Michel Strogoff (1956)
Directed by Carmine Gallone

Film Review

Jules Verne's classic 1876 novel Michel Strogoff has been adapted for cinema many times, most impressively by Victor Tourjansky in 1926 with the hyper-charismatic Ivan Mosjoukine revelling in the heroic lead role. Carmine Gallone's 1956 version, despite being filmed in luxurious widescreen colour, is somewhat less involving and is pretty indistinguishable from the slew of adventure epics that came out around this time.  Better suited for villainous roles with his steely Germanic looks, Curt Jurgens is somewhat miscast as Strogoff but nonetheless he turns in a typically solid performance, ably supported by a stunning Geneviève Page.

Valery Inkijinoff has far greater impact, cast (as was often the case) as the exotic villain of the piece, giving a performance to rival that of his earlier villainous turns in Storm Over Asia (1928), La Tête d'un homme (1932) and Amok (1934).  The film ends with some spectacular battle sequences but before we get to this attention-grabbing denouement it feels like we are crossing a vast expanse of featureless desert, with only a few dramatic interludes to encourage us to stick with Strogoff on his seemingly interminable journey across Russia.

In his youth, back in the silent era, the film's director Carmine Gallone had been one of Italy's leading filmmakers, earning his spurs with his prestigious Balzac adaptations La Storia dei tredici (1917) and Il Colonello Chabert (1920).  He went on to have a prolific career, achieving great success with his popular musicals and historical dramas.  Now well into his sixties, Gallone lacks inspiration and seems to be a strange choice to direct a blockbuster epic.  The year before, he had helmed La Grande Bagarre de Don Camillo (1955), a lacklustre comedy featuring the French comic star Fernandel.  Gallone's Michel Strogoff now looks somewhat dated but it was a worldwide hit on its original release in 1956, attracting an audience of just under seven million in France alone.

Film Synopsis

In 1880, the Russian Empire is threatened by a Tartar uprising in the East.  The Tsar of Russia entrusts a humble soldier named Michel Strogoff with a vital message which he must take to the Siberian town of Irkutsk to warn of an impending invasion by the belligerent Tartar prince Feofar Khan.  En route, Strogoff meets Nadia Fedor, a beautiful young woman who is desperate to be reunited with her father, a political refugee who is presently living in exile in Irkutsk.  After a long and hazardous journey, Strogoff becomes Khan's prisoner and is condemned to lose his sight...