The Serpent
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Raoul A. Walsh
Theda Bara
Lillian Hathaway
James Marcus
Charles Craig
Carl Harbaugh
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Russia, the peasant Vania Lazar vows revenge on the Grand Duke Valanoff after he rapes her and kills her sweetheart, Andrey Sobi. She goes to England where, under a different name, she becomes a sensation in the theater. Valanoff, who does not recognize her, is one of her most ardent admirers, and Vania, as part of her planned revenge, encourages his advances. When she learns of his devotion to his son, Leo, who is fighting at the front, she becomes a Red Cross nurse and then locates the young man. She makes him fall in love with her, and then, after marrying him, brings him back to Valanoff. Soon, she arranges for Leo to see her in Valanoff's arms, after which Leo kills himself and Vania reveals her real identity to a despondent grand duke. Suddenly, Vania wakes up and finds that she is still a peasant in Russia and has dreamed the entire story.
Director
Raoul A. Walsh
Cast
Theda Bara
Lillian Hathaway
James Marcus
Charles Craig
Carl Harbaugh
George Walsh
Nan Carter
Marcel Morhange
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Philip Bartholomae's original story was entitled "The Wolf's Claw." Fox re-issued The Serpent on January 5, 1919. The Serpent was copyrighted at six reels, but review sources call it a five reel film. This was Nan Carter's first film. Sources conflict concerning the identity of the actors playing the Grand Duke and his son Leo. The synopsis in the copyright descriptions credits the role of the Grand Duke to Charles Craig and the role of Leo to Carl Harbaugh, while Motography credits Charles (sic) Harbaugh with the role of the Grand Duke. A review of the 1919 re-issue mentions that Raoul Walsh was in the film. As this review fails to give credit to Walsh's brother George, it May have mistaken the two. No other source lists Raoul Walsh among the actors.
