Directed by:
Michael CurtizScreenplay:
Harvey F. ThewCinematography:
Barney McGillCast:
John Barrymore, Marian Marsh, Charles Butterworth, Donald Cook, Luis Alberni, Carmel Myers, André Luguet, Frankie Darro, Boris Karloff, Charles Williams (more)Plots(1)
Club-footed Russian puppeteer Ivan Tsarakov is able to live his frustrated ambition to dance ballet through his protegé, Fedor Ivanoff. Tsarakov makes Fedor the greatest dancer in the world, even providing him with women. When Fedor falls in love with fellow dancer Nana Carlova, however, Tsarakov is convinced she will ruin him as a dancer. Consequently, he encourages the attentions of Count Renaud, hoping he will lure Nana away from Fedor, and when that fails, he fires Nana from the company. Fedor overhears Tsarakov talking to Nana and leaves with her. Together in Paris, the two lovers are happy at first, but as Tsarakov has informed all the ballet companies that Fedor is tied to an exclusive contract with him, Fedor is reduced to work in a cabaret. When Tsarakov's company opens in Paris, Nana begs him to give Fedor his job back. Tsarakov agrees on the condition that Nana leave Fedor for Renaud and she consents. Fedor is once again dancing, but he has become bitter and dictatorial. On opening night, he sees Nana in a box with Renaud and realizes that she still loves him. When he refuses to continue with the dance, Tsarakov threatens to kill him. Just before the curtain rises, ballet master Serge Bankieff, who is crazed by the drugs that Tsarakov supplies, kills Tsarakov. Liberated by Tsarakov's death, Fedor and Nana are reunited. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
John Barrymore
USA
Best movies:
Midnight (1939)
Counsellor at Law (1933)
Marie Antoinette (1938)
Marian Marsh
Best movies:
Hell's Angels (1930)
The Black Room (1935)
Svengali (1931)
Charles Butterworth
USA
Best movies:
Second Chorus (1940)
Love Me Tonight (1932)
Hollywood Party (1934)
Donald Cook
USA
Best movies:
The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933)
Show Boat (1936)
The Public Enemy (1931)
Luis Alberni
Spain
Best movies:
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Trouble in Paradise (1932)
Anthony Adverse (1936)
Carmel Myers
USA
Best movies:
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Through the Ages (1916)
Svengali (1931)
André Luguet
France
Best movies:
Male Companion (1964)
Three Murderesses (1959)
We Will All Go to Monte Carlo (1951)
Frankie Darro
USA
Best movies:
Flesh and the Devil (1926)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Westward the Women (1951)
Boris Karloff
UK
Best movies:
The General (1926)
Scarface (1932)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Charles Williams
USA
Best movies:
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Love Is News (1937)
History Is Made at Night (1937)
Harry Wilson
UK
Best movies:
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Great Dictator (1940)
Modern Times (1936)
Walter Miller
USA
Best movies:
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Virginia City (1940)
The Raven (1935)
Lee Moran
USA
Best movies:
The Death Kiss (1932)
Footlight Parade (1933)
The Racket (1928)
Mae Madison
USA
Best movies:
Footlight Parade (1933)
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
Smart Money (1931)
Charles Brinley
USA
Best movies:
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
The Man Who Laughs (1928)
You Can't Take It with You (1938)