The print, I looked at was not, alas, in very good shape. There was extensive chemical damage and some sections where the scene went blank. The titles were also mixed, with dialogue shown in small print, and titles that illuminated the plot in large. Characters and subplots were introduced abruptly.
Given the year this came out, and the staginess of Jacob Adler as Strogoff, all of this is understandable, if not excusable. Adler, "The Great Eagle" of the Yiddish theater, was the patriarch of an acting family, whose children included Stella and Luther Adler. He was born in 1855 in Odessa, Russia, and died in 1926 in New York. In his time, he was considered a great stage actor; the movie begins with clips of him in some of his more famous roles.
In contrast to the primitive screenwriting and acting, the visuals of this Lubin co-production are excellent, with fine stage dressing, and a well-shot fire sequence.
1914 is not a year from which to expect well-produced feature movies. Contrariwise, looking at transitional periods as film-makers striving to make the sort of movies that would be produced in 1926 or 1948 is ridiculous. They were trying to make the best movies they could, and applying the standards of 35 years later, or even twelve, is ridiculous. Nonetheless, later audiences cannot be faulted for noting how techniques and standards have changed. The main interest in seeing this picture is, for me, a chance to look upon a revered figure from a lost world in his only film role.
Given the year this came out, and the staginess of Jacob Adler as Strogoff, all of this is understandable, if not excusable. Adler, "The Great Eagle" of the Yiddish theater, was the patriarch of an acting family, whose children included Stella and Luther Adler. He was born in 1855 in Odessa, Russia, and died in 1926 in New York. In his time, he was considered a great stage actor; the movie begins with clips of him in some of his more famous roles.
In contrast to the primitive screenwriting and acting, the visuals of this Lubin co-production are excellent, with fine stage dressing, and a well-shot fire sequence.
1914 is not a year from which to expect well-produced feature movies. Contrariwise, looking at transitional periods as film-makers striving to make the sort of movies that would be produced in 1926 or 1948 is ridiculous. They were trying to make the best movies they could, and applying the standards of 35 years later, or even twelve, is ridiculous. Nonetheless, later audiences cannot be faulted for noting how techniques and standards have changed. The main interest in seeing this picture is, for me, a chance to look upon a revered figure from a lost world in his only film role.
