The Rogue Song
US (1930): Musical/Romance/Lost
In Czarist Russia, Yegor (Lawrence Tibbett), a dashing (as well as singing) bandit leader meets Princess Vera (Catherine Dale Owen) at a mountain inn. They end up falling in love, but the relationship is shattered when Yegor kills Vera's brother, Prince Serge (Ulrich Haupt), for raping his sister, Nadja (Florence Lake), and driving her to suicide. Yegor kidnaps Vera, forcing her to live a life of lowly servitude among the bandits. Vera manages to outwit Yegor, who's captured by soldiers and flogged. Yes, this is the film that contains the infamous scene where Lawrence Tibbett sings while he is tied between two posts and whipped. Vera begs Yegor's forgiveness. Although still in love with each other, they realize they cannot be together, at least for the time being. Directed by Lionel Barrymore and Hal Roach. (Eugene Kim, IMDb)
MGM archives contain the entire film soundtrack on disc (this was before the days of sound on film), but no negative or positive visual materials are known to exist. One can guage Metropolitan Opera star Lawrence Tibbett's Oscar®-nominated performance from the sound materials and he does give a sonorous, robust and natural performance. Songs are well done - there is much tongue in cheek - and even a brief appearance by Laurel and Hardy.
1 nomination
· Actor 1929-30: Lawrence Tibbett