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actual 9.5mm film frame
T.9054 (6 reel 9.5mm sound release by Pathéscope April 1939)
"MOSCOW NIGHTS" GB Feb1936 Director: Anthony Asquith --------------- A London Films Production 76mins B/W Cert "A" Produced by: Alexander Korda (Approx 50mins on 9.5mm) Alexis Granowski, Max Schach Produced at Denham Studios (UK) Distributed by: General Film Distributors Ltd Screenplay by: Eric Seipman, Anthony Asquith Based on the novel "Les Nuits De Moscow" by Pierre Benoit Released in the USA as "I Stand Condemned" Sets by: Vincent Korda Photography: Philip Tannura Original Music: Walter Jurmann, Bronislau Kaper Music Director: Muir Mathieson (Although made during 1935, the UK release wasn't until 22Feb1936)
Laurence Olivier Penelope Dudley Ward (these B/W images are all from 9.5mm film frames)
Cast: Harry Baur .............. Peter Brioukow Laurence Olivier ........ Captain Ivan Ignatoff Penelope Dudley Ward .... Natasha Robert Cochran .......... Polonsky Morton Selten ........... General Kovrin Athene Seyler ........... Madame Anna Sabine Lilian Braithwaite ...... Countess Morton Selten ........... Kovrin Sam Livesey ............. Fedor Walter Hudd ............. Doctor Kate Cutler ............. Madame Kovrin Charles Hallard ......... President of Court Martial Charles Carson .......... Officer of Defence Edmund Willard .......... Officer of Prosecution Hay Petrie .............. Spy Morland Graham .......... Brioukow's servant Anthony Quale ........... (uncredited) soldier dictating letter John Harvey, Clarence Rigg, William Webster
Russia 1916 - a nurse (Penelope Dudley Ward) agrees to marry a profiteer (Harry Baur) to save her mother's house and save the captain (Laurence Olivier) she loves from being shot as a spy.
UK cinema release
US cinema release
Release on 9.5mm sound
April/May 1939 Pathéscope Monthly magazine entry
Watch the American release of "Moscow Nights" on YouTube as "I Stand Condemned": https://youtu.be/VGFD_pvSda4
Notes:
1. The first film to be made at Denham Studios. The interiors started shooting at Worton Hall (Isleworth) in June 1935. before transferring to Denham for exteriors. Production cost was £52.326. ["Southern Roses" was the first production to be shot entirely at the new studios].
2. This picture was part of a deal Alexander Korda did with Alexis Granowski. One version was shot during 1934 in France - the other later in England mainly with different actors. The French edition starred Harry Baur, Pierre Richard-Willim & Annabella and was issued on 9.5mm sound in France as "Les Nuits Moscovites" (9 reels GS.70139). Baur who took the lead in the English version as well, was considered one of the greatest actors in French films during the Thirties. Publicity claimed he spoke little English, but on arrival in London was tutored by Leslie Banks, the erudite star of Korda's "Sanders Of the River". At the end of four weeks allegedly Baur was fluent in the language. However "Variety" trade magazine speculated that he had been dubbed, but "if this is so, then it is perfect dubbing".
3. After the film had been completed, Korda sold it as part of a "package deal" to C.M.Woolf's General Film Distributors (GFD). It was the first film to be released by this company who later became part of the J.Arthur Rank empire. At the time Max Schach's Capitol Films was closely tied to GFD and this is probably why his name often appears as a "producer" of this film. Schach, who has been described as "the most universally disliked producer ever to work in British Films", clearly did a deal with Pathéscope who released more of his pictures, including "Land Without Music"; "Southern Roses" and "When Knights Were Bold".
4. Amongst the scenes missing from the 9.5mm print are:- Peter Brioukow and Natasha sharing an idyllic afternoon in the countryside : Natasha walking in the hospital gardens, meeting Ignatoff (who declares his love) and Brioukow then joining them : A lengthy section set in the night before before Peter is to give evidence at the trial. He talks to Natasha, realises that she is in love with the captain and then throws her out : Part of the court scene where Brioukow, in the witness box, ponders whether to clear Ignatoff. On 35mm he imagines the captain lined up before a firing squad, blindfolded and executed. Also gone are the final few minutes as a drunken Baur sits amongst a crowd of gypsy dancers and morosely contemplated his future.
5. There is an excellent article about this film in Group 9.5 magazine number 49, dated Spring 2012 - The "Film Collecting On 9.5" article by film historian extraordinaire Maurice Trace.
(Extra Info gratefully added from Maurice Trace) ZT-9054/gln/08.11.2014
The 9.5mm sound feature film "Moscow Nights" GB 1936 Directed by Anthony Asquith with Harry Baur, Laurence Olivier & Penelope Dudley Ward, plus three extra 9.5mm sound shorts - "IThe Spinach Overture" (Popeye cartoon), "Hungarian Rhapsody" (1930 musical short) and "Mewsical Airs" (A 1937 Ace Cinemagazine) are now available (Nov2014) on one DVD at £5.95 plus 95p UK postage (UK cheques payable G.L. Newnham) from Grahame L. Newnham, 22 Warren Place, Calmore, Southampton, SO40 2SD
Return to: 9.5MM PATHESCOPE SOUND FILM CATALOGUE ........... ALPHA .......... NUMERIC
Created 08Nov2014 ...... Last updated: 29 September 2017 ...... 95flmcatt9054.htm ......©MMX1V Grahame L. Newnham