Alicia I love this movie so much

KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

JohnHowardReid John Barrymore (Sergeant Ivan Markov), Camilla Horn (Princess Tamara), Louis Wolheim (Sergeant Bubba), Boris De Fas (peddler), George Fawcett (general), (Ulrich Haupt (captain), Michael Visaroff (guard), Lena Malena (Tamara's friend), Albert Conti (bit), Wilhelm von Brincken (examiner), and Michael Marke, Gregory Gaye, John Bleifer.Director: SAM TAYLOR. Adaptation: C. Gardner Sullivan. Original story and scenario: Erich von Stroheim. Based on a story by V.I. Nemirovich-Dantchenko. Uncredited script contributor: Lewis Milestone. Titles: George Marion, junior. Uncredited direction: Lewis Milestone, Victor Tourjansky. Photography: Charles Rosher. Art director: William Cameron Menzies. Costumes: Alice O'Neill. Music score: Hugo Riesenfeld. Set decorator: Casey Roberts. Wardrobe manager: Frank Donnellan. Technical adviser: Alexis Davidoff. Production manager: Walter Mayo. Production supervisor: John W. Considine, Jr. Producer: Sam Taylor.Copyright 11 October 1927 by Feature Productions, Inc. Presented by Joseph M. Schenck. Released through United Artists. New York opening at the Embassy, 17 May 1928. U.S. release: 11 August 1928. Sydney release at the Prince Edward, 19 October 1928 (ran 5 weeks). 10 reels. 9,300 feet.SYNOPSIS: Romance between a peasant soldier and a princess during the Russian Revolution.NOTES: Academy Award to William Cameron Menzies (shared with his "The Dove") for Art Direction (defeating Seventh Heaven and Sunrise). Also nominated for Cinematography, but lost to Sunrise. A silent film. COMMENT: Once thought lost, this large-budget movie has now been placed back in circulation. Unlike some other lost/found films which have recently surfaced, this one is not in the least disappointing.In fact it really was a lost masterpiece featuring superb performances not only from its star, Barrymore, German import Camilla Horn (making her Hollywood debut), and ever-reliable Louis Wolheim, but a most remarkable study in insane villainy by Boris De Fas. What makes this menacing portrait even more remarkable is the fact that De Fas does not seem to have made any other Hollywood films. None! So if you don't catch him in Tempest, you will miss one of the most unique character studies in the movies.Director Sam Taylor has also excelled himself in this instance, though he is aided by Rosher's superlative photography as well as Menzies' deservedly award-winning sets.All in all, an engrossing story with vivid characterizations, realized with panache, style, plus a consistently visually appealing finesse.

evanston_dad "Tempest" will be of interest to anyone who wants an example of John Barrymore's considerable screen presence. He's quite good as a star cadet culled from the ranks of the Russian peasantry whose fortunes take a turn for the worse when he falls foul of his boss's daughter. The story is pure melodrama, with lots of arched eyebrows and swooning romantic embraces, but Barrymore pulls it off with flair, and there's something ahead of its time about his acting. It's natural in a way that a lot of acting in the silent era (and even for a while after) wasn't.The film overall is a bit saggy, and suffers from lugubrious pacing and static shots that linger past the point when they should. William Cameron Menzies won the first Academy Award given for art direction for his work on this film and another from the same award year, "The Dove," while Charles Rosher, who won the first cinematography Oscar for "Sunrise," provides the camera work. To be sure the film looks good, but it would have benefited from crisper editing.A not overly memorable film from the last days of the silents, but enjoyable for what it is.Grade: B

wes-connors Unfortunately, this is not John Barrymore starring in William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" - rather, "This is the storm-swept romance of a poor dragoon and a proud princess - of imperial Russia - in the last calm before the red tempest of terror. The year is 1914. The hour is midnight. The place is Volinsk - a garrison town near the Austrian border," as introduced in helpful title cards."'Tempest' was completed at the end of the silent era, and its release was delayed until it could be equipped with recorded musical accompaniment on Vitaphone discs. Seven of the discs have survived and are synchronized here; the gaps are filled by re-editing the available sound. A new digital stereo score performed by pianist Philip Carli is the primary soundtrack," according to the "Image Entertainment" DVD sleeve, "Our digital transfer is from a print made in the early 1950s from the camera negative." Mr. Barrymore looks remarkable hale and hearty for an actor born in the early 1880s, showing off a still enviable physique in his shirtless scenes. He is often heavily made-up, and too obviously maneuvered into as many "Great Profile" photo opportunities as possible, but his performance as the upwardly mobile Russian peasant does not disappoint. Barrymore certainly delivers."Sam Taylor, who helmed some of Harold Lloyd's and Mary Pickford's most successful films, is the only credited director on 'Tempest'. However, in mid-production, Taylor replaced Russian-born Lewis Milestone, who in turn had taken over from Russian émigré director Victor Tourjansky," explains Image, "The original script by Erich von Stroheim was rewritten by Milestone and much modified by C. Gardner Sullivan, a reliable craftsman who received sole screen credit. Some original aspirations for authenticity survive in the contributions of several actual White Russian officers working as small-part players and technical advisers." The film greatest strength is the outstanding work by the United Artists assembled technical crew. Titles by George Marion Jr., art direction by William Cameron Menzies, and photography by Charles Rosher were all praised at Hollywood's first annual "Academy Awards" banquet. Marion was mentioned for his work on Colleen Moore's "Oh Kay!" Mr. Menzies won for "Tempest and "The Dove". And, Mr. Rosher was mentioned for the winning "Sunrise", Ms. Pickford's "My Best Girl" and "Tempest".Pretty princess Camilla Horn, who impressed in F.W. Murnau's "Faust" (1926), looks like she was producer (and then lover) Joseph M. Schenck's choice to take the Greta Garbo route to super-stardom. It doesn't work, herein, but neither is Ms. Horn a deterrent. Louis Wolheim and George Fawcett are marvelous as always. The Russian-born Boris de Fast makes an excellent impression as the gap-toothed socialist peddler. If the "Oscar" category for "Supporting Actor" had existed, Mr. Wolheim might have been noted, for some combination of acting effort; he appeared in no less than four films nominated during the eligibility year.******* Tempest (5/17/28) Sam Taylor ~ John Barrymore, Camilla Horn, Louis Wolheim, Boris de Fast

morrigan1982 A really magnificent movie with great performances. Don’t get caught in the political aspects of the movie, because I think that you will loose the beauty of the story. So aside from that the movie takes place in Russia the days of the Czars. A sergeant from the lower class tries to win a promotion to lieutenant which he rightfully deserves. But it’s hard, not to say impossible for someone from the lower class to get promoted and to be accepted by the aristocrats. The situation gets more complicated when the handsome Sergeant Ivan Markov falls in love with the Princess. But this are the last days of the Czarist Russia and the times are dangerous. An unbelievably captivating movie, the first time I saw it I couldn't get it out of my mind. I had to see it a second time too and a third… this movie leaves a mark! Even though there are only few months ago that I saw it, it is already one of my favorites. It has great performances from great actors like John Barrymore, Camilla Horn, Louis Wolheim and all the others and great directing work. I think you will fall in love with this movie if you see it. I have seen films with John Barrymore but this movie made me to truly appreciate him for a strange reason. It had great energy and emotion from the story and the performances of the actors.