Prestige
Brief Synopsis
A woman joins her fiance at a Malaysian prison camp only to discover he's become an alcoholic.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Tay Garnett
Director
Ann Harding
Therese Du Flos [Verlaine]
Adolphe Menjou
Capt. Remy Bandoin
Melvyn Douglas
Lieut. Andre Verlaine
Ian Maclaren
Colonel Du Flos
Guy Bates Post
Major
Film Details
Genre
Adventure
Drama
Romance
Release Date
Jan
22,
1932
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Pathé Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Pathé Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Lips of Steel by Harry Hervey (publication undetermined).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 11m
Sound
Mono (RCA Photophone System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8 reels
Synopsis
Shortly before she is to marry, Therese Du Flos learns that her fiancé, Lieutenant Andre Verlaine of the French army, has been promoted to captain and assigned to a penal colony in remote Lao Bao, China. Although she longs to go with him, Therese agrees to stay in Paris until Andre's return, but after a year's separation, she changes her mind. Inspired by her father, Colonel Du Flos, who urges her never to forget her "prestige" as a white woman, Therese travels to Saigon, where she meets up with Captain Remy Bandoin, a longtime friend and admirer. From Saigon, Therese travels to the jungle interior of China and eventually arrives in the Lao Bao colony. To her horror, she finds Andre sick with fever and despair, and alone with his only friend, a black servant named Nham. After Andre recovers, he and Therese are married in a native ceremony, and Therese settles into a new life. Soon, however, both Andre and Therese succumb to the rigors of the penal colony, where tension between Andre and his native troops is intense. Therese, sensing that Andre is on the verge of a breakdown, writes to her father and begs him to engineer a transfer. In response, Remy shows up and tells Andre that Therese's petitions have angered the army hierarchy and that he is to stay at the colony indefinitely. Depressed, Andre gets drunk and insults both Therese and his guest. Although disappointed by Remy's news, Therese orders Andre to "carry his burden with his head up." A few days later, Therese, who has been propositioned by Remy, receives a letter from her father stating that the transfer has been approved. Andre, still filled with anger, refuses to read the letter, however, and, rebuking Therese for being a martyr, orders her to leave. As Therese prepares to go with Remy, she discovers that Nham has killed the Frenchman out of loyalty to Andre. At his trial, Nham refuses to defend himself, and Andre coldly sentences him to die. Before Nham's execution, however, the guards mutiny and release the prisoners. Confronted by dozens of rioting soldiers, one of whom kills Nham, Andre finally finds his courage and, enduring a gunshot wound, whips his men into submission. The battle won, Therese stands prouldy next to Andre, "head up, eyes front."
Director
Tay Garnett
Director
Cast
Ann Harding
Therese Du Flos [Verlaine]
Adolphe Menjou
Capt. Remy Bandoin
Melvyn Douglas
Lieut. Andre Verlaine
Ian Maclaren
Colonel Du Flos
Guy Bates Post
Major
Rollo Lloyd
Capt. Emil de Fontenac
Clarence Muse
Nham
Tetsu Komai
Sergeant
Carmelita Geraghty
Felice
Creighton Hale
Lieutenant
Crew
Lucien Andriot
Photography
Harry Joe Brown
Associate Producer
Carroll Clark
Art Director
Norman De Vol
2nd Camera
Francis Edwards Faragoh
Screenwriter
Robert Fellows
Assistant Director
Tay Garnett
Adaptation
Irving Glassberg
Assistant Camera
Bernie Grossman
Composer
Harry Hervey
Story
Joseph Kane
Film Editor
Milton Krasner
2nd Camera
Arthur Lange
Music Director
Harold Lewis
Composer
Rollo Lloyd
Adaptation
Rollo Lloyd
Dialogue Director
Charles R. Rogers
Company
Roger Shearman
Assistant Camera
Bert Six
Still Photographer
Gwen Wakeling
Costumes
Earl A. Wolcott
Recording
Videos
Movie Clip
Film Details
Genre
Adventure
Drama
Romance
Release Date
Jan
22,
1932
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
RKO Pathé Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Pathé Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Lips of Steel by Harry Hervey (publication undetermined).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 11m
Sound
Mono (RCA Photophone System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8 reels
Articles
Prestige (1932)
A woman joins her fiance at a Malaysian prison camp only to discover he's become an alcoholic.
Prestige (1932)
A woman joins her fiance at a Malaysian prison camp only to discover he's become an alcoholic.
Quotes
Trivia
Melvyn Douglas was borrowed from Samuel Goldwyn to replace the originally cast Robert Williams (V) who had died of a ruptured appendix.
Notes
According to Variety, Melvyn Douglas replaced Robert Williams, who died of peritontis on November 3, 1931, on this production. RKO borrowed Douglas from Samuel Goldwyn's company. A Film Daily news items states that location shooting was done in Venice, FL. Guy Bates Post made his "talker" debut in this film.
