She (1925)

In 1925 H. Rider Haggard was invited to participate in a new feature-length silent motion picture adaptation of his 1887 novel “She: A History of Adventure.” This version would be a British-German coproduction filmed in Berlin by producers G.B. Samuelson and Arthur A. Lee. The scenario was written by Walter Summers, but the intertitle cards were written by Haggard personally.

This week’s movie was “She” from the Lee Bradford Corporation in 1925, directed by Leander De Cordova. American actor Carlyle Blackwell stars as “Leo Vincey,” a young man who leads an expedition to Libya in search of the lost city of Kor. He is accompanied by his guardian “Horace Holly,” (played by German actor Heinrich George), and his manservant “Job,” (played by British actor Tom Reynolds). The city of Kor is ruled by a beautiful immortal queen named “Ayesha,” (played by American actress Betty Blythe, who received top billing). She believes that Leo is the reincarnation of her long lost love “Kallikrates,” and wants him to rule at her side forever.

The storyline in this film is probably the most faithful to the original novel of any of the many adaptations, no doubt because of Haggard’s direct involvement. Unfortunately De Cordova’s direction is flat and uninteresting, with much of the picture consisting of static dialogue scenes. The best moments are the climax involving the pillar of fire and the tense crossing of a chasm to reach this cavernous chamber.

Actress Betty Blythe was best-known for her starring role in the 1921 film “The Queen of Sheba” in which she had appeared nude, (at least in the European version). In “She” her bare breasts are clearly visible in her see-through costume. Her performance is enthusiastic, but not particularly convincing. Carlyle Blackwell was too old to play the youthful Leo, and offers a passionless and disinterested performance. Only Heinrich George rises to the occasion with a fine performance as Horace Holly.

Unfortunately H. Rider Haggard died before this project was completed and never saw the finished film. It was a financial success but not a huge box office hit with audiences, and the critical response was mixed. The movie has survived intact, but it has never built much of a reputation.

Heinrich George appeared in many films in his native Germany. He was a Communist rather than a Nazi, but the Soviets imprisoned him as a collaborator in a concentration camp in Sachsenhausen where he died of starvation in 1946.