The Mysterious Islandis a 1929 American soundpart-talkiescience fiction filmdirected byLucien Hubbard,based onJules Verne's 1874 novelL'Île mystérieuse(The Mysterious Island). The film was photographed largely intwo-color Technicolor.In addition to sequences with audible dialogue or talking sequences, the film features a synchronized musical score and sound effects along with English intertitles. The sound was recorded via theWestern Electricsound-on-film process. The film was released byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[1]
| The Mysterious Island | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release lobby card | |
| Directed by | Lucien Hubbard |
| Screenplay by | Lucien Hubbard |
| Based on | The Mysterious Island 1874 novel byJules Verne |
| Starring | Lionel Barrymore Jacqueline Gadsden Lloyd Hughes Montagu Love Harry Gribbon |
| Cinematography | Percy Hilburn (*French) |
| Edited by | Carl Pierson |
| Music by | Martin Broones Art Lange |
| Color process | Technicolorwith black-and-white sequence |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 minutes 93 minutes Turner Library print 67 minutes restored version |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Sound (Part-Talkie) English Intertitles |
| Budget | $1,130,000 |
Plot
editOn a volcanic island near the kingdom of Hetvia rules Count Dakkar, a benevolent leader and scientist who has eliminated class distinction among the island's inhabitants. Dakkar, his daughter Sonia and her fiance, chief engineer Nicolai Roget, have designed a submarine boat which Roget pilots on its initial test voyage shortly before the island is overrun by Baron Falon, once Daggar's friend, and now the new despotic ruler of Hetvia. The Baron has Dakkar and his daughter tortured so that Dakkar will reveal all his discoveries. Dakkar is able to escape with the intervention of his loyal men. But Falon sets out after Roget and Dakkar using the Count's second submarine. The two underwater craft dive very deep to the ocean floor, where they discover a strange land populated bydragons,a giantoctopus,and an eerie, undiscovered humanoid race.
Cast
edit- Lionel Barrymoreas Count Dakkar
- Jacqueline Gadsdenas Sonia Dakkar
- Lloyd Hughesas Nikolai Roget
- Montagu Loveas Falon
- Harry Gribbonas Mikhail
- Snitz Edwardsas Anton
- Gibson Gowlandas Dmitry
- Dolores Brinkman as Teresa
- Karl Dane(uncredited)
- Robert Dudleyas Workman (uncredited)
- Angelo Rossittoas Underwater Creature (uncredited)
- Carl 'Major' Roup as Underwater Creature (uncredited)
- Billy Schuler (uncredited)
- Pauline Starke(uncredited)
- Jack Stoutenburg (uncredited)
- Harry Tenbrookas Workman (uncredited)
- Robert McKim(uncredited)
Production
editThe film had a budget of $1,130,000.[2]According to an article in the originalFamous Monsters of Filmlandmagazine, production was actually started in 1926. There were various problems, including weather and the advent of talkies, which slowed/halted production several times before the film was finally completed and released three years later. The article included stills showing the original 1926 undersea denizens and the redesigned version which actually appeared in the film. Footage directed byMaurice TourneurandBenjamin Christensenin 1927 was incorporated into the final 1929 version.
Adaptation
editThe film is loosely based on the back-story given forCaptain Nemoin the novelThe Mysterious Island,and might more properly be thought of as a prequel toTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.It is the story of Count Dakkar (Captain Nemo's real name is revealed to be Prince Dakkar inThe Mysterious Island), how he built his submarine, how he was betrayed, and how he became an outcast seeking revenge.
Reception
editThe film's financial failure cost MGM $878,000.[2]
Preservation
editUntil recently, only one reel with a color sequence was thought to have survived, in the collection of theUCLA Film and Television Archive.
In 2013, Deborah Stoiber from theGeorge Eastman Housefilm archivevisitedPragueto examine the sole existing color copy ofThe Mysterious Island.The U.S. film experts, in cooperation with theCzech National Film Archive,restored the color print ofThe Mysterious Island.[3]After the complete Technicolor print was discovered in Prague in December 2013, a new print of the film premiered at the 33rdPordenone Silent Film Festivalin October 2014.[4]
The full film is available in color on YouTube[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Progressive Silent Film List:The Mysterious Islandat silentera.com
- ^abMedved & Medved 1984,p. 220.
- ^U.S. film historians find treasure in Czech archive,Radio Praha December 13, 2013
- ^2014 Pordenone Silent Film Festival
- ^Cum Lingus Communicamus (December 14, 2023).The mysterious island (1929).RetrievedJuly 8,2024– via YouTube.
Works cited
editExternal links
edit
- The Mysterious IslandatIMDb
- SynopsisatAllMovie
- The Mysterious Islandat theTCM Movie Database
- The Mysterious Islandat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films
- The Mysterious Islandfull film on YouTube
- Lantern slide(archived)
- Early Technicolor discoveries from the BFI National ArchiveonYouTube(The Mysterious Islandscreen test at 4:12)