The Late Mathias Pascal (1925)

In the heart of a once affluent family, Mathias Pascal finds himself in a life filled with sorrow and despair. He marries the captivating Romilde, only to be ensnared by her domineering mother's iron grip. His sanctuary, a quaint librarian job in his hometown, transforms into another realm of torment, while his home life shrieks with the cacophony of a perpetual nightmare. Amid this darkness, two lights flicker - his cherubic infant and his doting mother. But fate cruelly snuffs out both flames in one fell swoop. Dazed with grief, Mathias flees to the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo. Fortune favours the bereaved, as he amasses a windfall from the city's casino. Upon his return, he stumbles upon an uncanny discovery - his own obituary, linking a found corpse to his disappearance. Seizing this bizarre twist of fate, Mathias grasps the opportunity for a fresh start. He journeys to Rome, taking up residence in a pension brimming with deceptive spiritualists pulling strings behind the scenes. The ringleader, Terence, is set on wooing the owner's daughter Adrienne, with complete disregard for her feelings. Adrienne, however, is enamoured with Mathias, and the affection is mutual. When Terence pilfers Mathias' 50,000 Lira, the dilemma unfolds - Mathias, technically deceased, is unable to marry his love or report the theft. This predicament forces Mathias to confront his predicament. He embarks on a journey back home, only to find that Romalinda has moved on and remarried. Will Mathias reclaim his life or continue to exist as a ghost of his past? The Late Mathias Pascal is a tale of love, loss, and the extraordinary consequences of an ordinary life.

The Late Mathias Pascal is a drama movie featuring Lois Moran.

The Late Mathias Pascal is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy.