Arthur Bernède

Arthur Bernède (; 5 January 1871 – 20 March 1937) was a French writer, poet, opera librettist, and playwright.

Bernède was born in Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine department, in Brittany. In 1919, Bernède joined forces with actor René Navarre, who had played Fantômas in the Louis Feuillade serials, and writer Gaston Leroux, the creator of Rouletabille, to launch the Société des Cinéromans, a production company that would produce films and novels simultaneously. Bernède published almost 200 adventure, mystery, and historical novels. His best-known characters are Belphégor, Judex, Mandrin, Chantecoq, and Vidocq. Bernède also collaborated on plays, poems, and opera libretti with Paul de Choudens; including several operas by Félix Fourdrain.

Bernède also wrote the libretti for a number of operas, among them Jules Massenet's Sapho and Camille Erlanger's L'Aube rouge.

Works Opéras, opéras bouffe and vocal pieces

Phryné, opera by Camille Saint-Saëns Marie Fouré, opera by André Fijan (1897), created in Péronne Sapho, opera by Jules Massenet (1897), libretto in collaboration with Henri Cain, with the singer Emma Calvé in the title role Ninon de Lenclos, opera by Edmonde Missa (1895), libretto in collaboration with André Lénéka (1856-1937), created at the Opéra-Comique Les Petites Vestales, opéra bouffe by Justin Clérice (1900) La Légende du Point d'Argentan, pièce lyrique, by Félix Fourdrain (1907) La Glaneuse, poème lyrique by Félix Fourdrain (1908), libretto in collaboration with Paul de Choudens L'Aube rouge, drame lyrique de Camille Erlanger (1911), libretto in collaboration with Paul de Choudens, created at the Théâtre des Arts de Rouen Vercingétorix, opera by Félix Fourdrain (1912), libretto in collaboration with Paul de Choudens Madame Roland, opera by Félix Fourdrain (1913), libretto in collaboration with Paul de Choudens Les Contes de Perrault, féerie lyrique by Félix Fourdrain (1914), libretto in collaboration with Paul de Choudens, with Yvonne Printemps in the title role.

Theatre plays and monologues

Le Lycéen (1891), played at the Théâtre Classique Le Petit Alsacien Revanche! Le Bijou de Stéphana (1892), comédie en vaudeville given at the Théâtre de Cluny L'Amour à crédit La Duchesse de Berry (1900) Les Idées de Monsieur Coton (1901), played at the Théâtre de la Renaissance La Pipe (1901), performed at the Théâtre de la Renaissance La Lune de Miel (1902), in collaboration with Daniel Riche Les Tonsurés (1905), anticlerical play La Soutane (1905), anticlerical play Sous l'Épaulette (1906), play advocating democratization of the army and social justice Aux Bat'd'Af (1906), antimilitarist melodrama, written in collaboration with Aristide Bruant L'Illustration théâtrale (1906) La Loupiote (1909) Cœur de Française (1912) Un jeune officier pauvre, trilogy (1921)

Popular novels

Mésange, novel (1892) La Favorite, novel (1902–1903) Le Chevalier aux genêts d'or, novel (1903) Les Chevaliers de la mort, novel (1903–1905) L'Amant de la Duchesse, historical novel (1906) Les Chouans, historical novel (1906) Les Amours d'un petit soldat, sentimental novel (1910) Cœur de Française, spy novel (1912) L'Espionne de Guillaume, spy novel (1914) Judex, detective novel (1917) L'Aiglonne, historical novel (1922) L'Enfant du Palais (1923) Belphégor, detective novel (1927) Le Miracle des cœurs ou Tes yeux bleus, novel (1927) Poker d'As, spy novel (1928) Marie-Claire amoureuse or Le Triomphateur, novel (1928) Le Capitaine Anthéor, sentimental novel (1930) Le Marchand d'hommes, historical novel (1932) Vampiria, detective novel (1932) L'Espionne d'Hitler, spy novel (1934) Le Maître du feu, historical novel (1935) En Marge des vivants, novel (1937) Le Crime d'un magistrat (1937) L'Affaire Bessarabo, detective novel (based on Héra Mirtel) L'Affaire Bougrat, detective novel (based on ) L'Affaire Brierre, le massacre des Innocents, detective novel L'Affaire Fualdès, detective novel (based on the dealing with murder of Antoine B. Fualdès) L'Affaire Gouffé, detective novel L'Affaire Lafarge, le mystère du Glandier, detective novel L'Alsacienne, detective novel L'Amant de la Duchesse, novel Les Amants du passé, sentimental novel L'Amour à crédit, novel L'Amour vengeur, sentimental novel Les Amours d'une ouvrière, sentimental novel Anastay, un officier assassin, detective novel (based on Louis Anastay) Un ancêtre de Landru, Pel, l'horloger empoisonneur, detective novel (based on Albert Pel) L'Ange et le démon, detective novel L'Ange du trottoir, novel L'Assassin des cœurs, detective novel L'Assassinat du Courrier de Lyon, detective novel (based on the Courrier de Lyon case) L'Assassin du Marquis de Morès, detective novel (based on Marquis de Morès) L'Archevêque assassiné, detective novel Aventures de Max Forter, novel Les Bas-Fonds de Chicago, detective novel Les Bas-Fonds de Marseille, detective novel La Bataille pour l'amour, sentimental novel Les Beaux romans de l'Histoire, collection La Belle Courtisane, sentimental novel La Belle Marion, sentimental novel Bonnier, Garnier & Cie, detective novel Bourreau des femmes, detective novel Le Calvaire de Casse-Cœur, detective novel Le Calvaire du Lieutenant Ferbach, novel Captive, novel La Chanson des cœurs, spy novel Chantecoq, spy novel Le Chanteur de Montmartre, novel La Chasse aux monstres, novel Le Château du milliardaire, novel Cocorico, spy novel Cœur cassé, novel Un cœur déchiré, detective novel Les Compagnons du soleil, adventure novel Condamnée à mort, detective novel Connais-tu l'amour?, detective novel Un crime d'amour, novel Le Crime d'un aviateur, detective novel Le Curé aux abeilles, detective novel La Dame de Paris, novel Du dancing au trottoir, sentimental novel La Dernière Incarnation de Judex, detective novel Les Derniers Chouans, novel Les Deux Parigotes, novel in collaboration with Ph. Vayre La Devineresse, sentimental novel Le Divorce de Joséphine, historical novel Le Docteur Laget, le drame du poison, detective novel (based on Dr Pierre Laget) Le Don Juan des grands bars, detective novel Le Drame des chauffeurs, detective novel Le Drame de la rue de la Pépinière, detective novel L'Enfant du Curé, societal novel L'Enfant des Filles, societal novel L'Épouse qui tue, detective novel Esclave d'une courtisane, novel Les Étapes du bonheur, detective novel, in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Le Fantôme du Père Lachaise, detective novel Féerique aventure, novel La Femme Weber, l'ogresse de la Goutte d'Or, detective novel (based on Jeanne Weber) La Fiancée de Lothringer, sting novel La Fille du Diable, detective novel Fille-mère, society novel Le Fils de l'Aigle, historical novel Flétrie et vengée, sentimental novel Fleur d'ajonc, sentimental novel Fleur du pavé, novel Galerie criminelle, detective collection Le Grand Amour d'une favorite, sentimental novel Le Grand Amour d'un petit gars, novel Un grand seigneur assassin, l'affaire Choiseul-Praslin, detective novel Guyot l'étrangleur, detective novel L'Homme au masque de fer, adventure novel (based on the Man in the Iron Mask) Un Homme de proie, novel L'Homme aux sortilèges, novel L'Homme aux trois masques, society novel L'Homme qui sourit, novel L'Homme qui tue, novel Impéria, detective novel Les Incarnations de Judex, detective novel L'Incendiaire, detective novel Interdit de séjour, detective novel in collaboration with P. Gilles L'Introuvable Assassin, l'affaire Cadiou, detective novel (based on a 1913 crime in Landerneau) Jean Bart, dieu des mars, adventure novel (based on Jean Bart) Jean Chouan, tome I: La Bataille des cœurs, tome II, La Citoyenne Maryse Fleurus, (1926) adventure novel (based on Jean Chouan) Lacenaire ou le Napoléon des bandits, detective novel (based on Pierre François Lacenaire) Landru, detective novel (based on Henri Désiré Landru) La Loi du Talion, novel Louise et Gabrielle, sentimental novel La Loupiote, spy novel, in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Madame tête de Boche, spy novel, in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Mado la blonde, novel La Maison hantée, detective novel Mandrin, adventure novel (based on Louis Mandrin) La Marchande de bonheur, detective novel Marquise et Gigolette or Les Drames de l'amour or Les Drames de la vie, novel Martyres de l'amour... vengez-vous, detective novel Les Martyres de Paris, sentimental collection Mata-Hari, spy novel (based on Mata Hari) Les Mémoires d'une Masseuse, novel Méphisto, novel Mestorino, detective novel Miousic détective, detective novel La Môme Coco, sentimental novel La Môme Printemps, sentimental novel, in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Le Mystère du train bleu, detective novel Les Mystères de la Bastille, novel Les Mystères du bonnet rouge, detective novel Les Nouveaux Exploits de Chantecoq, eight detective novel Les Nouveaux Exploits de Judex, detective novel Les Nouveaux Gangsters de Paris, detective novel La Nouvelle Mission de Judex, detective novel L'Ogre amoureux, detective novel On les a!, spy novel Nos grands mufles, novel Le Père de la Loupiote, novel, in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Le Petit Clown, detective novel Poker d'As, novel La Pommerais, un médecin empoisonneur, detective novel (based on Desire-Edmond Couty de la Pommerais) Pour l'amour et la liberté, novel Pour la couronne de France, novel Pour les jeunes, novel Prado ou le tueur de filles, detective novel (based on Prado) Pranzini, l'assassin de la rue Montaigne, detective novel (based on ) Princesses du trottoir, societal novel La Prisonnière du château de Nantes, novel Les Quatre Sergents de La Rochelle, historical novel La Redingote grise, novel Reine, femme et mère, novel Le Roman d'une chanteuse, novel Le Roman d'un jeune officier pauvre, sentimental novel Rose fleurie, novel Les Sacrifiées, novel Sauvée par l'amour, novel Le Secret du légionnaire, novel Les Secrets de Bolo révélés, detective novel (based on Bolo Pasha) Serrez vos rangs, novel in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Seule avec son cœur, novel Seznec a-t-il été assassiné, detective novel (based on the Seznec Affair) Le Sorcier de la Reine, novel La Soutane, novel Surcouf, roi des corsaires, aventure novel (based on Robert Surcouf) Le Tambour d'Arcole, novel (based on the ) Le Temps des miracles, novel Ma Tendre musette, sentimental novel Tête de Boche, novel in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Les Tonsurés, novel Les Travailleuses, societal novel Les Trois Ombres, novel Les Trois légionnaires, novel in collaboration with Aristide Bruant Le Tueur de femmes, detective novel Pour l'amour d'une belle, sentimental novel Suis-je un assassin?, novel Va... petit mousse, novel Le Vampire de Düsseldorf, detective novel (based on Peter Kürten) Vidocq, adventure novel (based on Eugène François Vidocq) La Vierge du Moulin Rouge, novel La Ville aux illusions, novel Zapata, adventure novel

Adaptations of literary works for cinema

1906: Fleur de Paris distributed by Louis Aubert, with Mistinguett 1906: Fille-Mère distributed by Louis Aubert 1916–1917: Judex by Louis Feuillade, with René Cresté and Marcel Lévesque 1918: by Louis Feuillade, with René Cresté and Marcel Lévesque 1921: L'Aiglonne, by Émile Keppens and René Navarre 1923: Vidocq, by Jean Kemm 1923: Mandrin, by Henri Fescourt 1923: Ferragus, adaptation of the novel Ferragus by Honoré de Balzac 1925: Surcouf 1925: Les Misérables, by Henri Fescourt 1925: Jean Chouan, by Luitz-Morat 1927: Poker d'As, by Henri Desfontaines 1927: Belphégor, by Henri Desfontaines 1927: Les Cinq Sous de Lavarède, by Maurice Champreux 1928: L'Argent, by Marcel L'Herbier 1931: Méphisto, with Jean Gabin in his first speaking role 1947: Mandrin directed by René Jayet 1962: Mandrin by Jean-Paul Le Chanois 1963: Judex by Georges Franju) with Channing Pollock, Francine Bergé and Édith Scob