Henri-Léon-Gustave-Charles Bernstein (20 June 1876 – 27 November 1953) was a French playwright associated with Boulevard theatre.
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Biography
Bernstein was born in Paris. His earliest plays, including La Rafale (1905), Le Voleur (1907), Samson (1908), Israël (1908), and Le Secret (1913), are written in a realistic style and powerfully depict harsh realities of modern life and society.
In late 1909, Bernstein was challenged to a duel by a critic named Chevassu in Paris. The duel originated from a letter Bernstein had sent to the French newspaper Comoedia. The letter responded "in violent terms" to a critical review of Bernstein's play La Griffe that published in another newspaper (Figaro) by Chevassu. After Bernstein refused to retract the letter, the duel was set to take place at the Parc des Princes. Both men agreed to draw pistols at 30 paces. Chevassu fired at Bernstein and missed, while one of Bernstein's seconds discharged the playwright's pistol. No one was injured in the duel. When asked why he didn't fire his own gun, Bernstein reportedly shrugged his shoulders and stated: "I forgot".
Bernstein was involved in another gun duel at the Parc des Princes in 1911, this time with journalist Gustave Tery. This duel was prompted by rioting at the presentation of Bernstein's play Après moi, and particularly by insults from a group of men towards Bernstein's honor. This duel also ended in no injuries, though one photographer covering the event was nearly hit by Bernstein's bullet.
The far-right royalist Camelots du Roi youth organization of the Action française organized an anti-Semitic riot against a production of one of his plays in 1911. During the Second World War, he fled to the United States and lived in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria. Jean-Pierre Aumont relates in his work Le Soleil et les Ombres (Robert Laffont, 1976) the luxury in which he lived, as well as his general lack of interest in the war.
He is buried in the Cimetière de Passy in Paris.
Works
Le Marché (The Market), 1900
Le Détour, 1902
Joujou, 1902
Le Bercail, 1904
La Rafale (Whirlwind), 1905
La Griffe, La Renaissance, 1906 (known in English as The Claw or The Talon)
Le Voleur (The Thief), 1906
Samson, 1907
Israël, 1908
Après moi (After Me), 1911
L'Assaut (The Assault), 1912
Le Secret, 1913
L'Élévation, 1917
Judith, 1922
La Galerie des glaces (The Hall of Mirrors), 1924
Félix, 1926
Mélo, 1929
Le Bonheur (Happiness), 1933
Le Cœur (The Heart), 1936
Le Messager, 1937
Elvire, 1939
La Soif (The Thirst), 1949
Victor, 1950
Evangéline, 1952
Espoir (Hope), 1955
Le Venin (The Poison), 1927
Filmography
The Thief, directed by Edgar Lewis (Silent film, 1914, based on the play Le Voleur)
Samson, directed by Edgar Lewis (Silent film, 1915, based on the play Samson)
Sold, directed by Edwin S. Porter and Hugh Ford (Silent film, 1915, based on the play Le Secret)
Le Bercail, directed by Marcel L'Herbier (Silent film, 1919, based on the play Le Bercail)
Elevazione, directed by Telemaco Ruggeri (Silent film, 1920, based on the play L'Élévation)
La Rafale, directed by Jacques de Baroncelli (Silent film, 1920, based on the play La Rafale)
Shackles of Gold, directed by Herbert Brenon (Silent film, 1922, based on the play Samson)
Samson, directed by Torello Rolli (Silent film, 1923, based on the play Samson)
The Washington Masquerade, directed by Charles Brabin (English, 1932, based on the play La Griffe)
Dreaming Lips, directed by Paul Czinner (German, 1932, based on the play Mélo)
''Mélo, directed by Paul Czinner (French, 1932, based on the play Mélo)
Le Voleur, directed by Maurice Tourneur (French, 1933, based on the play Le Voleur)
Le Bonheur, directed by Marcel L'Herbier (French, 1934, based on the play Le Bonheur)