Editing Sarah Bernhardt (section)

===Final years (1919–1923)===
[[File:Bernhardt later years 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Bernhardt in 1922]]

In 1920, she resumed acting in her theatre, usually performing single acts of classics such as Racine's ''Athelée'', which did not require much movement. For her curtain calls, she stood, balancing on one leg and gesturing with one arm. She also starred in a new play, ''Daniel'', written by her grandson-in-law, playwright [[Louis Verneuil]]. She played the male lead role, but appeared in just two acts. She took the play and other famous scenes from her repertory on a European tour and then for her last tour of England, where she gave a special command performance for [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], followed by a tour of the British provinces.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://fortnightlyreview.co.uk/2011/03/sarah-bernhardt-in-london-the-best-of-samaritans/| title=Sarah Bernhardt in London, best of all possible Samaritans| author=Croxton, Arthur| work=The Fortnightly Review, fortnightlyreview.co.uk| date=26 March 2011| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625060357/http://fortnightlyreview.co.uk/2011/03/sarah-bernhardt-in-london-the-best-of-samaritans/| archive-date=25 June 2011| df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 1921, Bernhardt made her last tour of the French provinces, lecturing about theatre and reciting the poetry of Rostand. Later that year, she produced a new play by Rostand, ''La Gloire'', and another play by Verneuil, ''Régine Arnaud'' in 1922. She continued to entertain guests at her home. One such guest, French author [[Colette]], described being served coffee by Bernhardt: "The delicate and withered hand offering the brimming cup, the flowery azure of the eyes, so young still in their network of fine lines, the questioning and mocking coquetry of the tilted head, and that indescribable desire to charm, to charm still, to charm right up to the gates of death itself."{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|page=330}}

In 1922, she began rehearsing a new play by [[Sacha Guitry]], called ''Un Sujet de Roman.'' On the night of the dress rehearsal, she collapsed, going into a coma for an hour, then awakened with the words, "when do I go on?" She recuperated for several months, with her condition improving; she began preparing for a new role as Cleopatra in ''Rodogune'' by [[Pierre Corneille|Corneille]], and agreed to make a new film by Sasha Guitry called ''La Voyante'', for a payment of 10,000 francs a day. She was too weak to travel, so a room in her house on Boulevard Pereire was set up as a film studio, with scenery, lights, and cameras. However, on 21 March 1923, she collapsed again, and never recovered. She died from uremia on the evening of 26 March 1923. Newspaper reports stated she died "peacefully, without suffering, in the arms of her son".<ref>{{cite news |title=Obituary: Mme. Sarah Bernhardt |work=North-China Herald |date=31 March 1923 |page=866}}</ref> At her request, her [[Funeral Mass]] was celebrated at the church of Saint-François-de-Sales, which she attended when she was in Paris.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sarah Bernhardt|last=Silverthorne|first=Elizabeth|date=2004|publisher=Chelsea House Publishers|isbn=978-1-4381-2416-2|location=Philadelphia|oclc=464490834}}</ref> The following day, 30,000 people attended her funeral to pay their respects, and an enormous crowd followed her casket from the Church of Saint-Francoise-de-Sales to [[Pere Lachaise Cemetery]], pausing for a moment of silence outside her theatre.<ref>Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Location 3687). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.</ref> The inscription on her tombstone is the name "Bernhardt".{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|pages=330–333}}