The Princess' Dilemma

As King Cyril is away fighting at the front, Prime Minister Bouton holds the reins of power firmly in his stead. For a long time, Bouton has taken to Princess Elena who, on the other hand – and to Bouton’s great displeasure – falls in love with the prisoner of war, Captain Henri de Bersin. The love triangle drama reaches its climax when de Bersin asks the princess for help to escape and is then sentenced to death by Bouton. However, in the end, it’s not he who must lay down his life in this great game of emotions and power.

This film is a good example of how colouring was used in the early days of cinematography to distinguish between times and moods. Shades of yellow and red were used for indoor scenes, while the outdoor scenes are either grey (during the day) or blue (at night).