Camille (1915 film)

Camille is a 1915 American silent romantic drama film directed by Albert Capellani, based on the 1852 novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The film stars Clara Kimball Young as Marguerite Gautier, the titular character, and Conway Tearle as Armand Duval.

The film tells the story of Marguerite, a celebrated courtesan in Paris, who falls in love with Armand, a young man from a respectable family. Their relationship faces challenges due to Marguerite's past and the social stigma associated with it. Armand's father disapproves of the liaison, fearing it will ruin his family's reputation and his daughter's chance of marriage. Eventually, Marguerite is forced to sacrifice her love for Armand for the sake of his family. She leaves him, leading him to believe she has returned to her former life of pleasure. Marguerite, suffering from consumption, dies alone and heartbroken, while Armand only learns the truth about her sacrifice after her death.

The 1915 Camille is one of many adaptations of the classic story, notable for Clara Kimball Young's performance and its relatively early place in the history of cinema adaptations. While largely considered a faithful adaptation for its time, it takes certain liberties with the source material to fit the conventions and sensibilities of early 20th-century filmmaking.