1931 Tolstoy adaptation where guilt wears a tailcoat and redemption boards a train to Siberia.
Katusha, a country girl, is seduced and abandoned by Prince Nekludov. Nekludov finds himself, years later, on a jury trying the same Katusha for a crime he now realizes his actions drove her to. He follows her to imprisonment in Siberia, intent on redeeming her and himself as well.
Acting
Lupe Vélez transforms from country innocence to prison-hardened resignation.
Cinematography
Siberian train sequences that make frostbite look almost romantic.
Director
Edwin Carewe
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Carewe's third Tolstoy adaptation in four years; he had a thing for suffering Russians.
Lupe Vélez, 'The Mexican Spitfire,' fought typecasting with this dramatic role—and mostly lost the battle.
US
