The Late Mathias Pascal (Feu Mathias Pascal)

In 1958, the Albatros company donated the rights

and surviving elements of its productions to the Cinématheque frangaise.

Co-produced by Marcel L'Herbier's Cinégraphic, The Late Mathias Pascal

is one of these productions. For this film the Cinémathéque frangaise bought

the rights corresponding to the Société Albatros' contribution

and received materials which had until then been owned by the studio.

Curator Henri Langlois made a print in 1964

from the original negative of The Late Mathias Pascal.

The negative having since been lost, that print is the source for the present copy.

The tints were reintroduced according to a vintage nitrate print

deposited at the Cinémathéque by Marcel L'Herbier in 1958.

This restored edition was made in 2009 with the support of the

Franco-American Cultural Foundation

in the laboratory of L'lmmagine Ritrovata.

Music composed and conducted By Tomothy Brock

Recorded in a live performance on June 28, 2009

by The Orchestra of the Municipal Theatre of Bologna

Deed of Sale Madame Maria Pascal

Acting on behalf of her son Mathias Pascal and her sister-in-law Scolastica Pascal

authorizes her estate manager Batta Maldagna

to sell her San Rocchino Estate for the sum of 100,000 lire

In fact, the treacherous Maldagna is ruining poor,

debt-ridden Madame Pascal by purchasing "San Rocchino" at far less

than its real value, estimated at 600,000 lire at the death of Lucca Pascal.

MATHIAS PASCAL AT WORK

Do not disturb

"Don't worry he's working."

Since childhood, Mathias Pascal

has been a tormented dreamer, pursuing a fanciful hope:

to be a free man to be master of his Destiny...

A History of Liberty By Mathias Pascal

The cartman explains: "We have orders from Mr. Maldagna

to cut down the beech trees."

to sell her "San Rocchino" Estate read and approved. Batta Maldagna

" that or seizure of our property."

"Calm down! Your mother has grief enough as it is

The jolly, naive Pomino, nicknamed "Mino,"

is particularly nervous at the thought of letting

the ascetic Mathias into the great secret of his life.

Unfortunately for "Mino," irritated Mathias is just going out.

Later, young Romilde dreams about Mathias whom she secretly admires.

She submits meekly to her self-serving mother, widow Pescatore,

who wants to marry her off to a rich man.

At last, Mino can pour out his poor little heart.

" A real Angel! I'd do anything for her!

But I haven't the nerve to speak to her!"

At the carnival tonight, give her a message.

Ask for her hand - for me

Holiday time in Miragno - The bonfires have already been lit.

"Look there she is!"

To give Mathias time to persuade Romilde

"A charming but shy young man has asked me to tell you

that he loves you."

"Yes well you can tell that young man that

I've long had the same feelings about him."

" May I ask for your hand for him?"

"So it's me that you?"

Forgetting Mino, Mathias is overwhelmed by

this unexpected new sensation of happiness

And so fate brings together

the freedom-loving Mathias and the most charming of wives

and the most heinous of mothers-in-law.

Don't you have anything better to do than pester my daughter!"

"Why, Mathias isn't pestering me at all."

And this is the usual scene.

Under her mother's influence, the behavior of the weak-willed Romilde

towards Mathias has already changed.

"Goodbye! I won't keep living under the same roof as that good-for-nothing."

All that kept Mathias home was the thought of his coming fatherhood and the desire

not to leave his mother.

HIS MOTHER!

The only real love left to him except for the child that would soon be born.

The birth Of a little girl filled Mathias With childish delight.

Today is the great day: appointed assistant librarian,

Mathias begins his job at the Municipal Library.

"Stop pestering my daughter!"

Mathias arrives at work full of enthusiasm: "Work means liberty"

Set up in a deconsecrated church, this library was a strange place.

The Rat That Withdrew From the World by Aesop

The chief librarian

But at night, after "work"

"Madame Pascal is very ill. She wants to see her granddaughter."

"Yes, tomorrow. It's too late tonight."

"But this is serious. It has to be tonight."

Mathias wasn't told about this scene.

So the next day, he had no cause to be worried.

A SHORT POCKET GUIDE TO RAT-HUNTING

"Your mother is very ill and you didn't come

"I want to see the baby last night THEY wouldn't let me

"I'll bring her myself I promise you."

"Romilde? She went for the doctor. Your daughter is sick."

"it's difficult to diagnose. There's nothing to do but wait."

On this train taking him away

from a detestable home life after weeks of mourning,

Mathias recalls how he decided to take this liberating trip.

Still grief-stricken, he saw everything as if in a dream.

That night, in these notorious rooms where the GAMBLING TABLES

held their victims in thrall

Mathias slowly feels the temptation.

"BETS ARE CLOSED"

"You must be new to the game. A piece of advice..."

"12...play the 12!"

"PLACE YOUR BETS!"

Mathias plays his own hunch

Midnight - Defying all the odds, Mathias is on a winning streak that

gradually surprises even the most blase of players.

1:55 A.M. Five minutes to closing. Mathias has broken all the records.

"LAST TWO ROUNDS!"

"NO MORE BETS!"

His final bet. Mathias plays everything on

"NUMBER 12!"

Now a wealthy man, Mathias almost

subconsciously feels the lure of house and home.

A few days later he is on the train to Miragno

By wire from Miragno: Last Saturday, the body of a man in a state of

advanced decomposition was found drowned in a millrace.

The body is thought to be that of the librarian, Mathias Pascal.

This suicide is believed to be the result of grief and debt.

"This is awful! I'm dead!"