DVD Review: Tempest (1928) (Silent) (B&W): John Barrymore, Camilla Horn, Sam Taylor: Movies & TV

Jul09

DVD Review: Tempest (1928) (Silent) (B&W): John Barrymore, Camilla Horn, Sam Taylor: Movies & TV

Posted by admin | on 9 July, 11:03 PM

Product Description
John Barrymore in a stirring romance of Russia on the brink of revolution

An epic romance set in Russia during the final days of the Tsarist autocracy, TEMPEST stars John Barrymore as Sgt. Ivan Markov, a dedicated soldier who defies the rigid class system to receive an officer s commission. But even as he rises through the ranks of military and society, he must contend with resentment from the aristocratic officers including the monocled Ullrich Haupt, who delivers a sinister performance worthy of Erich von Stroheim, himself an uncredited screenwriter on the project. Ignoring the warnings of a grim political prophet (Boris de Fast), Ivan continues his climb to power, and falls in love with a haughty princess (Faust s Camilla Horn), who spurns him and causes him to be stripped of rank. However, the tables are turned when the prophecy of a people s revolt is realized, upending the aristocracy and putting Ivan and Princess Tamara at the mercy of a sweeping tide of fate.

U.S. 1928 B&W 111 Min. United Artists Full-Frame (1.33:1)

This Version Is Good But 2003 Image Edition Is Better.,

By Chip Kaufmann (Asheville, N.C. United States) -
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

TEMPEST was the penultimate silent movie made by John Barrymore (ETERNAL LOVE directed by Ernst Lubitsch would be the last). The setting is not Shakespeare but takes place around the time of the Russian Revolution. The direction is credited to Sam Taylor who was best known for his comedies but a lot of it was shot by Lewis Milestone and visually it shows in many of the scene compositions and camera angles. The film is primarily remembered today for Charles Rosher’s cinematography, the sets by William Cameron Menzies, and as the Hollywood debut of German actress Camilla Horn (Murnau’s FAUST). While not a great movie, it does have a lot to offer especially for silent movie and/or John Barrymore fans.

This new version from Kino International is part of a new 4 DVD set of silent films by John Barrymore although it can be purchased separately (BELOVED ROGUE, DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE, SHERLOCK HOLMES make up the rest of the set). The picture quality is good and although it says it’s from 35mm, a lot of it looks like 16mm to me. This print is courtesy of the Killiam Collection and contains some pro-Soviet bits that were later removed. The piano score is by William Perry. Back in 2003, Film Preservation Associates released their DVD version through Image Entertainment. It is clearly from 35mm although a little scratchier and offers two separate soundtracks (the original Vitaphone discs and a piano score by Philip Carli) as well as a one reel home movie of Barrymore on his yacht. That’s the one to own although this release comes in a close second.
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