Before the start of a series of dramas, dedicated to the famous dancer, we have assembled the brightest fragments of the life of Margaret Zelle, you need to know the audience to better understand the intent of the filmmakers. In the new film “Mata Hari” starring the French actress Vaina Giocante.
Monday, March 20, the First channel starts the series “Mata Hari”. This international project has already gained recognition among foreign audiences. In the biographical drama, which released directed by Julius Berg and Denis berry, tells the story of Margaretha Zelle, which remember the name of Mata Hari. The infamous spy and talented dancer has captivated hundreds of men in the early twentieth century. Many fans of the actress knew that after it they can be shot, but still could not resist her charm.
Mata Hari started out as a circus performer, but has won the recognition of the Parisian public and earned the nickname “Queen of dance”. After meeting her, some men threw family and forget about everything. During the First world war she became a spy, which was trusted the secrets and mysteries of high-ranking politicians and military. Her name was mentioned in the German, French and Russian military archives. “StarHit” decided to recall the most striking facts from the biography of Margareta, before which kneels down the most influential men in Europe.
Margaretha Zelle was born in 1896 in the Netherlands. She was the only daughter of Adam, the owner of the hat shop. The first thirteen years of life, the girl in no need as her father’s Affairs went uphill. But then he went bankrupt and his spouse, mother Margareta, died. The girl was sent to Leiden to learn the profession of a kindergarten teacher. According to some, the school söll was subjected to harassment by the Director, so it was taken out.
When the girl turned 18, she married captain Rudolf Mak-Leod, who was much older than her. The husband was beaten and She is always drinking. She suffered from such attitude. Besides, the man didn’t hide his mistresses. The family lived on the island in Indonesia. Married to Rudolph and they had two children. However, the son of Margareta died in 1899, presumably from complications of syphilis, which was handed down to him from his parents.
During his stay in Java söll began to dance. Disillusioned in marriage to Rudolf, she tried to find comfort. That is why she plunged into the study of local culture and customs. The woman mastered some elements of Indonesian dances, and later came up with the nickname Mata Hari, which was translated in Malay as “sun”.
In 1903 she divorced her husband, left without money and began to search for ways of earning. Because söll couldn’t imagine my life without dancing, she decided to move in this direction. The woman went to Paris, where he worked as a circus rider under the name “lady Sinning Mac McLeod”. But since 1905, Zella was to speak in the East under the alias Mata Hari.
The artist pulled out the happy ticket, having become acquainted with the influential industrialist and owner of the Museum of arts of the East Emile Etienne, Game. The man was fascinated by the grace and exotic dancing Margareta. He fell in love with her and forgot about everything. However, Mata Hari wanted more – to conquer Paris. She persuaded a fan to give her a private performance in one of the capital’s salons.
The dancing made an impression on the French public. To further attract viewers Mata invented the legend that gave her personality mystery. During one of the talks burst into the room the man in Eastern dress. He threw himself on his knees before the woman and was about to beg her in a foreign language. Forced him out of the courtroom. Guests demanded an explanation, but Mata Hari calmly continued room. The dancer later explained to reporters what happened. According to her, this man was a servant of her mother, supposedly an Indian Princess who wanted to get her daughter back home and marry Raju.
This story piques the interest of the French. Besides, at the end of each room of Mata Hari was fully undressed, explaining that so demanded Shiva, a Hindu deity. Prior to that, none of the dancers do not allow themselves to such bold antics.
“These are completely authentic brahmin dance Madame Mata Hari learned Java from the best of the priestesses of India. These dances are kept secret. Deep in the temples they can see only the brahmanas and devadasi. To our great joy and delight for the eyes of Mata Hari danced for us the dances of the Princess and magic flower, the call of Shiva and dance Subramian. It is very simplistic apparel of badari; in the end, as a climax of simplicity, she stands before the Shiva proudly and without covers only in tights corporal light, hiding nakedness. To Miloserdie God, it is him. It’s very impressive, very brave and very chaste. Mata Hari Dutch, Scottish and avanka at the same time. From the Northern races of her tall, strong body, and in Java, where she grew up, she gained the flexibility of a Panther, the movement of a snake,” – so wrote about the dancer French Newspapers from the early 1900’s.
After a few years her name was known not only in Paris. Mata Hari had forgotten about the gym, made a new lover and went on tour. In Monte Carlo the woman acted on the stage, where among the spectators was the Prince of Monaco albert I. the Dancer was also involved in a concert with the participation of Fyodor Shalyapin, Emma calve and Geraldine Farrar. Jules Massenet and Giacomo Puccini competed with each other, because I wanted to write music for her performances.
For Mata Hari, the men were ready to go at all. Gave her expensive gifts, arranged a fascinating trip, and gave funds for the development of art. Thus, the dancer opened her own salon and became a courtesan.
In 1914, Mata Hari brought his German lover. However, she used a man to get acquainted with more senior special, the crown Prince Wilhelm. The representative of the Royal family was fascinated so much that in the Berlin Metropol theatre began to prepare for the staging of a new play with Mata Hari in the lead role. Rumor has it that she really wanted to become intimate with the Royal family.
Plans courtesan destroyed the First world war. Margareta wrote love letters to William. But her letter was intercepted by the German intelligence service. This was reported to the Emperor, who gave orders immediately to expel the dancer from the country. Colonel Werner von Mirbach was to do the will of the ruler. However, in addition he had the task to recruit a dancer for the German intelligence. Mata Hari agreed.
Getting out of Germany and having lived few months in Holland, the dancer returned to Paris and settled in the house, which gave her French banker. The woman continued to arrange the evening, attended by soldiers and officers of the allied forces. The spy was able to obtain information using their feminine charm and cunning.
Visitors to the boudoir of Mata Hari was doomed to death. According to the laws of war, any culpable in the leak of important data subjected to execution. However, they were willing to spend with a woman the night of love.
One of the most notorious novels of Mata Hari called its relationship with the Russian officer Vladimir Maslov. The captain served in the Russian expeditionary corps and was in the retinue of Nicholas I. the Dancer planned that after the war, the man will introduce her to the Russian Imperial family.
The first information about the woman’s work as a spy for Germany came from the French counterintelligence in 1916. On the instructions of the German command, Mata Hari had to get into the area of champagne, where the closed hospitals. However, the woman was sure that no problems will get in there. This desire Mata Hari caused suspicion among the French command. It said it installed surveillance.
The spy was caught and questioned about her connections with the German side. The French decided to convert the woman and she became a double agent. However, on 13 February 1917 Mata Hari returned after foreign missions in Paris, was arrested by the intelligence and accused of spying for the enemy. It was tried for passing information to the enemy that led to the deaths of several divisions of soldiers. According to the verdict, the woman was waiting for the death penalty. Her lawyer offered to lie about the pregnancy, but she refused. The Margareta was shot on the ground in Vincennes on 15 October 1917. She was only 41 years old.
Rumor has it that before his execution, she shouted, “I’m ready, Lord!” Several sources mentioned a different phrase: “the Prostitute, Yes, but traitor — never!”
The story of Mata Hari was the basis for several movies and theatrical productions. The first picture on the spy came in 1920 with the German actress ASTA Nielsen in the title role. In addition, many literary figures have devoted works of the famous dancer. One of the latest creations was the book “Mata Hari. Spy” By Paulo Coelho. Despite criticism from fans of the writer, his character utters a phrase that could tell a real Mata Hari.
“I chose a bad time to be born a woman, and it is certainly not correct. I don’t know whether me to remember in the future, but if I want to, I did not see the victim, but the man who fearlessly walked her path and was not afraid to pay full price,” – says the heroine of Mata Hari on the pages of the works of Coelho.