AfterthetremendouspopularsuccessoftheFant?masnovels,bothofthemajorFrenchfilmstudios—PathéandGaumont—viedfortherightstoproducefilmsbasedontheseries.Gaumontwon,andfromApril1913toMay1914LouisFeuilladedirectedfiveFant?masfilmswhichcriticDavidThomsonhasdescribedas"thefirstgreatmovieexperience."