The Sorrows of Satan
About The Sorrows of Satan
Geoffrey Tempest, a poor writer, loves Mavis Clare, who lives at his boarding house and is trying to write. He cannot marry her. He curses God. Prince Lucio de Rimanez tells him he has inherited a fortune if he puts himself in the prince's hands. Lucio is Satan. He steers Geoffrey away from Mavis and up through European society, then orders him to marry Princess Olga. Olga falls for Lucio. He rejects her. Geoffrey sees it, and Olga kills herself. When Geoffrey turns on the money, Lucio drops the mask. Geoffrey goes back to Mavis. Her faith stops the devil. Lucio fades, and Geoffrey stays with Mavis.
Cast & crew
More about The Sorrows of Satan
D. W. Griffith's first film under his Paramount contract. He reportedly did not want the assignment. Forrest Halsey, George C. Hull, and John Russell adapted Marie Corelli's 1895 novel. Harry A. Fischbeck and Arthur De Titta photographed it. Hugo Riesenfeld wrote the music. Paramount released it on October 12, 1926. It runs 90 minutes, nine reels. Carol Dempster's last screen role is Mavis.
Themes
Background
Corelli published The Sorrows of Satan in 1895. Paramount assigned the adaptation to Griffith in 1926 as the first film on his new contract.
Making
Griffith came to Paramount from his own United Artists period and was handed Corelli's novel rather than a story he had chosen. The society scenes, the princess, and the devil's unmasking are the spectacle the budget paid for.
Look
Harry A. Fischbeck and Arthur De Titta photographed the boarding house, the European parties, and Lucio's reveal.
Music
Hugo Riesenfeld composed the score.
Preservation
A copy circulates on the Internet Archive.
Notes
- Adolphe Menjou plays Prince Lucio. Ricardo Cortez is Geoffrey. Lya De Putti is Princess Olga.
- Ivan Lebedeff plays Amiel. Nellie Savage plays the dancer.
- The budget is listed at $1,050,000 and the box office at $1,750,000.
- Dempster lived until 1991, long after this last part.
- Corelli's novel had been a bestseller in 1895. Griffith was filming it thirty years later as a Paramount special.
- A copy is on the Internet Archive.
Scenes
- Geoffrey curses God in the boarding house, and Lucio arrives with the inheritance.
- Olga, married to Geoffrey, turns to Lucio and then kills herself when he refuses her.
- Lucio shows himself, and Mavis's faith drives him off.
Influenced by
- Marie Corelli's 1895 novel The Sorrows of Satan
Also available
- Internet Archive (SORROWSOFSATANSilent)
