In the boredom of the countryside, a young aristocratic woman dreams of fabulous parties and gatherings. Cupid has satisfied her and fate, among kidnappings and duels, will run its course. Le Fer à cheval (1909) is a small and luscious visual gem, rich in costumes and outdoor filming in woods and on horseback. A sentimental adventure in which at least two interesting moments stand out: a dance scene with a number of actors and a camera movement which, from right to left, brings out the grandeur of ancient ruins set within a natural landscape. Thought to have been lost, the film was rediscovered by chance among a batch of nitrate films bought by the Associazione Culturale Hommelette on eBay in the spring of 2011. And so, another title from the immense filmography of Camille de Morlhon comes back to life. The French director was one of the most prolific of the time and yet is among the least studied. The copy, an Italian edition, is splendidly colored using the Pathécolor system, which enhances the realistic features of natural landscapes.

Associazione Culturale Hommelette and Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé joined forces on a conservation and restoration project at the L’Immagine Ritrovata lab in Bologna in 2015.

Marcello Seregni