The Romance of a Necklace

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This film is a dramatization of the most interesting events in the life of Benvenuto Cellini, the friend of Francois I of France, Charles the Fifth and Pope Clement the Fifth, and the immortal author of the statue "Persee," his masterpiece. In 1530, in Florence, Count Giaccomo, his daughter Olympia, and Cardinal Beppo, are visiting the studio of the famous artist. Olympia admires a beautiful necklace. Benvenuto, who secretly loves her, makes her a present of the wonderful work. Olympia is engaged to Pompeo, the Pope's jeweler. She returns to her home, where the young man awaits her. When he sees the necklace she has he immediately thinks his rival, Benvenuto, gave it to her. Pompeo, jealous, swears to kill his rival. He pays assassins to stab him. But Olympia, having heard of the plot, informs her lover, who, in spite of the warning, goes out unattended. He is attacked, but he succeeds in getting away without harm. Meanwhile. Pompeo goes to Count Giaccomo to tell him that Olympia has eloped with Benvenuto. Hearing this, the Count and Cardinal Beppo take soldiers with them to Benvenuto's home just at the time when Cellini has found that there is insufficient metal in the molds and that his masterpiece is about to be lost. To avoid this, he takes all the rich silver goods which are in his studio and puts them in the cupola, and the casting is completed. The "Perseus" is saved and promptly taken out of the mold. The Count and the soldiers arrive just at this time. But Cellini does not lose his temper; he takes a hammer and says he will break the "Persee" if they don't stand back. They all go back, and Olympia, arriving, explains to her father what happened. The Pope is informed and they are all to appear before him. But Cellini has come with his statue "Perseus" which he offers to the Pope. The Pope, to reward the famous artist, gives the nuptial benediction to Cellini and Olympia, in presence of the confused jeweler, Pompeo.