Die schwarze Tulpe

Just for cape and sword adventure fans, "The Black Tulip" is the French version of Zorro. Very much alike. There's Alain Delon in the main role for the ladies and he is not bad. You'll also find Virna Lisi in one of her early works rendering an acceptable work too. But if it comes to acting, veteran Akim Tamiroff is the clear winner in a supporting role as a villain noble. Photography and shooting on location in real palaces and old European cities add to the movie and a sort of sticky tune helps too.

But what "The Black Tulip" really lacks is the sense of passion and real heroism American classics of the genre usually transmit, this being really odd since most of them are usually located in Europe including France. I think the director didn't make up his mind whether this would be a serious swashbuckler with a touch of humor or a comedy with a touch of serious adventure. So it didn't work neither way.

Nonetheless the film is entertaining and worth a watch.

In 1789, in France, the outlaw The Black Tulip (Alain Delon) is a thief that steals the nobles for himself; however the poor people believes he is a revolutionary. He is indeed the womanized and dull Count Guillaume de Saint Preux, who has a love affair with the married Marquise Catherine de Vigogne (Dawn Addams). When the Chief of Police Baron La Mouche (Adolfo Marsillach) plans a scheme to arrest The Black Tulip, the bandit is marked by a scar on the face and La Mouche suspects Guillaume might be The Black Tulip. However Guillaume summons his clumsy and idealistic younger brother Julien de Saint Preux to pose as if were him to lure La Mouche. Meanwhile Julien meets the bride Caroline "Carol" Plantin (Virna Lisi), who is a revolutionary, and they fall in love with each other. When Julien learns that his brother does not have any principles or ideal, he assumes Guillaume identity and The Black Tulip to support Plantin (Francis Blanche) and his group in the revolution. Will they succeed?

"La tulipe noire", a.k.a. "The Black Tulip", is an entertaining adventure of a Zorro-like anti-hero. The plot is very funny until the point when Julien is arrested. Guillaume's sacrifice is silly and the conclusion is awful and messy, with Julien celebrating the revolution with Caroline and totally forgetting his brother and his body.My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Tulipa Negra" ("The Black Tulip")

I would advise you to try this, despite the respect I have for another's reviewer opinion. I don't know if my viewing of an original, French spoken version on the big screen may have lost in incredibly funny innuendo, great colours, beautiful cinematography - if they are reduced to a poor VHS copy, possibly carelessly dubbed into a foreign language.

At least the acting by Alain Delon, and his equal, Virna Lisi, are still outstanding, as the continuous, imaginative action scenes. The two principals prove to be fine swords, against each other, and a number of enemies, and police rascals.

The Black Tulip is a Zorro type avenger, but a character more rich than its American counterpart. Without giving the plot away, I may add that American viewers will be both thrilled, and surprised, how a French action films' director is able to mix comedy, and drama so well.

Besides getting one of the film's DVD editions, people should be aware that a copy of the French version exists (possibly uncut) at the Alliance Française Médiathèque, a French cultural institution, and that they allow people to see the film there, and even borrow it! Ask for conditions at mediatheque@alliance-francaise.or.th and ask for their film PAL #161... Ah, next time I'll go to France!...

French version of the Zorro legend set during the period just prior to the French Revolution plays like Zorro the Gay Blade at times. Its an amusing romp with Alain Delon in the heroic lead (Delon would take up the mantle of Zorro a decade later and sleep walk his way through the role). Its the typical stuff with the "bandit" hailed as hero while the ruling class hates his guts. Filled with funny remarks and great action this is a film to search out, or would be if there were any decent copies floating around. The only way it seems to see this is on really bad low budget videotapes, which is a shame since its better than most swashbuckling romps that have appeared over the years.

this is the famous novel by Dumas la tulipe noir, not Zorro or whatever I have read in other reviews. I can recall many names in this film, extremely popular in our cinema, television and theater, like Adolfo Marsillach, as the Police Chief la Mouche, Alvaro de luna, before being a most celebrated bandit in Spanish television, José Luis Pellicena, glory of Spanish theater thorough decades, and many others. Very pretty actresses, you can't beat a famous Miss Italy, Virna Lisi, and on top of that, the most handsome and charming of all, Alain Delon, 28 year old by then, at the peak of his career to make this film version of revolution, adventure, romance, comedy and all the ingredients of the great Alexandre Dumas novel.