This comical scene by Georges Méliès (1861-1938) is based on the historic duo formed by King François 1st (1494-1547) and his jester Triboulet (v. 1498-v. 1536). Grotesque-looking and deformed, the jester distracts the sovereign by making fun of the court.  He holds an influential place alongside the king of France, since his sarcastic remarks are often a wise and spiritual reflection of circumstances.  But at the end of his life François 1st grew weary of Triboulet’s impertinence and audacity and it is this historical fact that inspired Méliès.

Contrary to the real Triboulet, the jester portrayed by Méliès managed to cheer the king up thanks to his talent as a conjurer.  In this film the film maker used his famous special effects such as stopping the camera, allowing Triboulet to disappear and reappear instantly on the other side of the decor or in the king’s arms!  The actress was levitated by a double exposure technique, which involves rewinding the film after an initial take and exposing a second take onto it.  As with A la Conquête du Pôle (The Conquest of the Pole) this film is a reflection of the film maker’s considerable experience of the fields of theatre and magic.

This film is the first time the characters of François 1st and his jester were transferred onto screen. The duo’s notoriety at this time was the result of a series of artistic works including François Rabelais (v. 1494-1553) who staged Triboulet in Pantagruel very early on. In 1832 the jester was the main character in Victor Hugo’s play (1802-1885) entitled The King’s fool that Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) adapted for his opera Rigoletto in 1851. Here Méliès followed in the artistic tradition that cinema would continue well into the 20th century.