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Paul & Virginie : the movie

La légende de Paul et Virginie a inspiré le cinéma ainsi que la télévision. La version de cette histoire réalisée pour la télévision, par Pierre Gaspard-Huit, fut tournée à l'île Maurice, au début des années 70. Dans le rôle de Virginie, une jeune actrice qui allait devenir connue : Véronique Jannot.

Paul's legend and Virginia inspired the movies as well as the television. The version of this history achieved for the television, by Pierre Gaspard-Huit, was turned in Mauritius, in the beginning of the seventteen's. In the role of Virginia, a young actress who was going to become known : Véronique Jannot.

Paul and Virginie

All peoples, all countries probably, have need of legends. In the former Isle de France, to Mauritius, Paul and Virginia's legend expressed a long time, of romantic manner, the waiting of a world. Can be this insular paradise, where disappears the gates between those that like themselves.

Bernardin de Saint Pierre was the one that contributed the more to "to promote" the island through the world. He published since 1773 a Journey to the Isle of France, long narration of journey where it delivers himself to numerous observations of social character. Published in 1788, Paul and Virginie, gave to the French literature a first picture of the Isle of France.

In the island, the history of these teenagers chilled of love but upset by the social difference moved greatly, without provoking critique of the social order that separated them.
Virginie should leave Paul to perfect his education by a rich aunt in France. Over there, she will refuse the union that is proposed him with a lucky pretender and will leave toward the France isle on board of the Saint-Géran.

The wreck of this boat, in 1774 permits to Bernardin de Saint Pierre to put a tragic term to this impossible love rather than to let bloom it in the revolt and the dissidence: a mistake of navigation is fatal to the ship and to its passengers. Paul tempts to carry help in Virginia, that dies drowned. The young man, mad of grief, dies out two months later on his turn.

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