Josette Andriot

The story of the children of Captain Grant.

Protéa is the last film directed by Victorin-Hippolyte Jasset, one of the early film pioneers in France. The hero of this film is a female spy, an acrobatic Mata-Hari, played by his favorite actress, Josette Andriot, who wore a characteristic costume of a close-fitting black jersey, two years before Musidora achieved cult status with her similar appearance as Irma Vep. This final masterpiece reflects Jasset's popular style: rhythmic action, fantastic realism, rich visuals, an anarchistic philosophy, a disdain for psychology, and an attention to lighting that earned him the nickname “the Rembrandt of the cinema". Although Jasset died shortly after completion, the film had considerable success and Andriot went on to make four more films in the series with other directors.

After a time of suspended activities, Zigomar attempted to rob the biggest bank in Paris; but in this he was frustrated by the detective. Swearing vengeance he tried to wreck the train upon which the detective was traveling, but one of the detective's spies got wind of it and warned him.

The next dastardly trick of Zigomar was to secure the safe which carried $50,000 belonging to the owner of the Grand African Circus, which he had won as a prize. He and La Rosario, disguised as servants, joined the circus and by the aid of a powerful elephant managed to get the safe to a manhole into which is was lowered to Zigomar and La Rosario.

Paulin Broquet, the great Parisian detective, has brought the notorious bandit, Zigomar, to justice. Determined not to let the law punish him, he had taken poison in the Hall of Justice. Then he was brought to a hospital where he lay motionless and was visited by hundreds of persons. Among the visitors was a slender woman, dressed in black, who secreted herself in the hospital, and, when all the others had gone, went to the bedside of Zigomar and administered an antidote for poisoning.

Short melodrama. Two former lovers meet twenty years later when the man has to compete with the son of the woman.

Two thugs conk the proprietor of a bistro on the head and drag him downstairs to the cellar where he stores his wine. While they plot the next step of whatever they are doing, two gendarmes come in to finish their meal. Running short of wine, one heads down to the cellar.

In 1913 early French film pioneer Victorin-Hippolyte Jasset died abruptly at the age of 51. His filmography of about 60 titles includes all film genres but is today mostly lost. He was particularly interested in detective or crime genres and with series like Nick Carter and Zigomar he is considered as one of the creators of the serial. The spectacular siege of Jules Bonnot's Gang at Choisy-le-Roi near Paris on April 28th 1912 inspired Jasset to make this 'Bandits en automobile'. French audiences recognized immediately the resemblances with the actual Bonnot Gang, a reason for which the film was prohibited in many cities.

Nick Carter, the famous detective, is ordered to prosecute the gang of Zigomar. Carter gets into various thorny situations but manages to escape every time, helped by Olga, a former girlfriend of Zigomar. Carter finally manages to trap Zigomar and Zigomar is arrested. However, Zigomar avoids going to court by apparently poisoning himself.

A sensational detective story, founded on the romance of Leon Sazie. The noted criminal who terrorized all Europe is shown in these three Zigomar reels in a dramatic and intense struggle for supremacy with Paulin Broquet, the celebrated detective, who takes the two in the most varied and finest resorts.