| A NATION SHAKEN Funeral of the French Swindler Alexandre Stavisky. | ||
|---|---|---|
| This clip is not available for streaming at this time. Please contact WPA. | Tape Master: | 5512 |
| Catalog #: | 98635 | |
| Clip Number: | 98635-1 | |
| Orginal Film: | 34/5 | |
| Timecode: | 01:48:51 - 01:50:21 | |
| Location: | Chamonix, France. | |
| Year Shot: | 1934 (Actual Year) | |
| Audio: | No | |
| Color: | No | |
| Headings: | BUSINESS: Banks CRIME: Homicide / Murder CRIME: Robbery & Theft CRIME: Suicides LOCATIONS/EUROPE: France MONEY: Savings Bonds POLITICS: France | |
| Description: | "France - A NATION SHAKEN by drama of the arch-swindler Stavisky." Chamonix, France. Nice shot of the mountain houses covered in snow. Front of the mountain house covered in snow, some people standing in front of the house. Close up shot of the sign "Le Vieur Logis" - possibly the name of the house. Close up shot of a document with two photographs of Alexandre Stavisky's face - profile and frontal. This is probably some sort of a police record. The other two photographs come into picture just below the first two. Man on the other two photographs appears to have more hair and moustache but the eyes are same - it is the same person. Close up shot of a written document with "Bon De La Caisse de Credit Municipal" on top. People gathered in front of the house. Four men are seen carrying a coffin. A woman, accompanied by a man entering the car - she is trying to cover up her face. The same woman leaving the car trying to cover up her face. She walks along the road - very distressed with handkerchief in her hand and her face buried into the fur collar of her coat. If this is the funeral of Alexandre Stavisky, she is probably his widow. Note: There is no soundtrack nor paperwork for this item which makes it rather difficult to determine what the story is about. However, there is another news item concerning Stavisky UN 55 D on Pathe Master tape *PM468* (468.13) which gives more information on the subject, though not very elucidating. N.B. Alexandre Stavisky founded a credit house in Bayonne, the bonds of which were discovered to be worthless in December of 1933. When Stavisky was found dead in his house while under police protection, officials ruled the death suicide. Extreme rightists (including the somewhat fascist Action Française and Croix de Feu) accused the government of murder to prevent prominent government members from being implicated by his testimony. After riots on Feb 6, 1934, the liberal Prime Minister stepped down; the liberal government was replaced by a centrist one later that month. | |
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