Synopsis
Bucharest, 1876. Don Dumitrache instructs his trusted man, Chiriac, to watch his young wife, Veta. Dumitrache is sure that Veta having an affair; what he does not know is that her lover is Chiriac.
Directed by: Jean Georgescu
Cast: Stefan Baroi, Radu Beligan, Elena Bulandra, Gheorghe Ciprian, Iancu Constantinescu, George Demetru, Florica Demion, Miluta Gheorghiu, Alexandru Giugaru
Script: Jean Georgescu, Ion Luca Caragiale (the play)
Producers: Ion Cantacuzino
Cinematography by: Gerard Perrin
Edited by: Lucia Anton, Yvonne Herault
Sound: Anton Bielusici, George Mărăi, Victor Cantuniari
Music: Paul Constantinescu
Year: 1943
Category: feature film
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 66 minutes
24,890 – Cinepub viewers
PLOT SUMMARY
Returning from the Union Garden, where he took his wife and sister-in-law out, Mr. Dumitrache (Alexandru Giugaru) notices a persistent presence, someone who has been following him closely. This news puts Chiriac (George Demetru), a staunch defender of his boss’s family honor, on edge. Little does he know that Zita (Florica Demion) is about to disrupt his dreams of making money.
Read more details
An adaptation of I.L. Caragiale’s comedy, this film is the first cinematic approach to his comic universe. The film marks the debut of actor Radu Beligan.
Due to the war, the filming took place inside a small music studio, measuring only 18×11 meters. Despite most of the actors being newcomers, the film was well-received by the audience at its premiere on March 22 at the ARO cinema. Fortunately, the team had enough film stock, the only element they were not short of, using a total of 29,000 meters of negative film.
WHAT CRITICS SAY:
Jean Georgescu about the cast:
“The most challenging role for me was Zița and Veta. I wanted them to look alike. Easy, right? First, I wanted to cast Lulu Nicolau and Gica Zaharia. They looked similar. Or Florica Demion, who was a big theater star back then, and Elvira Godeanu. They resembled each other too. But Godeanca, as I used to call her, couldn’t shoot. I had decided on Florica Demion, but I had to find Veta. I searched until I reached the cinema, back then called ‘Marna,’ where Titi Mihăilescu’s troupe was performing.And where an actress named Maria Maximilian was playing, whom I knew from her younger days when she performed at ‘Franklin.’ People were crazy about her. She was cute, blonde, and had a slightly nasal voice. The show begins. At one point, I see Maria Maximilian entering the stage dressed in black from head to toe, with her hand on her hip. The audience bursts into applause. She comes to the front of the stage, looks at the audience with a long gaze, and says, ‘Mucles!’ Can you imagine how that ‘mucles’ echoed there in Matache Măcelaru? Well, I thought. She’s got nerve. On the other hand, she was also crystal clear. You know how my Veta is, shy. I called her for an audition. She had an innocent face and a voice that was both ladylike and not so.
She had to perform a scene where Chiriac kisses her. I noticed there was a military officer watching when we were doing the auditions. After I told her she did well in the audition, Mariusica Maximilian told me she couldn’t play in the movie because her fiancé wouldn’t allow her: ‘He saw me kissing Demetru and won’t let me, he’s jealous…’ I was devastated. I had just found her, and now what do I do? I insisted. Nothing. I searched for her sister, who was also an actress, and begged her to intervene. I don’t know what happened, but after a few days, her sister came and told me, ‘It’s done. I convinced him to break the engagement.’ That’s what happened with Mariusica Maximilian.
As for Rică Venturiano, after all the advice, I first called Birlic. He was a well-known actor. I thought everyone would come to see him. But then I realized: how can Zița love him? It’s impossible. I had to find a more refined, more… I then went to see a play at the Sărindar Theater, Iancovescu’s theater. There was a play with Radu Beligan and Marcel Anghelescu. I liked Beligan. He’s the ‘cooked guts, empty elbows,’ I thought, that’s what I need. He wasn’t too handsome, but he was cute and young. I called him. Perfect, no mistakes.”
ARTICLES
- The stormy night and the virtual masterpiece – Valerian Sava – 1993 – aarc.ro
- “Stormy Whisper”: Biography of a success – 1983 – aarc.ro
- The story of the film in the first person – Valentin Sava – 1983 – aarc.ro
- Retrospective: “Stormy night” and the screening of Caragiale- Răzvan Popovici – 1965 – aarc.ro
