''Michel Strogoff'' is a 1956

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...

directed by

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

and starring Curd Jürgens. It is based on 1876 novel of the same title by

Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...

. Made as a co-production between several European nations, it was shot at the Kosutnjak Studios in

Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...

using

CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its creation in 1953 by ...

.. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Léon Barsacq Léon Barsacq (18 October 1906 – 23 December 1969) was a Russian-born and naturalized French production designer, art director and set decorator. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film '' Th ...

and

Vlastimir Gavrik Vlastimir ( sr-cyrl, Властимир, ; c. 805 – 851) was the Serbian prince from c. 830 until c. 851. Little is known of his reign. He held Serbia during the growing threat posed by the neighbouring, hitherto peaceful, First Bulgarian Empi ...

. Jürgens also appeared in a 1961 follow-up ''

The Triumph of Michael Strogoff ''The Triumph of Michael Strogoff'' (French: ''Le triomphe de Michel Strogoff'') is a 1961 French-Italian historical adventure film directed by Viktor Tourjansky and starring Curd Jürgens, Capucine and Claude Titre. It is inspired by the 1876 n ...

''.

Synopsis

In the nineteenth century

Imperial Russian The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. The ...

forces are battling against

Tartar Tartar may refer to: Places * Tartar (river), a river in Azerbaijan * Tartar, Switzerland, a village in the Grisons * Tərtər, capital of Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar District, Azerbaijan * Tartar Island, South Shetland Islands, Ant ...

forces at the city of

Irkutsk Irkutsk ( ; rus, Иркутск, p=ɪrˈkutsk; Buryat language, Buryat and mn, Эрхүү, ''Erhüü'', ) is the largest city and administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. With a population of 617,473 as of the 2010 Census, Irkutsk is ...

. Tsar Alexander II sends Michel Strogoff as a courier to try and reach the besieged city, and he travels disguised as a

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

along with Nadia and two war correspondents.

Cast

* Curd Jürgens as Michel Strogoff *

Geneviève Page Geneviève Page (born Geneviève Bonjean, 13 December 1927) is a French actress with a film career spanning fifty years and also numerous English-speaking film productions. She is the daughter of French art collector Jacques Paul Bonjean (1899– ...

as Nadia *

Jacques Dacqmine Jacques Dacqmine (1923–2010) was a French stage, film and television actor.Hayward p.242 He was married four times, including to the actress Odile Versois. Partial filmography * ''Premier rendez-vous'' (1941) - Un élève du collège (uncredi ...

as Grand-duc *

Sylva Koscina Sylva Koscina (; born Silvija Košćina, ; 22 August 1933 – 26 December 1994) was a Yugoslav-born Italian actress, maybe best remembered for her role as Iole, the bride of Hercules ( Steve Reeves) in ''Hercules'' (1958) and ''Hercules Unchai ...

as Zingara * Gérard Buhr as Blond * Jean Parédès as Jolivet *

Valery Inkijinoff The French name Valery () is a male given name or surname of Germanic origin ''Walaric'' (see Walric, abbot of Leuconay, Walric of Leuconay), that has often been confused in modern times with the Latin name ''Valerius''—that explains the variant ...

as Feofar Khan *

Françoise Fabian Michèle Cortes (born 10 May 1933), known professionally as Françoise Fabian (), is a French film actress. She has appeared in more than 100 films since 1956. In 1971, Fabian signed the Manifesto of the 343 The Manifesto of the 343 (), was a F ...

as Natko *

Henri Nassiet Henri Nassiet (1895–1977) was a French actor. Selected filmography * ''Maman Pierre'' (1922) * ''La griffe du hasard'' (1937) - Séverac (uncredited) * ''Life Dances On'' (1937) - Un policier * ''L'innocent'' (1938) - Gregor * ''La Glu'' (193 ...

as Ivan Ogareff * Sylvie as Marfa Strogoff * Louis Arbessier as Tsar *

Michel Etcheverry Michel Etcheverry (16 December 1919 – 30 March 1999) was a French actor. First a teacher, he was fired in 1941 for refusing to make the Maréchal children sing, here we come! . He began his career in the theater as a stage manager, then joined ...

as General Krisloff * Paul Demange as Employé du telegraphe

Reception

It was the most popular movie of the year in France. An estimated seven million spectators passed through the box office to see it in the country.Hayward p.33

References

Bibliography

* Hayward, Susan. ''French Costume Drama of the 1950s: Fashioning Politics in Film''. Intellect Books, 2010. * Schiltz, Francoise. ''The Future Revisited: Jules Verne on Screen in 1950s America''. Andrews UK Limited, 2012.

External links

* 1956 films 1950s historical adventure films French historical adventure films Italian historical adventure films Films directed by Carmine Gallone Films based on Michael Strogoff Films set in Russia Films set in the 19th century Films scored by Norbert Glanzberg Films shot in Serbia 1950s French-language films 1950s French films 1950s Italian films German historical adventure films {{1950s-Italy-film-stub