Cupidon

I have noticed several posters questioning what the purpose the Cupidon character was in the film. The simple answer is also the obvious one, he is in the movie because he is a character in the book Saratoga Trunk by Edna Ferber. He was part of Clio's family for years and was her mother's servant in New Orleans prior to their exile to France.
In the book it is hinted that Cupidon may actually be Angelique's son: "There were those that said that, though white, he was Kakaracou's (Angelique's) son."

It is unfortunate that his portrayal was not done in a more sympathetic manner. As another poster pointed out, the tinkling fairy music every time he appeared on screen was distracting and unnecessary. In the book he is fiercely strong, unquestionably loyal, shrewd, mischievous and tenacious. He has a large head which he uses as a battering ram to knock opponents down, strong arms with little legs that give him a wobbling gait like that of a diminutive drunken sailor. He has is eyes and ears every where and if he doesn't know something he knows how to find it. He has a great love for horses and wants more than anything to be respected as a man. Cupidon admired Clint Maroon as the epitome of masculinity and found in him a strong male role model which he had always lacked growing up in a house full of women.

In the book his character helped to illustrate the unconventional nature of Clio and her family. Her mother was an elite member of the New Orleans underground society of the mid 1800's. Her aunt (not mentioned in the movie) was in essence a prostitute. She knew how to have a good time and profit from it. It would seem to reason then that they would be perfectly comfortable having a strong but small man as their loyal servant, esp if he really was Angelique's son.