Rosita is a 1923 silent film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. The film is based upon a 1872 opera called Don César de Bazan.
Synopsis
The film takes place in Seville, in a period where the city has sunk into the depths of depravity and sin. The king of Spain (Holbrook Blinn) is shocked to hear the habitants of Seville devote their lives to alcohol and living carefree. He decides to give the town a visit when a carnaval is organized. One of its habitants is Rosita (Mary Pickford), a beloved street singer praised by the townspeople for her entertainment.
Rosita is unhappy her home life is less beautiful. She is the only source of income to her poor family, who are always fighting each other. She is fed up with living in extreme poverty, while the king is living in wealth. After being forced to pay taxes, Rosita is enraged and comes up with a song in which she insults the king. Soon, the king is informed with the offensive ballad and visits her anonymously. Instead of being angry, he is charmed by the woman. However, the soldiers have come to arrest her for publicly insulting the king.
While being taken to prison, a courageous man named Don Diego (George Walsh) tries to defend her. Instead of convincing the soldiers to set her free, he is arrested as well. They fall in love at the police station, but she is unaware Diego is a powerful captain. By the king's request, Rosita is set free and escorted to his castle. Diego, however, is told he will be hung. When she meets him, Rosita doesn't believe he is the king. He tries to seduce her, but she isn't impressed until he offers her fashionable clothes. She doesn't want to have anything to do with him, but is pressured into giving in on his advances by her family, who see an opportunity on becoming wealthy.
Living a luxurous live in the castle, the family still feels disrespected. Rosita's mother Mathilde Comont demands for her daughter to have a noble husband, and the king offers her to be married to Diego. Rosita's mother is pleased, not knowing he will be sentenced to death shortly after the wedding. Diego is manipulated into participating by the guards granting him to be shot like the respectable soldiers, instead of being hung. At the wedding, they are married with their eyes covered, thus not knowing who they will be married to. The king's plan fails when Rosita breaks the rules and looks at her future husband.
Rosita is shocked to learn her new husband is Diego, who is sent back to jail immediately. Rosita convinces the king to set Diego free. However, when she leaves, he fears Diego will catch her from him and orders the guards for him to be killed for the second time. Meanwhile, the queen (Irene Rich) has found out about his new fling and is furious.
While the execution of Diego takes place, Rosita is informed Diego has been killed anyways. Devastated, she attempts to kill the king until she and the king find out Diego is still alive. Rosita and Diego are reunited. The king leaves his castle confused and is confronted by his wife about his affair. She reveals she was responsible for the guards not killing Diego.
Cast
Production
Prior to this movie, Mary Pickford mostly appeared in features portraying children. Pickford after appealing to a fan magazine for new film ideas the results were overwhelmingly in favor of more children roles, such as Cinderella. Pickford thanked them and promptly set out to make a film with an adult role.
In 1922, the her studio United Artists was not making any profits, despite releasing successful films such as Broken Blossoms, Little Lord Fauntleroy (1921) and Robin Hood (1922). Pickford was desperate to release a film which could perform well and free her of her little girl image.
Realizing Hollywood was making profits and costume movies, such as When Knighthood Was in Flower she decided to make a film based on the 1902 novel Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall. She chose Ernst Lubitsch as her director and brought him over from Germany in October 1922 to meet with her.[1]
Lubitsch decided he could not make Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall. Pickford was annoyed since she had already paid $250,000 on its preparations (and would eventually film the story later on). They looked for another story to make a movie out of, and chose with Faust. However, the project was dropped when Pickford's mother Charlotte Hennessy overheard Lubitsch discussing the baby killing scene and immediately nixed the idea. Lubitsch and Pickford eventually decided to film the opera Don César de Bazan, retitling it as Rosita. Lubitsch hesitated about making it, but Pickford eventually convinced him to work on the project.[2]
Lubitsch later said working with Pickford was a delight. Pickford also enjoyed working with Lubitsch, and at first contracted him to make three more movies with her.[3] After its release, the film became a huge success, earning over $1,000,000.[3] The movie was praised by both the critics and the audience. It eventually made profits for the studio.[4]
However, for reasons unknown Pickford decided the film was a failure.[5] She wanted the prints destroyed, and when she handed her films over for preservation she refused to hand over Rosita. However another print was found and the film still exists to this day despite Pickford's wishes.
See also
References
External links
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Films directed by Ernst Lubitsch |
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| 1910s |
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| 1920s |
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| 1930s |
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| 1940s |
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| Short films |
Fräulein Seifenschaum · Aufs Eis Geführt · Blindekuh · Zucker Und Zimmt · Der Erste Patient · Der Letzte Anzug · Der Kraftmeier · Wo Ist Mein Schatz? · Schuhpalast Pinkus · Der Gemischte Frauenchor · Das Schönste Geschenk · Der G.m.b.H. Tenor · Leutnant auf Befehl · Seine Neue Nase · Ossis Tagebuch · Der Blusenkönig · Wenn Vier Dasselbe Tun · Das Fidele Gefängnis · Prinz Sami · Der Rodelkavalier · Der Fall Rosentopf · Ich Möchte Kein Mann Sein · Das Mädel Vom Ballet · Meyer Aus Berlin · Das Schwabenmädel · Kohlhiesels Töchter · Romeo Und Julia Im Schnee · If I Had A Million (segment "The Clerk")
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