The House of Mystery
La Maison du mystère is a French silent serial in ten chapters, directed by Alexandre Volkoff for Films Albatros and co-written by and starring Ivan Mosjoukine. Adapted from the novel by Jules Mary, it follows Julien Villandrit, the owner of a textile estate, who marries his neighbor Régine unaware that his childhood friend and manager Corradin loves her too. When Corradin commits a murder, he frames Julien and sends him to prison; the only witness, the woodsman Rudeberg, is bought off when Corradin pays for his son's education. The serial traces Julien's long fight to clear his name and to rescue Régine and their daughter Christiane from Corradin's scheming, across years of setbacks and reversals. Produced by the Russian émigré colony in Paris, the serial was a critical and commercial success on its release in 1923 and is a high-water mark of the Albatros studio. As a 1923 work, it entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2019.
Season 1
L'Ami félon
The serial opens on the estate of Les Basses-Bruyères, where Julien Villandrit runs a textile factory under the management of his childhood
Le Secret de l'étang
The truth of the murder is hidden at the pond, and the only witness is the woodsman Rudeberg. Corradin buys his silence by paying for the
L'Ambition au service de la haine
With Julien convicted, Corradin turns ambition and hatred to his own ends, consolidating his hold over the estate and the factory and
L'Implacable verdict
The verdict against Julien holds firm and he is sent to gaol, the sentence appearing final. From his cell he begins to grasp the shape of
Le Pont vivant
Julien's struggle to reach the outside world and prove his innocence meets its first real obstacles, as allies and escape routes prove
La Voix du sang
Years pass and family bonds drive the fight forward. Julien and Régine's daughter Christiane grows up under Corradin's shadow, and the ties of
Les Caprices du destin
Reversals of fortune throw Julien's efforts to clear his name into chaos. Just as a path to the truth seems to open, fate intervenes, and
En Champ clos
The long conflict narrows to a closed field as Julien and Corradin's forces come into direct confrontation, with no room left to maneuver and
Les Angoisses de Corradin
Corradin's carefully built scheme begins to unravel as the witness he bought off and the family he tried to destroy close in. With exposure
Le Triomphe de l'amour
In the final chapter Julien clears his name and Corradin's crimes are laid bare. Julien is reunited with Régine and their daughter Christiane,
Details
- Years
- 1923
- Seasons
- 1
- Episodes
- 10
- Genres
- Mystery, Crime, Drama, Silent
- Rating
- 7.2/10
- Status
- Public Domain Mark 1.0
- Studio
- Films Albatros
- Director
- Alexandre Volkoff
