The Patriot (1928 film)

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The Patriot
Directed by	Ernst Lubitsch
Written by	Hanns Kräly Alfred Neumann (Novel) Ashley Dukes (Play) Dmitry Merezhkovsky (Play)
Starring	Emil Jannings Florence Vidor Lewis Stone Neil Hamilton
Cinematography	Bert Glennon
Edited by	Ernst Lubitsch
Music by	Max Bergunker
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	August 17, 1928 (1928-08-17)
Running time	113 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent film English sequences
Budget	$1 million

The Patriot is a 1928 semi-biographical film that was directed by Ernst Lubitsch and released by Paramount Pictures. While mainly a silent film, the film did have a synchronized soundtrack as well as some talking sequences. The movie is a biographical story of Emperor Paul I of Russia, starring Emil Jannings, Florence Vidor and Lewis Stone.^[1]

Plot[]

In 18th-century Russia, the Czar, Paul, is surrounded by murderous plots and trusts only Count Pahlen. Pahlen wishes to protect his friend, the mad king, but because of the horror of the king's acts, he feels that he must remove him from the throne. Stefan, whipped by the czar for not having the correct number of buttons on his gaiters, joins with the count in the plot. The crown prince is horrified by their plans and warns his father, who, having no love for his son, places him under arrest for his foolish accusations. Pahlen uses his mistress, the Countess Ostermann, to lure the czar into the bedroom, where she tells the czar of the plot. The czar summons Pahlen, who reassures him of his loyalty. Later that night the count and Stefan enter his bedroom, and presently the czar is dead. But moments later Stefan turns a pistol on Pahlen. As the count lies dying on the floor, the countess appears and embraces Pahlen as he says, "I have been a bad friend and lover—but I have been a Patriot."

Cast[]

Emil Jannings as emperor Paul I

• Emil Jannings as Czar Paul I
• Florence Vidor as Countess Ostermann
• Lewis Stone as Count Pahlen
• Vera Voronina as Mademoiselle Lapoukhine
• Neil Hamilton as Crown Prince Alexander
• Harry Cording as Stefan

Tullio Carminati and Carmencita Johnson appear uncredited in this movie.

Production[]

Writing[]

The film was written by Hanns Kräly; it is an adaptation of two plays: Paul I by Dmitry Merezhkovsky and The Patriot by Ashley Dukes (based on the novel Der Patriot by Alfred Neumann). The Dukes play was performed on Broadway in January 1928.^[2] John Gielgud made his Broadway debut in that play.

Reception[]

Awards[]

It won the Academy Award for Best Writing and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Lewis Stone) and Best Art Direction.^[3][4] It was the only silent film nominated for Best Picture that year and the last until The Artist won in 2011.

Remake[]

The film was remade in France in 1938 with the same title.

Preservation status[]

Only pieces of this film are left, including trailers. The UCLA Film and Television Archive is in possession of 2500 feet of footage (out of 10,000), and one reel was found in Portugal,^[1] but to date no complete copy has been located.^[5][6]

It is the only Best Picture Academy Award nominee for which no complete or near-complete copy has been found.

See also[]

• List of lost films

References[]

External links[]

• The Patriot at IMDb
• The Patriot at Rotten Tomatoes