Fontan
• Noël Roquevert as Steiner, the banker
• Dora Doll as Rose Mignon
• Elisa Cegani as Countess Muffat
• Paul Frankeur as Bordenave
• Pierre Palau as Vénot
• Nerio Bernardi as Prince of Sardinia
• Dario Michaelis as Fauchery
• Daniel Ceccaldi as Lieutenant Philippe Hugon
• Marguerite Pierry as Zoé
• Luisella Boni as Estelle Muffat
• Jacqueline Plessis as Empress Eugénie
• Jacques Tarride as Mignon
• Paul Amiot as Police Commissioner
• Daniel Mendaille as Le valet (uncredited)

External links

• Nana at IMDb