The Case of Lena Smith
(1929) American
B&W : Eight reels / 7229 feet
Directed by Josef von Sternberg
Cast: Esther Ralston [Lena Smith], James Hall [Franz Hofrat], Gustav von Seyffertitz [Herr Hofrat], Emily Fitzroy [Frau Hofrat], Fred Kohler [Stefan], Betty Aho [Stefan’s sister], Lawrence Grant [commissioner], Leone Lane [Pepi], Kay Deslys [Poldi], Alex Woloshin [janitor], Ann Brody [janitor’s wife], Warner Klinger [Franz, age 18], Wally Albright Jr. [Franz, age 3], Aleksandr Ikonikov
Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation production; distributed by Paramount Pictures Corporation. / Scenario by Jules Furthman, from a story by Samuel Ornitz. Production design by Hans Dreier. Unit manager J.W. Schleif. Technical directors Hans Dreier and Martin Porkay. Assistant directors Bob Lee and Martin Porkay. Cinematography by Harold Rosson. Second cameraman Bill Rand. Assistant cameramen Ed Pyle and Paul Lockwood. Intertitles by Julian Johnson. Edited by Helen Lewis. / Released 19 January 1929. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. / Silent film.
Drama.
Survival Status: The film is presumed lost : a 100-metre fragment of a 35mm positive was recovered by Komatsu Hiroshi (Hiroshi Komatsu) of Tokyo’s Waseda University.
Keywords: Death: Suicide
Listing updated: 18 July 2007.
References: Baer-Film p. 42; Brownlow-Behind pp. xx-xxi; Drew-Speaking pp. 188, 203, 204, 284; Everson-American p. 246s; Sarris-Sternberg pp. 8, 16, 22-23; Sweeney-Coming p. 141; Thompson-Lost p. 251 : with additional information provided by Anna Bohn.
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