Wednesday, 28 December 2022

A Knight in London (1928 Lupu Pick)

It was certainly a morning for obscure films. This one didn't have any credits at all except for the very ending (Copia de la Filmoteca Nacional de Espana, Madrid) and it seemed like any intertitles there may have once been had been removed. It was also a print of a somewhat dubious nature. However what emerged in the 45 minute running time was a quite visually inventive (e.g. use of reflections) and neatly plotted story of a young woman who mixes up a proper admirer in a hotel with some slimy count. I said 'Count'.

It turns out the woman is the cute Lilian Harvey, her admirer Robin Irvine and the Count - OK, Prince, then -  Bernard Nedell.

On Camera: Robert Baberske and Karl Freund, editor... Michael Powell! His book 'A Life in Movies' usefully reveals that the film had been made by UFA in Germany but no one wanted to release it. Powell cut it down from 'eight reels to five' and received fifty pounds payment.




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