- Source: Bel-Ami
Bel-Ami ([bɛlami], "Dear Friend") is the second novel by French author Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885; an English translation titled Bel Ami, or, The History of a Scoundrel: A Novel first appeared in 1903.
The story chronicles journalist Georges Duroy's corrupt rise to power from a poor former cavalry NCO in France's African colonies, to one of the most successful men in Paris, most of which he achieves by manipulating a series of powerful, intelligent, and wealthy women.
Summary
The novel is set in Paris in the upper-middle class environment of the leading journalists of the newspaper La Vie Française and their friends. It tells the story of Georges Duroy, who has spent three years in military service in Algeria. After working for six months as a clerk in Paris, an encounter with his former comrade, Forestier, enables him to start a career as a journalist. From a reporter of minor events and soft news, he gradually climbs his way up to chief editor. Duroy initially owes his success to Forestier's wife, Madeleine, who helps him write his first articles and, when he later starts writing lead articles, she adds an edge and poignancy to them. At the same time, she uses her connections among leading politicians to provide him with behind the scenes' information which allows him to become actively involved in politics. Duroy is also introduced to many politicians in Madame Forestier's drawing-room. Duroy becomes the lover of Forestiers' friend Mme de Marelle, another influential socialite. Duroy later tries to seduce Madeleine Forestier too, but she repulses Duroy's sexual advances and offers that they remain friends without ulterior motives.
In a few months, Charles Forestier's health deteriorates, and he travels to the south of France to regain it. Soon afterwards, Duroy receives a letter from Madeleine, imploring him to join her and help her bear the last moments of her husband's life. When Forestier dies, Duroy asks Madeleine to marry him. After a few weeks to consider, she agrees. Georges now signs his articles Du Roy (an aristocratic style of French name) in order to add prestige to his name. The married couple travels to Normandy, the region of Georges's childhood, and meets his peasant parents. Finding the reality different from her romantic expectations, Madeleine feels very uncomfortable with his parents, and so their stay with them is short. In the newspaper office, Duroy is ridiculed for having his articles written by his wife, just as the late Forestier had his articles written by her. His newspaper colleagues call him 'Forestier', which angers Georges, and he becomes heavily jealous of Madeleine, insisting that she admit having been unfaithful to Forestier, but she never does.
In order to suppress the stings of jealousy, Duroy starts an affair with Mme Walter, the wife of the owner of the newspaper. He especially enjoys the conquest, as he is her first extramarital lover. Later on, however, he regrets the decision, for he cannot get rid of her when he does not want her. Duroy's relations with his wife become estranged; at one point, he takes a police superintendent and three other police officers to a flat in which his wife is meeting Monsieur Laroche-Mathieu, her lover. They catch the two in the act of adultery, which was then a crime punishable under the law. Duroy used the police as witnesses of his wife's adultery to facilitate their divorce. He did not have her or her lover arrested, although the police gave him the option to do so.
In the last two chapters, Duroy's ascent to power continues. Duroy, now a single man, makes use of his chief's daughter's infatuation with him, and arranges an elopement with her. The parents then have no other choice but to grant their assent to the marriage. The last chapter shows Duroy savouring his success at the wedding ceremony, at which 'all those who figured prominently in society' are present. His thoughts, however, chiefly belong to Mme de Marelle who, when wishing him all the best, indicates that she has forgiven him for his new marriage and that their intimate meetings can be taken up again.
List of characters
Georges Duroy (Du Roy), an ex-soldier, journalist and a social climber
Charles Forestier, Duroy's former friend in the army, a journalist
Madeleine Forestier (Du Roy), Charles's and later Georges's wife who helps her husbands write their articles and has many connections among the powerful
Monsieur Laroche-Mathieu, a friend of Madeleine Forestier, a member of parliament, later a minister who owes his position and sudden wealth to La Vie Française, Madeleine Forestier's lover
Comte de Vaudrec, an old longtime friend and protector and probably also lover or lost father of Madeleine Forestier (Du Roy)
Clotilde de Marelle, the Forestiers' friend whose husband is away for long periods of time, Duroy's main lover
Laurine de Marelle, their young daughter, who comes up with the nickname Bel Ami.
Jacques Rival, a journalist
Norbert de Varenne, an old single bitter life-tired poet who is among the Vie Française staff
Monsieur Walter, the owner and chief editor of the Vie Francaise
Virginie Walter, his wife, later Duroy's lover
Suzanne Walter, their marriageable daughter, later Madame Du Roy
Rachel, a prostitute to whom Georges turns in times of financial crisis
Adaptations
= Film and television
=
The novel has been adapted for film and television several times:
Bel Ami, a 1939 German film
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami, 1947 American film starring George Sanders
Bel Ami (1955)
Bel Ami (1971), a five-episode BBC TV series
Bel Ami, also known as Bel Ami: Beautiful Friend and For Men Only, a 1976 Swedish pornographic version, starring Harry Reems which had the tagline "Harry Reems' Last Adult Film"
Bel Ami, a 1983 French mini-series
Bel Ami, a 2005 French/Belgian TV movie, starring Sagamore Stévenin
Bel Ami, a 2012 European co-production film with Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci and Holliday Grainger
= Theatre
=
"The Wicked World of Bel Ami", a musical in two acts adapted by Ken Hill using the music of Jacques Offenbach, was staged at the Theatre Royal Stratford East 7 April – 13 May 1989 with Haluk Bilginer in the title role
Miláček, a Czech stage version of the story, premiered on 11 April 2008 in City Theatre, Mladá Boleslav. It was directed by Pavel Khek, with Petr Mikeska in the title role of Georges Duroy.
In July 2011, Bel Ami: The Musical was staged at the White Bear Theatre, London. It premiered on July 12. It was written and directed by Linnie Reedman, with music and lyrics composed by Joe Evans.
In February 2014, a contemporary musical adaptation of the book, Bel-Ami, was staged at the Charing Cross Theatre, London, performed by students of the London College of Music. The music and lyrics were written by Alex Loveless.
Cultural influence
John Braine, the English novelist, stated that his favourite author was Guy de Maupassant and that his first novel, Room at the Top (1957), was based on Bel Ami, but 'the critics didn't pick it up'.
References
External links
Bel Ami, free English translation e-book at Project Gutenberg.
Bel Ami public domain audiobook at LibriVox
Free audiobook: Bel-Ami (in French)
Městské divadlo, Mladá Boleslav (in Czech)
Bel Ami: a film official website
Petri Liukkonen. "Guy de Maupassant". Books and Writers.- Source: BelAmi
BelAmi is a European gay pornographic film studio with offices in Bratislava, Prague and Budapest. It was established in 1993 by filmmaker George Duroy, a Slovak native who took his pseudonym from the protagonist Georges Duroy in Guy de Maupassant's novel Bel Ami. In addition to hardcore DVDs, BelAmi and Bruno Gmünder Verlag also produce calendars and photo books, such as Howard Roffman's Private Moments: Bel Ami (2009), and its performers are frequent headliners at nightclubs and similar venues around Europe, the United States, Australia, Canada, and elsewhere.
BelAmi has employed hundreds of actors over its history.
The studio has won numerous adult entertainment awards and nominations. BelAmi earned five 2010 XBIZ Awards citations, including LGBT studio of the year, and five nominations at the 2010 GayVN Awards, including best newcomer for Kris Evans. They won the award for best marketing—company image. In addition to numerous film accolades, BelAmi also received XBIZ Awards in 2013 and 2014 for Gay Site of the Year, in 2015 for Gay Studio of the Year, and the 2016 XBIZ Award for Adult Site of the Year – Gay. George Duroy, as well as marquee performers Lukas Ridgeston and Johan Paulik, have been inducted into the GayVN Awards Hall of Fame.
Selected films
Frisky Summer 1,2,3 (1995, 1996, 1998)
An American in Prague (1997)
The 101 Men series (1998–2002)
The Personal Trainers series (2001–present)
Greek Holiday (2004)
Lukas in Love (2005)
The Private Life of Brandon Manilow (2008)
French Kiss (2008)
Seriously Sexy (2009)
5 Americans in Prague (2009)
Todd and Dolph (2010)
Skin on Skin (2010)
Step by Step: The Education of Porn Star: Kris Evans (2010)
Step by Step: The Education of a Porn Star: Jean-Daniel Chagall (2010)
Taboo (2010)
Bel Ami 3D (2011)
Kinky Angels 1: Kevin Warhol (2011)
Kris Evans: Up & Close (2011)
Irresistible (2012)
Passion (2012)
An American in Prague in 3D (2013)
Fucking Kris Series (2014)
See also
List of male performers in gay porn films
List of pornographic film studios#Studios that include male-male and male-TG sex
List of pornographic magazines#Marketed to gay and bisexual men
Bibliography
Bel Ami : best of Johan, Bruno Gmunder, 2000, ISBN 978-3-86187-186-6, OCLC 44934457
Images of desire : models by Bel Ami, Pro-Fun, 2000, ISBN 978-3-931613-01-3, OCLC 43338133
Bel Ami : Summertime, Bruno Gmunder, 2000, ISBN 978-3-86187-171-2, OCLC 43879014
Sebastian & friends, B. Gmünder, 2004, ISBN 978-3-86187-647-2, OCLC 58421500
Roffman, Howard (2006), The boys of Bel Ami, B. Gmünder, ISBN 978-3-86187-989-3, OCLC 85179207
Roffman, Howard (2009), Private moments: Bel Ami, B. Gmünder, ISBN 978-3-86787-037-5, OCLC 437036065
Roffman, Howard (2010), The blush of youth, B. Gmünder, ISBN 978-3-86787-145-7, OCLC 85179207
Roffman, Howard (2012), For the love of Bali, B. Gmünder, ISBN 978-3-86787-239-3, OCLC 772975365
Bel Ami : 69 Positions of Joyful Gay Sex, Bruno Gmunder Verlag, 2012, ISBN 978-3-86787-261-4, archived from the original on 2012-10-24, retrieved 2012-11-29
Joan Crisol : Bel Ami Rebels, Bruno Gmunder Verlag, 2012, ISBN 978-3-86787-425-0, archived from the original on 2013-01-20, retrieved 2012-11-29
References
External links
Official Website
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
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