Der Kurier des Zaren

I was curious about this Italian version of Jules Verne's most dramatic novel to see how much they would have butchered it. Surprisedly they had kept the main plot rather untouched with just a few additions and simplifications: all the major dramatic moments of the novel have been whisked away of course, but Curd Jurgens is not unconvincing as the imperial courier although perhaps a little overdone: the role would have suited Cornel Wilde better. The main addition is the love story with Genevieve Page as Nadia, and the important role of Nikolay as the driver is completely done away with. The main assets of the film are the great mass scenes, especially those with the cavalry, this was actually Jules Verne's only war novel, and the war element has been well taken care of in this film. Jules Verne would not have been displeased but not very pleased either.

Opulent CinemaScope adventure film with Curd JÜRGENS (1915-1982), Geneviève PAGE, and Sylva KOSCINA!

The German-Austrian actor Curd JÜRGENS experienced his international breakthrough at the 1955 Venice Film Festival. He received the coveted Coppa Volpi for his roles in THE DEVIL'S GENERAL and THE HEROES ARE TIRED. Raised bilingually by his French mother, Curd JÜRGENS also enjoyed considerable success in French films. This Siberian adventure based on the famous novel MICHEL STROGOFF by Jules VERNE was his follow-up to the Mediterranean drama ET DIEU CREA LA FEMME with the brilliant Brigitte BARDOT.

THE Czar'S COURIER remains very faithful to the literary source material and captivates with radiant CinemaScope images that West German cinema could hardly afford at the time. Curd Jürgens was naturally a perfect fit for the role of the soldier loyal to the Tsar, who must deliver an important message through enemy lines.

Filming took place primarily in what was then Yugoslavia, which is likely how Yugoslav actress Sylva Koscina landed her role. Two years later, she appeared alongside Steve Reeves in the first two Hercules films from the Italian Cinecitta.

Entertaining entertainment for fans of classic adventure films!

Although Verne's famous novel has been filmed many many times,this one made number one at the 1956 French box office ;it was so commercially successful that a sequel was made afterward.

Okay ,Curd Jurgends (41) is too old for the part of the dashing young officer but he is efficient and handsome and he and Genevieve Page make a nice pair.You can notice other lovely actresses in supporting parts:Sylva Koscina ,the sword and sandal queen ,and Françoise Fabian ,who would turn into a rather intellectual thespian as the years went passing by .Sylvie ,a seasoned actress ,appears as Marfa Strogoff.

The screenplay is faithful to the novel,including the famous scene of torture with the red-hot iron .

Gallone's effort thoroughly deserved its success ;it was made for the whole family and can,from that point of view,be considered good Entertainment.

The first version of Michel Strogonoff was a short made in 190 by J. Searle Dawley for Edison (not known to survive, possibly lost). A 40-minute version which does survive was made in 1914 a co-rpoduction by Popular Players and Lubin and starred the famous Yiddish actor Jacob P. Adler as Strogonoff. It is not very good. The classic version (if that word "classic" is to man anything at all) was made in 1926 by Victor Tourjansky with Ivan Mozzhukhin as Strogoff and is one of the major films of what might be called the French (or in this case Franco-Rusian) school of "montage". This fifties version is a typically efficient of the period but not very remarkable.

In this fantastical story by Jules Verne, Michel Strogoff (Michael in the American titles) is a man larger than life. He's a strong and important captain in the Russian Army. The Tsar gives him a dangerous assignment, to go incognito through enemy territory and deliver a message to his brother fighting on the front lines. To make his disguise believable, they've assigned him a "wife", although Genevieve Page is a little uncomfortable pretending. Why, Gen? Doesn't she realize her costar is Curd Jurgens, a very strong, handsome, charismatic, manly fellow? In one eventful scene, he lifts a fallen birch tree with one hand, rescues a man from under a collapsed horse cart, and walks head-on to an angry bear and stabs it (don't worry; it's not gory). It's no wonder European audiences understood his masculinity and sex appeal - and it's a shame American audiences didn't get to see him that way. And if you think Genevieve might soften towards her "husband", you might be right.

This really is a great adventure story, and I'm tempted to find a copy of the original novel. The only problem is that I wasn't able to find a version with English subtitles, so most American audiences won't be able to appreciate it. I'm not so fluent that I caught every word, but I understood the majority of it and was able to easily follow the story. If you do speak French, you'll really enjoy this movie. So much went into the production, from the lush set designs to the beautiful period costumes, fine acting, and exciting music. It was the number one hit in France during 1956 - and it's no wonder! Also, if you like hearing Curd speaking French (which he does so beautifully, without a trace of a German accent), you have several more opportunities to catch him in French movies.