Elissa Landi Movies
The daughter of an Austrian military officer and stepdaughter of an Italian nobleman, Elissa Landi was privately educated in England and Canada. Her acting career commenced with the 1924 London stage production The Storm; two years later, she appeared in her first film. She came to Broadway to play Catherine Barclay in an unsuccessful staging of Hemingway's Farewell to Arms. Despite the failure of this production, Elissa was invited to come to Hollywood. She is best remembered for her ethereal, virtuous performance as the early-Christian heroine of DeMille's Sign of the Cross (1932), though she was even more effective as the leading lady in the historical satire The Warrior's Husband (1933). Her screen career came to an end in 1937, save for an unexpected return before the cameras in the 1943 war film Corregidor. Elissa Landi spent her last acting years on Broadway, devoting her spare time to writing poetry and novels; she died of cancer in 1948, at the age of 44. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1931
The Parisian is the English-language version of the 1930 Adolphe Menjou vehicle Mon Pere de Gosse. Menjou stars as Gerome, a rakish boulevardier who refuses to settle down and take any responsibilities. As such, he is an embarrassment to his hard-working, business-executive son Gerard (Roger Treville). The tables are turned when Gerard finds himself in a compromising situation with Gerome's "trophy wife" Yvonne (Elissa Landi). By film's end, Gerard decides to follow his father's carefree example. While the bilingual Adolphe Menjou had no trouble adjusting his performance for the English version, the other actors apparently had a difficult time with their new dialogue. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Treville, Adolphe Menjou, (more)
- 1930
Romance novelist and self-styled moral arbiter Elinor Glyn was credited for both the screenplay and direction of the bodice-ripping Knowing Men. A graduate of convent school, wealthy Korah (Elissa Landi) has been promised in marriage to wealthier George Vere (Carl Brisson), whom she's never met. Exercising his male-chauvinist prerogative, George has already had an affair with Delphine (Jean de Casalis). To learn the truth about the man she's supposed to marry, Korah sneaks away from her Aunt (Helen Hay) to visit George. She learns more than she bargained for when George anxiously tries to retrieve several incriminating love letters from Delphine. Though critics never took Elinor Glyn seriously, her over-heated novels were devoured by her public; one might call her the Barbara Cartland of her day. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elissa Landi, Jeanne de Casalis, (more)
- 1930
Innocent Binnie (Elissa Landi) happens to be the spitting image of Lia Monta (also Elissa Landi), a less-than-innocent famous actress. When Lia skeedaddles to Berlin with a cache of stolen jewels, Binnie takes her look-alike's place on stage. She falls in love with Lia's sweetheart Gordon (John Stuart) but runs into trouble with her double's no-good husband Jeffrey (John Longden). When the police discover that the jewels are stolen, poor Binnie is arrested for the crime. She eventually clears herself, but only after vowing never again to pretend to be anything other than what she is. Outside of the pleasurable spectacle of watching Elissa Landi essay a dual role, the most entertaining aspect of Children of Chance is its comedy relief, courtesy of Wallace Lupino and Gus McNaughton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elissa Landi, Mabel Poulton, (more)
- 1930
It says here that Elinor Glyn, the incredibly pretentious author of such bodice-rippers as Three Weeks, was the director of The Price of Things, but we suspect that Madame Glyn (as she preferred to be billed) had a little uncredited assistance. Walter and Alfred Tennyson play a pair of identical twin noblemen, who constantly bail each other out in awkward romantic situations. When one of the twins can't be on time for his own wedding, the other serves as stand-in. Sure enough, the "wrong" twin falls in love with bride Elissa Landi. Meanwhile, the real bridegroom has a fling with notorious spy Mona Goya. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elissa Landi, Stewart Rome, (more)
- 1929
When a smuggler rescues a gypsy girl, Elissa Landi, from a storm he falls in love with her. Unfortunately for him, she is in love with her injured friend. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1929
Not to be confused with the Emil Jannings vehicle of the same title and vintage, the British Betrayal was adapted from The Marquis of Bolibar, a novel by Leo Peretz. Set during the Napoleonic wars, the story takes place in a Spanish village, presently occupied by the French army. A patriotic marquis conspires with a band of English and Spanish spies to reclaim the village from the French. Even though he knows this action will result in his execution, the marquis boldly carries out his part of the scheme. The "betrayal" of the title involves four French officers who are led astray by the tempestuous Spanish mistress of their commanding officer. The woman, of course, is in league with the marquis, whose plan succeeds brilliantly -- but alas, he does not live long enough to enjoy the fruits of his labors. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1928
Anthony Asquith's second film, Underground is a silent film that tells the triangular story of a young shop girl named Nell (Elissa Landi) and the two men who find themselves in love with her. One of these is Bill (Brian Aherne), a porter for London's underground; the other is Bert (Cyril MgLaglen), who works as an electrician at a power station. Nell chooses Bill for her love, but Bert does not take kindly to this news. He convinces his mistress, Kate (Norah Baring), to lie and pretend that Bill attacked her. Nell knows that this couldn't be true; she confronts Kate, who admits that Bert forced her to act in this way. Angry and with no further use for her, Bert breaks off totally with Kate, who then finds Bill and asks him to please take her to the power station so she can beg Bert to take her back. Bert loses his temper and kills Kate, then runs off to hide in the underground, pursued by Bill. The killer is eventually apprehended, and Bill and Nell are left to themselves at last. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elissa Landi, Brian Aherne, (more)
- 1928
Leo Pertuz' novel The Marquise of Bolibar was the starting point for this British silent film. The story is set during the 1808 military contretemps between England and Spain. Elissa Landi plays the daughter of an artist who leads a double life as a Spanish espionage agent. Inadvertently, Landi provides the British with the wherewithal to emerge triumphant. Curiously, Bolibar does not show up on any of the official resumes of Austro-Italian film star Elissa Landi-unless, of course, the film was also released as Underground. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerrold Robertshaw, Hubert Carter, (more)
- 1926
One of several artistic collaborations between American actress Dorothy Gish and British producer-director Herbert Wilcox, London is set in guess which English metropolis. Slum girl Mavis Hogan (Gish) bears an astonishing resemblance to the deceased daughter of wealthy dowager Lady Arbourfield (Daisy Campbell), and it is for this reason that Arbourfield decides to adopt Mavis. Acclimating herself to her posh surroundings, Mavis falls in love with Arbourfield's handsome young nephew Geoffrey Malvern (John Malvern). But when another young woman sets her cap for Paul, Mavis tearfully returns to the slums. She ultimately finds happiness with portrait painter Paul Merlan (Adelqui Millar), whose picture of Mavis attracted Lady Arbourfield's attention in the first place. Featured in the cast is bandleader Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, though their presence in a silent film must have seemed superfluous at best. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dorothy Gish
