The Volga Boatman (1926 film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Frank Urson (asst. director)
by Konrad Bercovici
| The Volga Boatman | |
|---|---|
 Poster for film | |
| Directed by | Cecil B. DeMille Frank Urson (asst. director) |
| Written by | Lenore J. Coffee |
| Based on | The Volga Boatman by Konrad Bercovici |
| Produced by | Cecil B. DeMille |
| Starring | William Boyd Victor Varconi Elinor Fair |
| Cinematography | J. Peverell Marley Arthur C. Miller Fred Westerberg |
| Edited by | Anne Bauchens |
| Music by | Hugo Riesenfeld |
Production company | Cecil De Mille Pictures Corp. |
| Distributed by | Producers Distributing Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
| Budget | $479,357[2] |
| Box office | $1,275,375[2] |
The Volga Boatman is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille,[3] who reportedly said the film was, "his greatest achievement in picture making".[citation needed] The film's budget was $479,000 and it grossed $1.27 million.[2] The film was highly successful, turning William Boyd into matinee idol overnight.
As described in a film magazine review,[4] Vera, a princess engaged to a Russian nobleman, falls in love with Feodor, a young boatman. A revolution breaks out and the threatened princess is saved by the boatman, and brought to an inn as his wife. Here they are both captured by the royal army, where the woman’s former sweetheart makes her dance for the drunken soldiers. The boatman shoots one of them, and he and the princess are ordered to be shot. They are saved in time by the revolutionists, who force the noblemen to assume their places as boatmen. Realizing they are in love with each other, the boatman and the princess go their way.
Cast
- William Boyd as Feodor, a Volga boatman
- Elinor Fair as Vera, a princess
- Robert Edeson as Prince Nikita
- Victor Varconi as Prince Dimitri
- Julia Faye as Mariusha, a gypsy
- Theodore Kosloff as Stefan, a blacksmith
- Arthur Rankin as Vashi, a Boatman
- Ed Brady as A Boatman (uncredited)
- Charles Clary as Red Army officer (uncredited)
- Gino Corrado as White Army officer (uncredited)
- Lillian Elliott as landlady (uncredited)
- John George as Red Army soldier (uncredited)
Production
The film was based on a 1926 Konrad Bercovici novel of the same title and was adapted for the screen by Lenore J. Coffee. Mitchell Leisen, Anton Grot, and Max Parker served as art directors. Costumes were done by Adrian.[5]
Location shooting for the film was carried out near Rio Vista, California, in 1925.[5]
Preservation
Complete prints of The Volga Boatman are held by:
- George Eastman Museum (on 35 mm)[3]
- Cineteca Nazionale (on 35 mm)
- UCLA Film & Television Archive (on 35 mm)
- British Film Institute[6]
