description Orpheus Overview
Orpheus is a 1950 French film directed by Jean Cocteau, adapting the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to a contemporary Parisian setting. It forms part of a trilogy alongside two earlier works by Cocteau, drawing inspiration from his 1926 play. The narrative explores themes familiar to the original myth through a cinematic reimagining.
info Orpheus Specifications
| Country | France |
| Year | 1950 |
help Orpheus FAQ
How does Jean Cocteau's Orpheus modernize the Orpheus and Eurydice myth?
Orpheus moves the myth into postwar Paris instead of ancient Greece. Jean Marais plays Orphee, a poet drawn into the underworld through mirrors and mysterious radio transmissions.
Where does Orpheus fit in Cocteau's Orphic Trilogy?
Orpheus is the middle film in Jean Cocteau's Orphic Trilogy. It follows The Blood of a Poet from 1930 and comes before Testament of Orpheus from 1960.
Why are mirrors so important in Orpheus?
In Cocteau's film, mirrors function as gateways between the living world and the underworld. The image became one of the most famous visual ideas in the 1950 film.
Who plays Death in Orpheus?
Maria Casares plays the Princess, the film's personification of Death. Her scenes with Jean Marais give the 1950 film much of its strange romantic tension.
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