The Mountain Eagle (lost silent Alfred Hitchcock film; 1927)
The Mountain Eagle was a 1927 British silent film directed by famous English film director and producer Alfred Hitchcock. This was Hitchcock's second film as a director, following shortly after his first film The Pleasure Garden, and his only film that is lost.
There are several different accounts of what the film was about, and they all vary slightly in one way or another. However, the best summary of the film was given by The Bioscope newspaper on October 7th, 1926, which is as follows:
"Beatrice Brent, schoolteacher in a small mountain village, incurs the enmity of Pettigrew, the local Justice of the Peace and owner of the village stores, because he believes that she encourages the attentions of his son Edward, a cripple, who takes evening lessons. Pettigrew, while questioning Beatrice, is himself influenced by her charm and attempts liberties which she strongly resents. He is so furious at the rebuff that he proclaims her as a wanton, and she is driven from the village by the inhabitants. Beatrice is saved from their fury by a mysterious stranger known as Fearogod, who lives a solitary life in a cabin to which he takes her for shelter. To stop all scandal, Fearogod takes Beatrice down to the village and compels Pettigrew to marry them, explaining to her that he will help her to get a divorce. Beatrice, however, is content to leave the situation as it is, but Pettigrew, furious with rage, takes advantage of the fact that his son has left the village and arrests Fearogod for his murder. In spite of the fact that there is no vestige of evidence that young Pettigrew has been murdered, Fearogod is kept in prison for over a year, when he decides to escape. He finds that his wife has a baby, and he goes off with them to the mountains. When they find that the baby is taken ill, Fearogod goes back to the village for a doctor, where he sees old Pettigrew. Some doubt as to which of the men is going to attack the other first is settled by an onlooker firing off a gun which wounds Pettigrew in the shoulder. The sudden return of his son Edward convinces the old man of the futility of proceeding with his accusation of murder, so he makes the best of matters by shaking hands with the man he has persecuted, and all is supposed to end happily."
Not much is known about the complete cast other than it being said to have had a rather international cast of a wide variety. From what we know, this cast included, but is not limited to, these individuals:
• British actor Malcolm Keen playing the role of John "Fear o' God" Fulton.
• American actress Nita Naldi played the role of Beatrice Brent.
• Last, portraying J.P Pettigrew, is German actor Bernhard Goetzke, whom Hitchcock had befriended during the filming of a different movie, "Die Prinzessin und der Geiger" (literal translation: The Princess and the Violinist). This movie was released to English audiences under a different name, so it is, therefore, better known as "The Blackguard".
There was also a dog in the film as shown by surviving production stills and movie reviews. These, along with a surviving lobby card found in Massachusetts, have confirmed that there was indeed a dog in the film. According to the lobby card, the dog was called "Major". However, it is unconfirmed if that is the dog's real name or the character's name. However, the dog's overall significance to the film and its plot still remains a mystery to this day.
Despite allegedly taking place in Kentucky, The Mountain Eagle was filmed in Munich, Germany and southwestern Austria during October and November of 1925. Throughout filming of the movie, there were several complications that seemingly cursed not only Hitchcock but the cast and crew as well.
During the filming of the movie, weather was an ongoing problem which brought more problems as it came. The day after they arrived in Obergurgel, Austria and started planning a filming schedule, they woke up to a little over a foot of snow on the ground. This meant they would have to wait at least 6 months before they could film everything there. They shot their snow scenes before heading down the valley into a town called Umhaus. Umhaus only had a few inches of snow, so the crew worked with what they had. The next day, the snow had gotten worse than it was in their original filming location. After four days of waiting, Hitchcock ended up going to the local fire brigade and (after about half an hour of arguing) convinced them to get their engine and their manual pump and hose.
They went with Hitchcock into the town, blasting snow off of the roads, the houses, the roofs, the trees and the ground. In the process, the roof of a woman's house was partially destroyed due to the weight of the snow and the pressure of the hose. The mayor of the town demanded compensation of one shilling, though Hitchcock gave her two. The filming of the movie had several more mishaps. The villagers felt it was disrespectful when Hitchcock didn't stay in their inn and Hitchcock was constantly getting into arguments with Nita Naldi, who at one point fainted on set due to hitting the ground too hard. Filming was eventually put on hold as Hitchcock ended up getting a case of altitude illness during filming which had caused him to start vomiting for unpredictable periods of time. He later blamed it on a reaction to the dialect of the locals. While he was a German speaker, he had issues comprehending their tongue.
The movie was finished near the start of December 1925.
First Release and Reception
The film was first screened to specific individuals in Berlin in May of 1926. It was then shown to the British press and producers in October of 1926, the producers not at all approving of it. It wasn't released to the public at all until after the success of Hitchcock's February 1927 film, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (which also starred Malcolm Keem). The film's great success and the public's demand for more of Hitchcock's films was what brought The Mountain Eagle to be released for public viewing in May of 1927. It proceeded to have a seven-month screening and distribution period in the U.K. from June 1927 to January 1928 with what is believed to be two prints of the film. It has been theorized that Wardour films, the distributors of the film, favored the idea of releasing Hitchcock's film Downhill and abandoned a widespread release, resulting in few prints being made.
The film went on to be shown once in the Netherlands for a German film festival, twice in Spain for unknown reasons and was shown in the U.S. nine times from February 5th, 1927, to December 9th, 1929.
The film went on to be a poor commercial success. as it was stated to have "impressed neither the distributor nor the public". Like several of Hitchcock's early films, it was criticized quite harshly for its "lack of realism". In October 1926, The Kinematograph described the film as being "Rather wandering and not too convincing of a story" and went on later to say that the "continuation was jerky".
""The Bioscope"" also criticized it for Having an air of unreality. Several years later, when French film director François Truffaut asked Hitchcock about the film in an interview, he described it with the following statement: "It was just a very bad movie". He later described it as "awful" and said he was not at all sorry about the movie having no surviving prints.
As of today, The Mountain Eagle has no surviving reels, making it the only unavailable film produced by Hitchcock, and sits at the top of the BFI's (British Film Institute's) list of most wanted lost films. While there are no surviving reels, publicity stills from the movie's production stages are available. Along with that, there are six surviving stills and frame enlargements found that are reproduced in a book of François Truffaut's. Plus, what has been mentioned, more stills have been reproduced in Dan Auiler's book.
During research done in 1998 on the movie for an article, J.L Kuhns identified 43 different images from various collections and archives, some of which appear to be frame enlargements. A lobby card with a dog on it was found in a flea market in Rowley, Massachusetts in a box of broken frames and, as of today, it is the only lobby card known to exist from the film.
The latest find of anything related to the film took place in 2012, when 24 stills were found in the archive of someone who could only be disclosed as "someone close to Hitchcock" were auctioned off in Los Angeles with the winning bid being over $6000.
- Malvern, Jack (10 November 2012), "'Lost film' stills found", The Times, London, p. 13
The Mountain Eagle (filamu ya Alfred Hitchcock) ni filamu ya Kiingereza ya mwaka 1927 iliyoongozwa na Alfred Hitchcock. Hii ilikuwa filamu ya pili ya Hitchcock kama mkurugenzi, kufuatia muda mfupi baada ya filamu yake ya kwanza The Pleasure Garden, na filamu yake pekee ambayo imepotea. Kuna hadithi kadhaa tofauti kuhusu filamu hiyo, na zote hutofautiana kidogo kwa njia moja au nyingine. "Hata hivyo, muhtasari bora wa filamu hiyo ulitolewa na gazeti la The Bioscope la Oktoba 7, 1926, ambalo ni kama ifuatavyo: ""Beatrice Brent, mwalimu katika kijiji kidogo cha milimani, anashambuliwa na Pettigrew, Jaji wa Amani wa eneo hilo na mmiliki wa maduka ya kijiji, kwa sababu anaamini kwamba yeye huchochea uangalifu wa mwanawe Edward, mlemavu, ambaye huchukua masomo ya jioni." Pettigrew, wakati wa kuuliza Beatrice, yeye mwenyewe anaathiriwa na charm yake na majaribio ya uhuru ambayo yeye kwa nguvu resents. Ana hasira sana na kukataliwa kwa sababu ya jambo hilo, na anamwita mwanamke huyo mchafu, na wakazi wa kijiji hicho wanamfukuza. Beatrice anaokolewa na mchawi wao na mgeni wa ajabu anayeitwa Fearogod, ambaye anaishi maisha ya upweke katika kibanda ambacho anamchukua kwa makazi. Ili kuzuia kashfa zote, Fearogod anamchukua Beatrice hadi kijijini na kumlazimisha Pettigrew kuolewa nao, akimwambia kwamba atamsaidia kupata talaka. Hata hivyo, Beatrice anafurahi kuacha hali kama ilivyo, lakini Pettigrew, akiwa amekasirika kwa hasira, anatumia fursa ya ukweli kwamba mwanawe ameondoka kijijini na kumkamata Fearogod kwa mauaji yake. Hata hivyo, licha ya ukweli kwamba hakuna ushahidi kwamba Pettigrew kijana ameuawa, Fearogod ni kushikiliwa gerezani kwa zaidi ya mwaka, wakati yeye anaamua kutoroka. Anajua kwamba mke wake ana mtoto, naye anaondoka pamoja nao kwenda milimani. Baada ya kugundua kwamba mtoto huyo amekuwa mgonjwa, Fearogod anarudi kijijini kwa daktari, ambako anamwona mzee Pettigrew. Shaka ya mtu ambaye atavamia mwingine kwanza inasimamishwa na mtazamaji akipiga risasi ambayo inamujeruhi Pettigrew kwenye bega. "Kurejea ghafla kwa mwanawe Edward kumemsadikisha mzee huyo kwamba ni bure kuendelea na mashtaka yake ya mauaji, kwa hiyo anafanya bora zaidi kwa kumshika mkono mtu ambaye amemshambulia, na kila kitu kinapaswa kumalizika kwa furaha. """ Hakuna mengi inayojulikana kuhusu waigizaji kamili zaidi ya kuwa ni alisema kuwa na badala ya kimataifa waigizaji wa aina mbalimbali. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Mungu"" ni jina la mwigizaji wa Uingereza Malcolm Keen, ambaye anaigiza John ""Fear o' God"" Fulton." • Mwigizaji wa Marekani Nita Naldi alicheza jukumu la Beatrice Brent. "J.P. Pettigrew ni mwigizaji wa Ujerumani, Bernhard Goetzke, ambaye Hitchcock alikuwa amemfanya rafiki wakati wa filamu ya ""The Princess and the Geiger.""" "Filamu hiyo ilitolewa kwa watazamaji wa Kiingereza chini ya jina tofauti, kwa hiyo inajulikana zaidi kama ""The Blackguard.""" Pia kulikuwa na mbwa katika filamu kama inavyoonyeshwa na picha za uzalishaji na ukaguzi wa filamu. Hizi, pamoja na kadi ya ukumbi wa maonyesho iliyopatikana huko Massachusetts, zimethibitisha kwamba kwa kweli kulikuwa na mbwa katika filamu hiyo. Kulingana na kadi ya ukumbi wa mapumziko, mbwa huyo aliitwa "Major". Hata hivyo, haijathibitishwa kama hilo ni jina halisi la mbwa au jina la mhusika. Hata hivyo, umuhimu wa mbwa huyo kwa filamu hiyo na njama yake bado ni fumbo hadi leo. "Kama ilivyotarajiwa, ""The Mountain Eagle"" ilichezwa Munich, Ujerumani na kusini magharibi mwa Austria wakati wa Oktoba na Novemba 1925."" Wakati wa filamu hiyo, kulikuwa na matatizo kadhaa ambayo yalimlaani Hitchcock na pia waigizaji na wafanyakazi. Wakati wa filamu ya filamu, hali ya hewa ilikuwa tatizo la kuendelea ambalo lilileta matatizo zaidi ilipoja. Siku moja baada ya kuwasili Obergurgel, Austria na kuanza kupanga ratiba ya filamu, waliamka na kidogo zaidi ya miguu ya theluji ardhini. Hii ilimaanisha kwamba walipaswa kusubiri angalau miezi sita kabla ya kuweza kupiga picha kila kitu huko. Walipiga picha za theluji kabla ya kwenda kwenye bonde hilo hadi katika mji unaoitwa Umhaus. Umhaus ilikuwa na theluji chache tu, kwa hiyo wafanyakazi walifanya kazi kwa kile walichokuwa nacho. Siku iliyofuata, theluji ilikuwa imezidi kuwa mbaya kuliko ilivyokuwa katika eneo lao la awali la kupiga filamu. Baada ya kusubiri kwa siku nne, Hitchcock aliamua kwenda kwa idara ya moto ya eneo hilo na (baada ya mjadala wa nusu saa) kuwafanya wapate injini yao na pampu na mfereji wao wa mkono. Walikwenda na Hitchcock mjini, blowing theluji mbali kutoka barabara, nyumba, paa, miti na ardhi. Wakati huo huo, paa la nyumba ya mwanamke mmoja liliharibiwa kwa sehemu kwa sababu ya uzito wa theluji na shinikizo la mfereji. Meya wa mji huo alidai fidia ya shilingi moja, ingawa Hitchcock alimpa shilingi mbili. Upigaji-picha wa filamu hiyo ulikuwa na matatizo mengine kadhaa. Wakazi wa kijiji hicho waliona ni ukosefu wa heshima kwa Hitchcock kutokaa katika nyumba yao ya wageni na Hitchcock alikuwa akigombana na Nita Naledi, ambaye wakati mmoja alipoteza fahamu kwenye seti kwa sababu ya kugonga ardhi kwa nguvu sana. Filamu hiyo ilisimamishwa kwa muda mfupi baada ya Hitchcock kuugua ugonjwa wa mwinuko wakati wa filamu hiyo, na hivyo kuanza kutapika kwa muda usiojulikana. Baadaye alilaumu jambo hilo kwa sababu ya jinsi watu wa eneo hilo walivyozungumza. Ingawa alizungumza Kijerumani, alikuwa na matatizo ya kuelewa lugha yao. Filamu hiyo ilikamilishwa karibu na mwanzo wa Desemba 1925. Filamu hiyo ilionyeshwa kwa mara ya kwanza kwa watu fulani katika Berlin mnamo Mei 1926. Filamu hiyo ilionyeshwa kwa waandishi wa habari wa Uingereza na waandaaji mnamo Oktoba 1926, lakini waandaaji hawakukubali kabisa. "Hatukuweza kuiona hadi mwaka 1927 wakati wa filamu ya Hitchcock ""The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog"" iliyokuwa na Malcolm Kimmel." "Hata hivyo, kwa sababu ya mafanikio makubwa ya filamu hiyo na mahitaji ya umma ya filamu zaidi za Hitchcock, ""The Mountain Eagle"" ilitolewa kwa umma mnamo Mei 1927." Filamu hiyo ilichezwa kwa muda wa miezi saba nchini Uingereza kuanzia Juni 1927 hadi Januari 1928 na ilichapishwa mara mbili. "Wachangiaji wa filamu hiyo, Wardour Films, walipendelea wazo la kutolewa kwa filamu ya Hitchcock ""Downhill"" na wakaacha kutolewa kwa wingi, na kusababisha kuchapishwa kwa filamu chache." Filamu hiyo ilionyeshwa mara moja nchini Uholanzi kwa ajili ya tamasha la filamu la Ujerumani, mara mbili nchini Hispania kwa sababu zisizojulikana, na ilionyeshwa mara tisa nchini Marekani kuanzia Februari 5, 1927 hadi Desemba 9, 1929. Filamu hiyo haikufanikiwa sana kibiashara. kama ilivyosemwa kuwa "haikuvutia wala msambazaji wala umma". Kama filamu kadhaa za mapema za Hitchcock, ilichambuliwa vikali kwa "ukosefu wa uhalisi". "Katika Oktoba 1926, gazeti la The Kinematograph lilifafanua filamu hiyo kuwa ""ya kutangatanga na isiyo na hadithi yenye kusadikisha sana"" na baadaye ikaendelea kusema kwamba ""kuendelea kwake kulikuwa na msukosuko.""" "The Bioscope" pia ilikosoa kwa kuwa na hewa ya unreality. "Mwaka mmoja baadaye, wakati mkurugenzi wa filamu wa Ufaransa François Truffaut alipomwuliza Hitchcock kuhusu filamu hiyo katika mahojiano, alilifafanua kwa maneno haya: ""Ilikuwa tu filamu mbaya sana.""" Baadaye alielezea kama "mbaya" na alisema hakuwa na majuto yoyote juu ya filamu kuwa hakuna uchapishaji wa kuishi. "Hatua ya kwanza ya filamu hiyo, ""The Mountain Eagle,"" ni filamu ya kwanza ya Hitchcock kutoweka, na inaorodheshwa na BFI kama filamu ya kwanza iliyopotea." Ingawa hakuna reels kuokoka, matangazo bado kutoka hatua za uzalishaji wa filamu zinapatikana. Pia, picha sita za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za picha za François Truffaut. Kwa kuongezea, kile kilichotajwa, picha zaidi zimerudishwa katika kitabu cha Dan Auiler. Katika utafiti wake wa filamu hiyo mwaka 1998, Kuhns alitambua picha 43 tofauti kutoka makusanyo mbalimbali na kumbukumbu, baadhi ya picha hizo zilionekana kuwa ni picha zilizopandishwa. Kadi ya lobby iliyo na mbwa juu yake ilipatikana katika soko la fleas huko Rowley, Massachusetts katika sanduku la fremu zilizovunjika na, kama ya leo, ni kadi pekee ya lobby inayojulikana kuwepo kutoka kwa filamu. "Kutoka kwa picha za filamu hiyo, picha 24 za mtu aliyejulikana kama ""mtu wa karibu na Hitchcock"" zilipatikana katika hisa ya Los Angeles na bei ya kushinda ilikuwa zaidi ya dola 6,000." "Mwanzoni mwa mwaka wa 2012, gazeti la The Times la London lilichapisha makala ya ""Lost Film: Stills Found"" (Jarida la The Times, London, 10 Novemba 2012)."