History Film / TheEarringsOfMadameDe

Andre and Louise (Boyer and Darrieux) are a general and his countess living in France sometime around the end of the 19th century. Whatever intimacy they may have once shared in their marriage is definitely gone, but they seem to have settled into an amicable friendship. Louise is in debt because of...something, so, needing cash, she sells some lavish diamond earrings that were a present from Andre. To cover their disappearance she claims that they were stolen. The jeweler is uncomfortable hearing this, and goes to Andre, who buys the earrings back. He doesn't tell Louise, though, instead giving the earrings to his mistress.

The mistress goes on a vacation to Constantinople, gambles all her money away, and sells the earrings. They are bought by Donati, an Italian diplomat posted in Paris (de Sica). Donati meets Louise and they fall in love. Donati, unaware of the origin of the earrings, gives them to Louise as a present. Louise, unaware that Andre knows her secret, contrives to "find" them.

* AtTheOperaTonight: Louise fakes losing her earrings when she and Andre go to the opera.

* DancesAndBalls: A fancy dress ball is the scene of Andre's confrontation with Donati.

* DeadSparks: They aren't hostile or bitter or anything. But it is quite clear that whatever romantic feelings that Andre and Louise felt for each other is dead. Andre at least seems to feel bad about this, saying towards the end after finding out about her affair that he doesn't like the role Louise has put him in.

* DuelToTheDeath: Louise acquiring the earrings once again drives Andre to demand a duel with Donati.
* DutchAngle: Used repeatedly during the tense confrontation where Andre presents Donati with the earrings.
* EverythingsSparklyWithJewelry: Louise's diamond eattings are an important plot device. Other jewels are also important, like the precious ones she sells to buy back the earrings.
* {{Fainting}}: Louise pulls this trick from time to time, like when the jeweler is hesitant about buying the earrings, or when she's seeking to defuse a confrontation between Andre and Donati.

* HighClassGlass: Andre, being a count and a general in the army, affects one of these.
* HighClassGloves: Besides being decorative, they're a plot point. After getting the earrings back from Donati, Louise pretends that she accidentally dropped them in one of her gloves. This tips off Andre that Louise has a lover.

* LoveTriangle: Louise is married with André. They do not seem to love each other any more, but when Louise falls in love with Donati, André gets very jealous.
* MatchCut: There's a match cut from Louise and Donati dancing to--Louise and Donati dancing in a different place.

* NoFullNameGiven: The title lampshades that Andre and Louise's last name is never given in the film. One time the scene cuts while Louise is telling her name, one time someone forgets her last name, and two different times their name on a card is concealed by a piece of scenery.

* SexlessMarriage: Goes along with SleepingSingle.
* SleepingSingle: This wasn't mandatory in French cinema but it's appropriate here, since Andre and Louise are basically roommates.

* SympatheticAdulterer: Andre isn't mean or abusive to Louise. In fact he's quite friendly. But he seems to have lost all interest in her, and he's cheating on her. So it's romantic when Louise finds love with Donati.

* TrainStationGoodbye: Andre's cheerful train station goodbye with his mistress contrasts with his rather frosty goodbye with Louise after he's found out about the earring switch.

* NoNameGiven: The title lampshades that Andre and Louise's last name is never given in the film. One time the scene cuts while Louise is telling her name, one time someone forgets her last name, and two different times their name on a card is concealed by a piece of scenery.

* TrainStationGoodbye: Andre's cheerful train station goodbye with his mistress contrasts with his rather frosty goodbye with Louise after he's found out about the earring switch.
* YourCheatingHeart: Andre has a mistress. Louise enters into an affair. Andre doesn't seem to care about the affair at first, but he gets mad when he finds out that Louise is in love.

''The Earrings of Madame De....'' is a 1953 French film directed by Creator/MaxOphuls, starring Creator/CharlesBoyer, Danielle Darrieux, and Creator/VittorioDeSica.

* DownerEnding: Donati is killed, and Louise is presumably stuck in an unhappy marriage forever.

''The Earrings of Madame De....'' is a 1953 French film directed by Creator/MaxOphuls, starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, and Creator/VittorioDeSica.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/poster_earrings_of_madame_de_the_02.jpg]]

''The Earrings of Madame De...." is a 1953 French film directed by Creator/MaxOphuls, starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, and Creator/VittorioDeSica.

''The Earrings of Madame De...." is a 1953 French film directed by Creator/MaxOphuls, starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, and Vittorio de Sica.

* DeadSparks: They aren't hostile or bitter or anything. But it is quite clear that whatever romantic feelings that Andre and Louise felt for each other is dead.

* SympatheticAdulterer: Andre isn't mean or abusive to Louise. In fact he's quite friendly. But he obviously doesn't love her and he's cheating on her. So it's romantic when Louise finds love with Donati.