Madame (1961 film)
Madame (1961 film) is a Spanish-Italian-French co-produced historical romantic comedy-drama directed by Christian-Jaque. It is an adaptation of the 1893 play Madame Sans-Gêne by Victorien Sardou and Émile Moreau, and tells the story of Catherine Hübscher, a laundress who becomes Madame Sans-Gêne at Napoleon’s court.
The movie stars Sophia Loren as Madame Sans-Gêne, with a French-Italian supporting cast including Robert Hossein, Renaud Mary, Julien Bertheau and Marina Berti. It was shot in Eastmancolor and Technirama on location in Tuscany and Pisa.
The production had a budget of about 6 million French francs. Henri Jeanson wrote the screenplay. Loren has said the character matched her sensibility, and the film features costumes by Marcel Escoffier and Itala Scandariato. Angelo Francesco Lavagnino composed the original score, with Umberto Giordano contributing opera-inspired elements.
The film was distributed in the United States by Embassy Pictures after its international release. It premiered in 1961, with U.S. release following in 1963. Running time is around 98 minutes in some markets, longer in others. The film is a co-production among Spain, Italy and France, and features Italian and French languages.
Background note: Madame Sans-Gêne is a legendary figure in France, based on Catherine Hübscher (born 1753), who was a laundress for Napoleon and later married Marshal Lefebvre; she earned the nickname Madame Sans-Gêne for her frank behavior at court.
This page was last edited on 28 January 2026, at 16:33 (CET).