The Soldier and the Lady

MICHEL STROGOFF is my favorite Jules Verne book. From the title I could never tell that it was an adaptation of Verne's opus, but THE SOLDIER AND THE LADY, the 1937 Hollywood version, is probably the best rendition I have watched of the great novel.

Director George Nicholls Jr does a fine job of keeping the story on track despite the multitude of characters that appear in it. The cinematography by Joseph August is very good, much better than what one would see in films back in the day. I was reminded at times of Eisenstein's ALEXANDER NEVSKI, even if the latter only came out the following year.

Anton Walbrook seems a bit puny for the part but he delivers a well etched portrayal of the character, even if I found that he kept bulging his eyes wide open more than the part needed.

Exuberance was much more in keeping with the part of Ogareff, which Akim Tamiroff delivers in flamboyant style, easily stealing the show.

Pity that the Hollywoodization of this wonderful literary work would have to include the then almost obligatory comic relief, personified by Blore and Brophy as war correspondents. They have no connection with the English and French newsmen of the original. Elizabeth Allan seems weak.

Those shortcomings aside, this film is well worth watching.