In this film Georges Méliès (1861-1938) does a living reproduction of a painting that was highly popular at the end of the 19th century, The last cartridge painted by Alphonse de Neuville (1836-1885) in 1873. This academic artist was famous for his military paintings in which he praised the soldiers’ courage and glorified patriotic pride.

The painter was inspired by a battle that took place on the 1st September 1870 in Bazeilles, a French commune situated in the Ardennes near the border with what is now Belgium.  Emperor Napoleon the 3rd’s France (1808-1873) was at war against the German kingdoms, controlled by Prussia of Bismarck (1815-1898). French soldiers who were surrounded courageously fought the Prussian enemy until their munitions totally ran out.  The bitter defeat that followed led to Napoleon III surrendering in Sedan. Bombardement d’une maison (bombing of a house) shows the now legendary heroism of the soldiers of the Empire during this desperate battle.

The decor of Méliès’ work strays a little from the painting with the cupboard and the door being moved.  Nonetheless, the characters’ final poses clearly re-enact the painting for the spectator of that time.  This vision associated with the realism of the scene helped make the film a lasting success, to such an extent that Lumière, Pathé and Gaumont each produced their own living pictures in subsequent years entitled The last cartridges, an imitation of Méliès’ own film.

The original music for this film was composed by Antonio Coppola in 2009.