Madame Dubarry (Warner Bros.) (1934)

fog ada DU BARR ADAPTED FROM THE WARNER BROS. PICTURE STARRING DOLORES DEL RIO CHAPTER V The powerful mistress of Louis XV swept down Meine DU BARRY was annoyed. the corridor to the King’s study, a scowl upon her beautiful face. She was followed by her bodyguard, Zamore, the small black ‘‘governor”’ of Luciennes—and an expres sion of Du Barry’s contempt for the Court of Versailles. The King was conferring Due de Choiseul, and the Due d@’Aiguillon, when his mistress burst into his study. “Louis!” said Du Barry. “Those spiteful hypocrites are trying to prevent me from being presented at court. You, Choiseul, and your hateful sister! Louis, you promised me that I might be presented! You know that I have no rank until you have received me at court!” “Yes, my dear,” said the King, wearily, “I remember my promise—” Du Barry triumphantly turned to the Prime Minister. “Monsieur, will you take a message to the Duchess de Grammont? Will you tell your sister that I shall be presented at court tomorrow? It is my wish!” She turned and left the room, followed by the expostulating King. De Choiseul turned to d’Aiguillon. “If my _ sister’s good work with the princesses fails, pe zet.__.other pian to keep ‘Du Barry from being presented at court!” with his Prime Minister, the “Keep your plans to yourself, my dear Duke,” said d’Aiguillon, coolly. “It is a matter of complete indifference to me. I am concerned with the King’s business—not his pleasures—” “You are a friend of Du Barry?” asked the Prime Minister scowling. “T am a friend of the King, Monsieur!” retorted d’Aiguillon. * * * The Duchess de Grammont had been comparing notes with the daughters of the King, the Princesses Adelaide, Victoire and Sophie. She found they did not approve of their father’s new lady love. Madame Pompadour they had liked, since they felt she was a good influence on their father, but this Du Barry, they said, was a common wench, and should not be tolerated. The Duchess added oil to the flames. “But, Your Highnesses, this chambermaid of a Du Barry cannot be presented at court unless she is sponsored by a lady of noble rank! And if your Highnesses let it be known that you would be displeased—” “We are. displeased!” said Adelaide, Victoire and Sophie in unison. “In fact we forbid it! Tell the ladies of the court that we do not wish this creature presented!” The Tuchess rushed to her brother, the Prime Minister, to tell him of her success. The King, learning of his daughters’ enmity, was furious. He informed the Princesses that he would tolerate no such intrusion into his affairs. He had given his word. Du Barry would be presented at court! Du Barry, with the assistance of the friendly Duc de Richelieu, had found a sponsor for the presentation, a bibulous old lady named the Countess de Bearn, who was to be well paid for her trouble. Du Barry’s court gown was a thing of splendour. She was to wear all her jewels. She would make her presentation something to be remembered! Her coiffeur! Her silk-lined ecarriage! Her footmen! Du Barry was determined to glory in her hour of triumph. She would show her enemies that the King truly loved her! But she did not count upon the eunning of her enemies, the Due de Choiseul and the Duchess de Grammont. On the evening of the presentation a number of things happened. First, her hairdresser, a timorous soul, was threatened with a slow and painful death if he dared to set foot inside Du Barry’s quarters. And an elegant coiffure was essential to a formal introduction at court, as Du Barry well knew. Her superb ball gown was stolen from her dressmakers before they had a chance to deliver it. The wine-bibbing Countess de Bearn was kidnapped from her carriage while on her way to Jeanne’s apartments to conduct her to court. Du Barry’s beautiful coach, presented to her by the King himself, was carried off and Three Gossipy Ladies was responsible. She was furious. She hurled furniture and dishes around her bijou apartment, for all the world like a common little milliner’s appren The Duchess de Grammont had been comparing notes with the daughters of the King. (Verree Teasdale lets the King’ s daughters in on a bit of choice gossip concerning the King’s private life. Of course, Dolores Del Rio is the subject of this burning discussion and it all takes place in “Madame Du Barry,” Warner Bros.’ bril liant new film, coming to the Strand.) wrecked by the henchmen of the Due de Choiseul. If Du Barry managed to be presented at court, it would be a miracle! Trembling, Du Barry’s servants told their mistress of all of the tricks that had been played on them to prevent her appearance at court. Jeanne well knew who tice she once was. Her servants fled in terror. Then Du Barry smiled grimly, her dark eyes flashing. “Come!” she said, with a toss of her head. “We will go to court tonight in spite of anything — the King expects us!” (Continued tomorrow) ie pees ae oe oe ada Anh ADAPTED FROM THE WARNER BROS. PICTURE STARRING DOLORES DEL RIO CHAPTER VI All the courtiers and their ladies knew HE throne room at the Palace of Versailles was ablaze with hghts that tonight was the night that the Du Barry was to be presented. They were agog with expectancy — except the Prime Minister and the Duchess. They were comfort ably certain that their scheming had prevented Du Barry’s appearance. The time went by, but the King’s mistress did not appear. The courtiers danced the minuet, the King looked annoyed, the Due and Duchess gloated. It was long past the hour when Du Barry was to have appeared, accompanied by her “godmother”. The conspirators were gleeful. Finally at three o’clock in the morning, a familiar voice was heard. “Will you announce me, please?” There in the entrance to the throne room, stood Jeanne, Countess Du Barry, clad in a very simple white gown, totally devoid of hoops and frills. Her hair was unpowdered and hung in lovely eurls around her beautiful head. She had no jewels. She gazed about the room, a little smile playing upon her lips. “T am the Countess Du Barry,” she said to the herald. The entire court gasped. Du Barry had made her entrance into the court of her royal lover, Louis XV, in spite of her enemies! The Due de Choiseul smiled his sly smile. “Ts Madame’s godmother here?” he asked, well knowing that the old Countess Page Twenty Bearn was held prisoner many miles away. “Oh no!” replied Du Barry, the most innocent of expressions on her lovely face. “I can not be presented tonight—I’m just visiting!” The King cleared his throat. He glanced at his grandson, the plump Dauphin. “Take Madame’s arm!” he whispered. The Dauphin started forward, then caught the eye of the Due de Choiseul. “But—grandpa—” he began. The Due de Richelieu, seeing Du Barry’s plight, also debated whether or not to escort her to the King, but de Choiseul with a warning eye forbade him to go near Du Barry. The silence was intense. Du Barry, a little smile on_her lips, stood waiting. Then the Due d@’Aiguillon, who had sworn enmity to the King’s mistress, calmly stepped up to her. “May I have the honor, Madame?” he said. Du Barry put her hand on his arm, and together they advanced toward the King. Jeanne whispered to the Due, her head high, “You gave me your arm, Monsieur. I will give you something in return that you will never forget ...a kiss, perhaps—or a Kingdoms... 6227 They were now facing the A Woman Unashamed As the King and his mistress chattered in low tones, the entire court buzzed with gossip. Members of the clergy left with visible signs of disapproval. The Duchess de Grammont hastily The silence was intense. Du Barry, a little smile on her lips, stood waiting to be presented to the King. (Dolores Del Rio, as the impetuous Madame Du Barry, appears at court presentation in a simple night-gown. “Madame Du Barry” is a clever, sophisticated tale of life in the court of Louis XV, produced by Warner Bros. and coming to the Strand Theatre.) King. Du Barry began a deep curtsey, but according to custom, the King would not let her complete it. He took her by the arm, and raised her to her feet. “Your gown, Jeanne?” he said, curiously. “Yes,” replied Du Barry, “it is lovely, isn’t it, Louis? I thought the court needed a change of style—hoopskirts are so formal— and powdered wigs are so dull—” made her way to her brother, the Prime Minister, and together they cursed the audacity of Du Barry. The daughters of the King buzzed like angry hornets. The ladies of the court in sibilant whispers wondered how Du Barry could have had the courage to come to court in such an unprecedented costume! And her audacity in coming to court without a wig! During the excitement, a messenger came up to the Dauphin and handed him an _ envelope, which the dull-witted young man opened without expression. He read it, and then stumbled awkwardly across the room to the King. “Grandpa!” he stammered, “Marie Antoinette is coming!” The King looked up from Du Barry, annoyed at the interruption. “Excellent!” he said. Then he looked more closely at the Dauphin. “Fix your sword, wipe your mouth, you idiot! This is a court, not a tavern!” “But Grandpa,—Marie is coming!” “Yes, I know. Choiseul, make preparations at once! The daughter of Maria Theresa must be greeted with great ceremony! The marriage of Marie Antoinette to my grandson will be one of the greatest occasions in the history of France!” The Duc de Choiseul bowed very low to his sovereign. He made another bow to Madame Du Barry, who stood proudly beside Louis. She calmly gazed at the Prime Minister, an enigmatic smile playing on her lips. “Jeanne,” said the King, wearily, “you have kept us waiting a long time. We shall dismiss the court at once.” He rose from his throne, gave his arm to Du Barry, and together they swept down the long hall, between rows of curtseying gentlemen and ladies. It was Du Barry’s hour of triumph. The King again glanced curiously at Du Barry’s beautiful white gown. He looked again at her lovely auburn locks, untouched by the artificial splendor of the wigmaker’s art. “Jeanne,” he said, “your gown. Have not I seen it before?” Du Barry laughed triumphantly. “I thought you might recognize it, Louis dear. It’s my nightgown!” (Continued tomorrow)