The Prague Monte Christo

Country

Czechoslovakia, Austria

Copyright

1929

Production year

1929

Premiere

7 February 1930

Runtime

77 min

Director

Hans Otto

Category

film

Genre

adventure

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Film state

lost film

Original title

Pražský Monte Christo

Czech title

Pražský Monte Christo

English title

The Prague Monte Christo

Parallel title

Der Monte Christo von Prag / Um Frauen und Geld

Synopsis

Engineer Fred Born wishes to end his relationship with Marie Orlová before he goes off on a protracted business trip. He visits her when she is at home alone. In the meantime, Marie's betrothed, the passionate gambler Egon, is caught up in a scuffle over money with the prosecutor whom he mortally wounds. Egon flees the house unseen but Marie's father sees Fred leaving; On the basis of this testimony, Fred is arrested. Furthermore, an unknown man plants some documents belonging to an experienced swindler on Fred and the latter is condemned to fifteen years' imprisonment. He shares his cell with the wealthy Jiří Richell who has money stashed away in a bank which can only be withdrawn with a secret password. Richell is seriously ill and he tells Fred the bank password. He also thinks up a plan whereby Fred is set free instead of himself. Fred finds his almost blind mother at home, nursed by his friend from his childhood days, Elly. Egon again finds himself in financial difficulties, he falsifies a bill of exchange and commits suicide. Just before he dies he admits to his guilt in the prosecutor's murder and Fred is cleared. Marie asks Fred for forgiveness but he rejects her and hurries home to his mother and Elly. (According to promotional material issued at the time the film was made.)

Note

The film materials are believed lost.

Cast

Albert Heine

Jan Orell

Valery Boothby

Orellova dcera Mary

Walter Rilla

Ing. Fred Born

Jan W. Speerger

Mariin snoubenec Egon Bernhard

Clementine Plessner

Fredova matka

Iris Arlan

Elly Hubertová

Josef Rovenský

vězeň Jiří Richell

Theodor Pištěk

vězeňský dozorce

Hans Homma

vyšetřující soudce

Hans Effenbereger

Crew and creators

Director

Hans Otto

Screenstory

Hans Otto

Director of Photography

Viktor Gluck, Josef Střecha

Production info

Original Title

Pražský Monte Christo

Czech Title

Pražský Monte Christo

English Title

The Prague Monte Christo

Parallel Title

Der Monte Christo von Prag / Um Frauen und Geld

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Film state

lost film

Genre

adventure

Origin country

Czechoslovakia, Austria

Copyright

1929

Production Year

1929

Production specifications

date of censorship 17 June 1929

Premiere

premiere 7 February 1930 /unsuitable for youths/ (kina Beránek /1 týden/, Favorit /1 týden/ a Louvre /1 týden/, Praha)

Copyright Holders

Národní filmový archiv

Studio

Vídeň

Distribution

Degl a spol.

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

77 min

Original length in metres

2 200 meters

Distribution carrier

35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,33

Colour

black & white

Sound

silent

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

without dialogue

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Intertitles languages

Czech

Opening/End credits languages

Czech