Compare And Contrast Tartuffe Movie Vs Play

In the stage version of Tartuffe, Tartuffe is a scruffy and bumbling character. The stage play gives him brown hair, a beard, and a moustache, and he wears frilly clothing, and a jacket, with a neck fluff. He also wears a large cross around his neck. The stage play has him move around a lot and is quite animated. His actions were exaggerated and he talked quickly. In the movie adaptation, Tartuffe is messy and incredibly unsettling. He has long, black, and disheveled hair with some stubble on his face, and he also wears a black robe. This Tartuffe wears a small cross with the robe. At the beginning, when he was eating, he did so crudely and like a wild animal. His actions were subdued, except for when he was chasing Elmire, and his face was

rather stoic, but he was constantly staring at Elmire with predatory-like eyes. He was also far more aggressive and forceful with Elmire, as he pushes her onto the table and keeps her restrained.
The stage production presents, overall, a far more lighthearted interpretation of Tartuffe’s character than the movie version.

The two Tartuffe’s have a lot of differences, and this is clear just from their costumes. The stage production has him in attire much closer to all of the other characters, as he wears a jacket with frills around his wrists and he has a neck fluff; meanwhile, the film version has him stand out with all black robes and no neck fluff. The play gives him a comically large cross to wear, while the film adaptation gives him a more realistic cross necklace. The play Tartuffe has an amusing beard and a classically villainous moustache, but the film Tartuffe has long, messy hair with some stubble. These differences in physical appearances hint at how the two Tartuffes will differ in other areas, as the play version makes him very comedic, while the movie version makes him look quite sleazy. The stage production makes Tartuffe appear quite eccentric at certain moments, and his actions are all exaggerated and entertaining. The film Tartuffe, however, has him hunched over and mostly motionless, until he chases Elmire. The film version makes him, and the rest of the characters, act more realistically and less exaggerated like the stage

play.
I believe that the film version was more effective at portraying the terribleness of Tartuffe. He is completely unlikable, but it also accentuates the size of Orgon’s delusions to have not seen the truth. The stage play makes him entertaining and comedic, so the character itself is not completely unlikable. The actions which Tartuffe does in the original play call for a more unlikable and disgusting character, which the movie provides. The movie Tartuffe makes it easier to sympathize with the other characters too, since they all have to deal with him. The stage play shows him as a mild annoyance who doesn’t pose much of a threat, but the movie makes him seem more intimidating and evil. His appearance as well is also more fitting, as he is described by many of the characters as a beggar. Despite the extremely unpleasant way in which he acts in the movie, there is still room for some comedic moments. His servant, for example, adds some comedic value to his character, and the way he exits the scene after Orgon finds out the truth was comedic as well.
If I were to create my own interpretation of the Tartuffe character, he would be somewhat similar to the film’s version of Tartuffe, but more sly in his deception. The Tartuffe in the stage play and the film were unbelievably obvious with how they were not whom they said they were. My Tartuffe would be able to maintain his pious facade while also being able to coerce and control others. I think it would make him more of an intimidating character, which would give the story a more satisfying end when he is arrested. A more grounded Tartuffe would also make Orgon’s character more believable for not seeing through the lie which Tartuffe is presenting him. Since the play is a comedy, Tartuffe would still need to have his comedic moments, but it could be more based in the hypocrisy of what he saying, rather than outrageous visual comedy.