Betrayal (1929 film)

Betrayal
Betrayal
	Lobby card
Directed by	Lewis Milestone
Written by	Hanns Kräly; Julian Johnson (titles);
Story by	Victor Schertzinger; Nicholas Soussanin;
Produced by	Lewis Milestone; David O. Selznick;
Starring	Emil Jannings; Esther Ralston; Gary Cooper;
Cinematography	Henry W. Gerrard
Edited by	Del Andrews
Music by	Louis De Francesco; J.S. Zamecnik;
Production; company	Famous Players-Lasky
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	April 28, 1929 (NYC); May 11, 1929 (USA);
Running time	80 minutes; 8 reels, 6,614 ft
Country	United States
Languages	Silent (English intertitles and talking sequences)

Betrayal is a 1929 American silent drama film produced for Famous Players-Lasky and released by Paramount Pictures.^[1] The film is the last silent film directed by Lewis Milestone,^[2] the last silent performance by Gary Cooper,^[3] the last silent performance by Germany's Emil Jannings,^[4]^[3] and the only onscreen pairing of Cooper and Jannings.^[1] It is considered a lost film.^[5]

Plot[]

Swiss peasant girl Vroni (Esther Ralston) is having a secret summer romance with Viennese artist Andre Frey (Gary Cooper). When Andre later returns to Switzerland, he learns that Vroni has been forced to marry wealthy burgomeister Poldi Moser (Emil Jannings). Explaining Andre's appearance, Vroni introduces him as a young man who has just lost his sweetheart, and in sympathy, Poldi invites Andre to be a guest in his house.

Several times over the next few years Andre visits, during which time Poldi and Vroni have two children. Andre is overwrought by his repressed feelings toward Vroni, and after seven years, begs her to run off with him. She refuses, but agrees to one last tryst. While speeding down a dangerous run on a toboggan together, Vroni is killed and Andre fatally injured. Poldi learns the truth of the relationship while attending Vroni's funeral, and swears vengeance but discovers that Andre has died from the severity of his injuries.

Cast[]

Emil Jannings as Poldi Moser
Esther Ralston as Vroni
Gary Cooper as Andre Frey
Douglas Haig as Peter
Jada Weller as Hans
Bodil Rosing as Andre's Mother
Ann Brody
Paul Guertzman
Leone Lane

Production[]

Filmed at locations near Lake Tahoe, the film was intended to be a "part-talkie" and incorporated talking sequences, synchronized music, and sound effects,^[1]^[6] but because of Jannings's heavy German accent and the poor recording of Ralston's voice, it was released as a silent.^[3]

References[]

^ ^a ^b ^c Hal Erickson. "Betrayal". Allmovie. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
^ Joseph R. Millichap (1981). Lewis Milestone. Twayne's Theatrical Arts Series. Twayne Publishers. pp. 16–34. ISBN 0-8057-9281-3.
^ ^a ^b ^c Homer Dickens (1970). The Films of Gary Cooper. Volume 335 of Citadel film series. Citadel Press. pp. 8, 66. ISBN 0-8065-0010-7.
^ René Jordan (1974). Gary Cooper. The Pyramid illustrated history of the movies. Pyramid Communications. pp. 41, 144. ISBN 0-515-03416-9.
^ Jean Arthur. "Betrayal (1928\9)". Gary Cooper Scrapbook. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
^ Carl Bennett. "Betrayal (1929)". The Progressive Silent Film List. silentera.com. Retrieved April 15, 2011.

External links[]

[Allmovie-1] Hal Erickson. "Betrayal". Allmovie. Retrieved April 15, 2011.

[2] Joseph R. Millichap (1981). Lewis Milestone. Twayne's Theatrical Arts Series. Twayne Publishers. pp. 16–34. ISBN 0-8057-9281-3.

[Dickens-3] Homer Dickens (1970). The Films of Gary Cooper. Volume 335 of Citadel film series. Citadel Press. pp. 8, 66. ISBN 0-8065-0010-7.

[4] René Jordan (1974). Gary Cooper. The Pyramid illustrated history of the movies. Pyramid Communications. pp. 41, 144. ISBN 0-515-03416-9.

[5] Jean Arthur. "Betrayal (1928\9)". Gary Cooper Scrapbook. Retrieved April 15, 2011.

[silentera-6] Carl Bennett. "Betrayal (1929)". The Progressive Silent Film List. silentera.com. Retrieved April 15, 2011.

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