Le Secret du Chevalier d'Éon (1959, Italy/France)

Romantic adventure based on part of the story of the Chevalier d'Éon, the first notable cross-dresser. However this film makes d'Éon a girl who was brought up as a boy. The film-makers probably did this to reduce feelings of scandal that might have been felt in the prim days of 1959, although one commentator feels that the idea was introduced to promote what would now be called feminism.

After seven daughters, a noble family is so desperate finally to have a son, that the next child to be born is declared a son in spite of biology, and brought up accordingly. However the girl is not reassigned surgically. The child grows up to be an accomplished soldier.

An envoy needs to be sent under cover on a diplomatic mission to Moscow: someone has to get access to Empress Elisabeth, and only a woman could get close to her. It is suggested that the Chevalier d'Éon be sent, as he could go dressed as a woman; indeed he has done such missions before. Madame de Pompadour, in uncharacteristically generous mood, throws open her fabulous wardrobe of gowns in order that the mission shall not be compromised by lack of finery.

D'Éon goes on the mission, not without mishap, and sexual advances are made but don't worry, this is 1959 and everything ends up tidily.

As the critic M du Monteil has commented, Andrée Debar looks more comfortable as a man than when she is in female mode ...

D'Éon was an actual person, and was born in France in 1728 and died in London in 1810. Evidently he relished the ambiguity, and also did in fact conduct diplomatic missions for the French, including the trip to Moscow that this film centres on. He was examined after death and certified to be physically a normal male.

I think that film distributors were unsure what category to put this film in; the various titles in other languages don't have much in common:

HF February 2003

This Page: Le secret du Chevalier d'Éon Return to Alphabetical Index Page Return to Home Page

Hazel Freeman's International Transgender Film Guide is maintained by

Jenni Olson

and hosted at

Visitors from the US and Canada can help support this site by shopping for LGBT DVDs using this WolfeVideo.com affiliate link. The commission we earn from your purchases will directly support the continued existence of this website. Thank you!