Rating: 
Summary: A flashy, campy fantasy-action classic
Review: A goofy old-fashioned action film produced by Meriam C. Cooper, the brains behind the1931 smash "King Kong." Randolph Scott stars in this slightly tweaked adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's novel (in the book, the action is set in Africa; here it's in the Antarctic). Anyway, the basic plot is that a dashing young Anglo-American adventurer heads off in search of a magical fountain of life, but when he arrives at its hidden temple, it turns out the guardian is an immortal hottie (played by Helen Gahagan), who believes that our hero is a reincarnation of her long-lost lover. The first half of the film is kind of rickety and slow-moving, but once the films starts zipping to its crescendo, things get pretty fun. There's a big, silly dance number (half modern dance, half Busby Berkeley revue, with kooky ethnic elements), and some really cool special effects -- including a jumping-over-the-chasm scene that may seem familiar to fans of the first "Lord Of The Rings" film. Acting wise, this flick is campy at best -- it's not Scott's best effort (and I *like* Randolph Scott!), and Gahagan is kind of a dud; she's just not very convincing as an irresistible(...)-- couldn't they have gotten Bette Davis or Marlene Dietrich instead? Still, it's a fun film... definitely worth checking out!
Rating:
Summary: A flashy, campy fantasy-action classic
Review: A goofy old-fashioned action film produced by Meriam C. Cooper, the brains behind the1931 smash "King Kong." Randolph Scott stars in this slightly tweaked adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's novel (in the book, the action is set in Africa; here it's in the Antarctic). Anyway, the basic plot is that a dashing young Anglo-American adventurer heads off in search of a magical fountain of life, but when he arrives at its hidden temple, it turns out the guardian is an immortal hottie (played by Helen Gahagan), who believes that our hero is a reincarnation of her long-lost lover. The first half of the film is kind of rickety and slow-moving, but once the films starts zipping to its crescendo, things get pretty fun. There's a big, silly dance number (half modern dance, half Busby Berkeley revue, with kooky ethnic elements), and some really cool special effects -- including a jumping-over-the-chasm scene that may seem familiar to fans of the first "Lord Of The Rings" film. Acting wise, this flick is campy at best -- it's not Scott's best effort (and I *like* Randolph Scott!), and Gahagan is kind of a dud; she's just not very convincing as an irresistible(...)-- couldn't they have gotten Bette Davis or Marlene Dietrich instead? Still, it's a fun film... definitely worth checking out!
Rating:
Summary: The Ice Queen cometh
Review: After reading H. Rider Haggard's enthralling work, I had to see this movie to see how it stacked up--especially since it's regarded as the best of the 11(!) versions to date--but was disappointed as it's unfaithful to the book in some big ways. A glaringly obvious change was the shift in locales, from hot equatorial East Africa to the frigid Arctic! It's puzzling why the movie powers that be did this--could it be it was more convenient for them, more cheaper, did they think it was more dramatic, or suited better to Helen Gahgagan's glacial regal beauty and chilly demeanor? They should have stayed with Africa since it evokes images of a wild, untamed pagan land ungoverned by laws of man or civilized society which is more suited to the story's Freudian theme of man's fear and loathing of an all-powerful, dominant female, than a sterile iceland, which admittedly doesn't take much away from but doesn't add anything either--although the barren Arctic landscape does lend an eerie air of beautiful stasis, which could be seen as an atmospheric, symbolic parallel to Gahagan's lofty position of She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed (to her terrified subjects; her name is Ayesha, pronounced AH-SHA), an awe-inspiring b**tch goddess of eternal youthful beauty and deadly coldness. This film has the distinction of being Broadway star and Mrs. Melvyn Douglas' only film, especially since it's a legendary character from a literary masterpiece and she certainly lived up to the part physically as painstakingly described with her perfect brunette beauty--but her performance leaves one cold since she doesn't possess the mesmerizing persona, charisma and intensity integral to She. On to the story--Ayesha is a 500-year old queen of the city of Kor who was madly in love with John Vincey, an Apollo Greek God lookalike, but lost him when she impulsively murdered him out of jealousy. Later she discovered the mysterious Flame of Life, which gives eternal life, youth and beauty if you bathe yourself in it, which of course she did (who wouldn't!). But talk about too little, too late--with her beloved gone, all the regretful and mourning queen can do is wait however long it takes until he's reincarnated. Boy, does she have an impossibly long wait and becomes a monstrously cold and heartless ruler whose very name evokes terror--but she's still a sympathetic character because she's capable of love (though only for ONE man!) and it's the long, lonely agonized centuries of waiting that's made her cruel.The wooden but amiable Randolph Scott plays Leo, descendent of and deadringer for John Vincey, who journeys from England to the Arctic with his scholarly mentor friend Horace Holly (Nigel Bruce) to find this secret city with its promise of immortality. Once there they're joined by their guide's cute and sweet waifish daughter Tanya (Helen Mack), who's smitten with Leo. Of course they find Kor and news is brought to Ayesha at once about this John Vincey lookalike, and she knows her long wait is over. Unfortunately there are obstacles to her much-awaited "reunion"--though Leo finds her intriguing and undeniably beautiful and buys the "fact" he's John Vincey reincarnated, he's smitten with Tanya also and turned off by Ayesha's cruelty and ruthlessness. The likely possibility of getting scorned by her great love yet again unleashes her unearthly fury and brings to mind that cliched saying of "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," which is appropriately ironic here since it's the very Flame of Life that turns into the flame of death for Ayesha when she bathes in it a second time and turns into a ghastly wrinked old prune! I felt some of the soul of Rider's work was missing here, but there's enough substance and merit to make it worthwhile viewing--such as the hauntingly atmospheric B&W cinematography which is simply beautiful, evocative Max Steiner score, breathtaking and unreal sets, spectacular special effects that still stand up to this day, and an endearing performance by Mack, who exudes wholesomeness and warmth. Although it's considered inferior to this one, I prefer the 1965 Hammer Film-Ursula Andress version as it's more faithful in regard to the locale, names, ending and other details, as well as being quite good too!
Rating:
Summary: ICY LOVE QWEEN
Review: An old used-book store I travel listed several exotic silent and early film classics now thought to be "Lost". This one author went on and on about a weird, halcyon film he'd seen in his childhood called "She", with Randolph Scott. Imagine my pleasure to find that Kino International has just released the DVD of this 1935 fantasy. Sir H. Rider Haggard's adventure about Ayesha, an ageless queen of a 2000 year-old lost tribe, has been filmed at least 7 times. There were 5 silent versions(popular,eh?), plus this one, a 1965 MGM re-make with Ursula Andress, and one more sequel by Hammer called "Vengeance of She". Archivists tell us the best sound version was in 1935. This re-telling of the story of "She-who-must-be-obeyed" starred Scott, Broadway's lovely Helen Gahagan, Nigel Bruce(remember Dr. Watson?), and pretty Helen Mack(star of Son of Kong). The director was Irving Pichel(an actor in Dracula's Daughter). it was produced by Merian C. Cooper(from Kong). A haunting score is provided by Max Steiner. The film starts slow but builds to a thrilling finish. Kino uncovered an excellent old 35 mm print, and the sound is excellent. No pops. Pick up this long lost gem, and days later you'll still remember these words..."Young and Beautiful for 500 years. And Wicked every one of them..."
Rating:
Summary: ICY LOVE QWEEN
Review: An old used-book store I travel listed several exotic silent and early film classics now thought to be "Lost". This one author went on and on about a weird, halcyon film he'd seen in his childhood called "She", with Randolph Scott. Imagine my pleasure to find that Kino International has just released the DVD of this 1935 fantasy. Sir H. Rider Haggard's adventure about Ayesha, an ageless queen of a 2000 year-old lost tribe, has been filmed at least 7 times. There were 5 silent versions(popular,eh?), plus this one, a 1965 MGM re-make with Ursula Andress, and one more sequel by Hammer called "Vengeance of She". Archivists tell us the best sound version was in 1935. This re-telling of the story of "She-who-must-be-obeyed" starred Scott, Broadway's lovely Helen Gahagan, Nigel Bruce(remember Dr. Watson?), and pretty Helen Mack(star of Son of Kong). The director was Irving Pichel(an actor in Dracula's Daughter). it was produced by Merian C. Cooper(from Kong). A haunting score is provided by Max Steiner. The film starts slow but builds to a thrilling finish. Kino uncovered an excellent old 35 mm print, and the sound is excellent. No pops. Pick up this long lost gem, and days later you'll still remember these words..."Young and Beautiful for 500 years. And Wicked every one of them..."
Rating:
Summary: AN ORIGINAL SCI-FI FROM 1935.
Review: Ancient papers lead a Cambridge professor and his friends to the lost city where dwells a queen who cannot die - until she falls in love... SHE is alternately hilarious, terrible - and essential viewing for lovers of vintage Sci-Fi flicks! H. Rider Haggard was a British civil servant who began writing to win a bet with his brother after they'd argued about what made good literature. Haggard's works included a prolific 58 works of fiction and 7 works of non-fiction. KING SOLOMON'S MINES was his first novel: his second was SHE which was written in 1887. When adapted for this 1935 flick, the locale was - perhaps mistakenly - altered from the humid wastes of Africa to the frozen wastes of the near-Arctic. The two romantic leads were originally to be played by Joel McCrea and his wife, Frances Dee. Since they proved to be unavailable, the wooden Randolph Scott and the adequate Helen Mack were cast instead. The sometimes hokey script and colourless performances from both Scott and Gahagan tend to mar the film, but not completely: they give the film an unintended campy/eclectic feeling which somehow lingers in the memory rather than offends. The stagey decor of Kor is very Art Deco and reminds one of the Radio City Music Hall & you expect the Rockettes to appear out of nowhere! It is a great relief to film connoisseurs that a print of this movie - which was actually considered lost for years - was found!
Rating:
Summary: Not to be confused!
Review: Just mentioning, that this is not "She" with Ursula Andress, as one of the reviewers say; really I find it improbable that Miss Andress was even given birth to at that time. The movie is quite good, but as I have not seen the actual DVD, I am unable to comment on its quality. Since something is required, I'll give... well 4, to be kind.
Rating:
Summary: Not to be confused!
Review: Just mentioning, that this is not "She" with Ursula Andress, as one of the reviewers say; really I find it improbable that Miss Andress was even given birth to at that time. The movie is quite good, but as I have not seen the actual DVD, I am unable to comment on its quality. Since something is required, I'll give... well 4, to be kind.
Rating:
Summary: The story was adjusted a bit
Review: O.K. it was adjusted a lot. Leo Vincey (Randolph Scott) all grown up is fresh back from the U.S. So he does not have to have an English accent. His dying uncle points to a portrait of a 500 year old Vincey in a Prince Valiant haircut that is the spitting image of Leo. Then with old sci-fi equipment in the background he is told a tail of radiation and a woman that will live for ever; Doctor Watson (oops) Horace Holly is standing by. For readers that are familiar with the book, you are in for some laughs. Because the Vincey explorer was only five hundred years ago all the majors can speak English (or pigeon English). There is a native scene right out of Kong and a second with a sacrifice and a ritual dance. Can it be that this is the same director, Producer Merian C. Cooper, known for King Kong? On a more serious side the eternal questions posed in the book were replaces with a love story made for two. Helen Gahagan is a rather unique name so I looked it up in Ephraim Kats "The Film Encyclopedia"; turns out among other things She was married to Melvyn Douglas, was the author of "The Eleanor Roosevelt we Remember" (1963). A Democratic congress woman. And was defeated by Richard Nixon in her bid or a Senate seat.
Rating:
Summary: SHE Who Must Be Obeyed: Part Dated, But Still Visually Good
Review: Perhaps, the movie history would tell you that after the successful version of King Kong (1933), its director Merian Cooper produced this filmed verision of Rider Haggard novel. The music score is the same prolific Max Steiner. Certainly, 'She' makes an interesting comparison with that classi ape film, but that should not lead you think that this 'She' is just another attempt to cash in on the success of the Kong. This 1935 'She' has its own merits such as fantastic special effects and designs, which must have inspired the directors like Spielberg.
The Rider Haggard story is changed. Yes, you got Randolphe Scott's Leo Vincy and his sidekick Holly (Nigel Bruce, who later gets more famous as Dr. Watson alongside with Basil Rathbone). But here, these seachers of the 'Flame of Eternal Life' includes a woman named Tanya (Helen Mack), and moreover, they head for the north, not south, giving us some terrific effects of avalanches.
Still, the basic point remains the same. In the city of Kor, as the original story tells, the stern, cold-hearted queen She reigns, and she believes, perhaps tightly, that Leo is meant for her. She uses any ruthless methods to gain her purpose, and after we are shown some of her icy behaviors, we see the climax scenes, which are still full of impacts.
The film starts conventionally, and the adventures on the ice field may not look exciting to us. Many 'scenries' are obviously the painted backdrops in soundstages, and the acting from Scott and Helen Gahagan (Broadway singer who later entered politics) are too theatrical for us.
But the final sequences are simply majestic. The big-scale effects and the production designs of the city are more than impressive even by today's standard, and the ritual dance scenes are curiously arresting, with exotic costumes and very bizarre movements of dancers. It's very surreal.
Though some parts of the film are dated, the film, probably inspiration for films featuring Indiana Jones and his genre, is still interesting, showing that in 1930s they could show these visual tricks.
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