Preceded by Gaumont newsreels of 1912. "One should be careful of formulas. Each script should be treated according to its spirit and each script must have a spirit"-J.D. The brilliant Jean Durand was a true original, the leading director of silent comedies whose brand of slapstick ("cartesianism of the absurd") can be seen in the On?ime and Calino series. The versatile Durand was a specialist in adventure films and American-style Westerns like Le Railway de la mort on our program. His regular cast includeda troupe of music hall and circus acrobats, among whom was his wife, Berthe Dagmar, who courageously performed with elephants, tigers and snakes.