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.

Spectacular rendition based on the known novel written by French author Jules Verne : Michel Strogoff (Curd Jurgens) . It is set in the 19th century Russia when a Tartar rebellion takes place , being led by Feofar Khan (Valery Inkijinoff) which separates mainland Russia from the Russian far east : Siberia . This film was exhibited with the same title of the original book , based on the famed novella titled Mikhail Strogoff , courier of the Czar . The picture actually close to the story , that is one the best works of Vernes . It concerns about the Tartars have overrun the Russian empire's Eastern Siberian territories and creating a serious threat . Our handsome hero , a highly respected official named Michael Strogoff is assigned a dangerous mission . As the Tsar Alexandre II (Louis Arbessier) entrusts Captain Michel Strogoff to deliver a vital message to his brother Le Grand-Duc (Jacques Dacqmine) in Siberia , as he has to carry a secret message across frozen landscapes to the last line of defense . That's why the Tsar's brother is isolated and surrounded in Siberia and he is making a last stand with his troops . CZar asks him to go and hand over an important letter his brother , the great Duke , located in Irkursk . Meanwhile , an official named Ogareff (Henry Nassier) who was originally in the Czar's service but is now on the side of Tartars . Strogoff journeys across old Russia along with a pair journalists , a woman (Genevieve Page) and exiled of Tartars invasion . Meantime , he falls in love for the beautiful woman named Nadia Fedor who heads to Siberia for reunion with her father . The traitor Ogarek is now the employee of the Khan and his mission turn out to be the chasing the courier of the Czar . The nasty Ogarek assisted by a gorgeous Zingara , Sangarre (Sylva Koscina) , want to stop him at all costs . Strogoff is captured by Ogarek and spies of the Khan . He's whip-tortured with his naked torso in front of his the suffering mother expressing sensitive human emotion , and blinded with a red hot iron blade in some sequences make a strong impression . Later on , his punishment for not cooperation , he's released and Nadia helps successfully Strogoff from having to lose his eyesight . While she is trying to visit her exiled father in Siberia but Tartars cut off all telecommunications between the border cities and the capital.The film contains agreeable performances with curious characters , spectacular locations and wonderful costumes wearing woolly suits and hats . It is an adventure film with all the ingredients as sword-play , action , fights , amusement and typical confrontation between good guys and bad guys . The movie has acceptable action sequences well staged with stylish and vitality , adventure , romance and results to be pretty entertaining . Besides , displaying spectacular battles , horse charges with greatness scenarios and impressive final confrontation between Czar and Khan troops . Nice but serious acting by Curd Jurgens as the brave captain in the Czar's army who is sent on a mission to save his country from invaders and encounters risks and romance while carrying a secret message across 19th-century Russia . In the movie appears known actors with wide and successful careers : Sylva Koscina as the treacherous Zingara Sanganre , Jacques Dacqmine , Gérard Buhr as journalist Henry Blount , Valéry Inkijinoff as Féofor Khan , Nassiet as the villainous traitorous Ogareff , Sylvie as Marfa , mother of Strogoff , she's an old player from the silent cinema and Françoise Fabian who still continues playing . This rendition about Jules Vernes based on the 1876 famous novel was a France/Italy/Yugoslavia co-production being professionally directed by Carmine Gallone . Carmine directed various Epic/Historic/adventure movies as "Carthage in Flames" ,"The Nun of Monza" and other based on Operas as ¨Caballeria Rusticana¨ , ¨Carmen Di Trastevere¨, ¨Madame Butterfly¨, ¨La Forza Del Destino¨, ¨Manon Lescaut¨, ¨Puccini¨ , ¨Verdi¨, "The Lost One" , ¨Il Trovatore¨ and others about ¨Don Camillo and Peppone¨ , among others .Other retelling about this known tale are the followings : the first in 1926 , the silent movie ¨Michel Strogoff¨ by Viktor Tourjanski ; after that , 1936 as ¨The soldier and the lady¨ and 1937 starred by Anton Wallbrook , Elizabeth Allan , Akim Tamiroff , Margot Grahame and directed by Richard Echber and George Nichols . ¨Miguel Strogoff¨(1944) by Miguel Maria Delgado with Julián Soler and Lupita Tovar . And a sequel titled ¨The triumph of Michael Strogoff¨ (1961) by Viktor Tourjansky with Curd Jurgens , Capucine and Valery Inkijinoff . In addition , ¨Strogoff¨ (1970) with John Philip Law , Delia Boccardo and Hiran Keller and cartoon animation . Plus , the television adaptations , German miniseries 1975 with Raimund Harmstorf , and ¨Michael Strogoff¨ mini-series (1999) by Fabricio Costa with Paolo Seganti , Hardy Kruger Jr ,and Lea Bosco and 2004 a French version with Anthony Delon .

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.

I saw Michel Strogoff when I was just a little boy in fifties, at cinema Elhamra in Izmir. Its Turkish name was "Volga Mahkumlari" (The Prisoners of Volga). Later, I read the Turkish translation of the Jules Verne book which was published with the same title of the original book the film was based on. I remember the run and chase plot of the book better than the film's plot. The only things I remember of the film are its sad (maybe gloomy)atmosphere and Curd Jurgens who was captured by spies of the villain and was blinded with a red-hot iron stick. The sequence made such a strong impression on me that although I have forgotten almost all the other aspects of the film ("the events happen in Russia") I have never forgotten it. I must have noticed the existence of Sylva Koscina who has been one of my boyhood idols, for the first time in Michel Strogoff. I have completely forgotten Koscina's image in Michel Strogoff but still remember her Playboy photographs shoving her naked in water.It would just be a wonderful nostalgic pleasure if I could have a DVD of Michel Strogoff! COSKUN BUKTEL