Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant; 1; War

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Series
Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant
Episode Number
1
Episode
War
Producing Organization
Granada Television
Contributing Organization
Thirteen WNET (New York, New York)
Library of Congress (Washington, District of Columbia)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/75-010p2nzm
Public Broadcasting Service Episode NOLA
WIWL 000133
Public Broadcasting Service Series NOLA
SSOM 000000
NOLA Code
SSOM
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Description
Episode Description
The first story in the episode is "Old Milon." Prussian soldiers occupy a small French village. The Prussian colonel makes his headquarters in the home of an old peasant, Milon. The colonel is interrogating the entire village seeking a solution to the assassination of 14 Prussian soldiers. The colonel threatens to take two French lives for each Prussian soldier murdered. Old Milon who aids the Prussians in finding food and drink comes under suspicion when he is found lying wounded near the bodies of the fifteenth and sixteenth Prussians found with their throats cut. Milon confesses his entire murder plot and honorably tells of his hate for the Prussians. The colonel, respectful of Milon's age and pride, offers to spare his life. Milon spits in the colonel's face and the colonel immediately orders his liquidation
Series Description
The short stories of Guy de Maupassant, considered the greatest master of the short story by some, have been adapted for television by Granada Television of London. Each of the thirteen episodes in the series consists of several short stories grouped together under a central theme. Among the themes are war, women and money, marriage, and husbands and wives. Each of the stories has a different cast. The series attempts to bring out the range in characterizations used by de Maupassant and to show his versatility in dealing with a wide variety of diverse subjects and situations. The subjects depicted in the de Maupassant stories paint a vivid picture of life in the early days of Frances Third Republic. The Stories of Guy de Maupassant was produced by Granada Television of London. These episodes were originally recorded on film. Designed to accompany the episodes, which are various odd-lengths, is a set of 13 musical segments, which were originally shot on videotape. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche)
Description
Prussian soldiers occupy a small French village. The Prussian colonel makes his headquarters in the home of an old peasant, Milon. The colonel is interrogating the entire village seeking a solution to the assassination of 14 Prussian soldiers. The colonel threatens to take two French lives for each Prussian soldier murdered. Old Milon, who aids the Prussians in finding food and drink comes under suspicion when he is found lying wounded near the bodies of the fifteenth and sixteenth Prussians found their throats cut. Milon confesses his entire murder plot and honorably tells of his hate for the Prussians. The colonel, respectful of Milons age and pride, offers to spare his life. Milon spits in the colonels face and the colonel immediately orders his liquidation. Toward the end of the war, four young French aristocrats, remnants of a troop of Hussars, break into a deserted chateau. It is Twelfth Night (a time much like out Thanksgiving) and they find all the necessary food and drink to start their celebration. However, there is one thing missing female company. They meet the local Abbe, invite him to dinner and request that he furnish the women. The Abbe, who possesses a fine sense of humor, agrees and soon returns with a Sister of Charity and three elderly cripples. The hussars show great disappointed but quickly recover and act gentlemanly and gallantly toward the ladies. The party is abruptly halted when a shot is heard from outside. Investigation reveals an accidental shooting of an old deaf shepherd by a French sentry. Bedlam hits the room as the terrified old cripples run for the door, panic stricken. Calmly the Abbe, comments War is an ugly business. The war is over. M. Dubois, a timid and frail Frenchman, is on a train to Switzerland to bring his evacuated wife and child home. Pyecroft and Harding, two English tourists, share Dubois compartment. A Prussian officer enters the compartment. Immediately he begins boasting of the Prussian victory and insulting and jeering at M. Dubois. His continuing insults and instance that Dubois run his errands causes Dubois to lose control and attack Prussian. The Prussian then challenges Dubois to a duel as soon as the train reaches the next stop. Dubois, never having fired a gun, is shaken with fright. As the crucial point arrives the Prussian is found confident and composed; Dubois is a nervous wreck. Dubois closes his eyes, turns his head, squeezes the trigger and awaits death. Instead, he find that his uncalculated shot has fatally wounded the Prussian braggart. Three cheers are given Dubois by the Englishmen as they re-enter the train.
Broadcast Date
1965-01-15
Asset type
Episode
Genres
Drama
Media type
Moving Image
Credits
Actor: Barrett, John
Actor: Baker, Kenneth
Actor: Collins, Michael
Actor: Nevinson, Nancy
Actor: Blaney, Norah
Actor: Scace, Norman
Actor: Wing, Anna
Actor: Hall, Harvey
Actor: Tillinger, Joachim
Actor: Banks, Christopher
Actor: Daye, Gabrielle
Actor: Rees, John
Actor: Horsfall, Bernard
Actor: Hunter, Robin
Actor: Young, Jeremy
Actor: Treves, Frederick
Actor: Eagles, Leon
Actor: Beaumont, Victor
Actor: Mitchell, Warren
Designer: Phillips, Peter
Director: Bennett, Derek
Producer: Mackie, Philip
Producing Organization: Granada Television
Writer: Leonard, Hugh
Writer: Maupassant, Guy de, 1850-1893
Writer: Lessing, Doris, 1919-2013
Writer: Miller, Stanley
AAPB Contributor Holdings
Thirteen - New York Public Media (WNET)
Identifier: wnet_aacip_2732 (WNET Archive)
Format: 16mm film
Duration: 00:54:05?
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Duration: 0:54:05
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329359-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: B&W
Duration: 0:54:05
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Citations
Chicago: “Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant; 1; War,” 1965-01-15, Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed May 4, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-75-010p2nzm.
MLA: “Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant; 1; War.” 1965-01-15. Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. May 4, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-75-010p2nzm>.
APA: Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant; 1; War. Boston, MA: Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-75-010p2nzm