The Emperor's Candlesticks (film)
Encyclopedia
The Emperor's Candlesticks is a 1937 film starring William Powell
and Luise Rainer
, based on the novel of the same name
by Baroness Orczy
. It was directed by George Fitzmaurice
.
incognito, Russian
Grand Duke Peter (Robert Young
) is lured away from a masquerade ball
by the beautiful Maria (Maureen O'Sullivan
), only to find himself the prisoner of Polish nationalists. Peter is made to write a letter to his father, the Czar of Russia, offering to exchange him for Maria's father, who has been sentenced to be executed.
Because their previous petitions for clemency were intercepted by the Russian secret police and never reached the Czar, the Poles task secret agent Baron Stephan Wolensky (William Powell) to deliver the letter. Colonel Pavloff (Frank Reicher
), head of the secret police, learns of this and assigns his own agent, Countess Olga Mironova (Luise Rainer), to stop Wolensky.
Since he is already going to Saint Petersburg
, Wolensky's friend, Prince Johann (Henry Stephenson
), asks him to deliver a pair of ornate candlesticks to a princess. Each of the candlesticks has a secret compartment, so the baron places the letter in one. Later, when Prince Johann amuses Countess Mironova by showing her the candlesticks' unusual feature, she puts Pavloff's order to have Wolensky arrested inside the empty one, and persuades the prince to entrust the pair to her. When Wolensky is given the news, he sets off in pursuit.
A complication arises when Mironova's maid, Mitzi Reisenbach (Bernadene Hayes), and Mitzi's lover Anton (Donald Kirke) steal her jewelry and the candlesticks, which then pass through various hands. As they trace the candlesticks, first to Paris and then to London, Wolensky and Mironova realize they are on opposite sides, but this does not prevent them from falling in love.
Finally, the candlesticks are put up for auction. The countess places the winning bid, but since only cash is acceptable as payment, she has only enough to pay for one. The baron offers to buy the other. They each choose a candlestick at random; Wolensky gets the one with Pavloff's order. Knowing the price for failure in the Russian secret police, he offers to give her back her papers once Peter's letter is safely delivered.
Meanwhile, the Polish patriots become restless at the long, unexplained delay. Korum (Douglas Dumbrille) favors killing Peter, but Maria persuades the others to wait until they hear from Wolensky. Peter eavesdrops and is pleased.
Pavloff, by now aware of the love between Wolensky and Miranova, arrests the pair and brings them before the Czar. The ruler of Russia reads his son's letter and agrees to the terms. Then he graciously frees the loving couple, who get married.
William Powell
William Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
and Luise Rainer
Luise Rainer
Luise Rainer is a former German film actress. Known as The "Viennese Teardrop", she was the first woman to win two Academy Awards, and the first person to win them consecutively. She was discovered by MGM talent scouts while acting on stage in Austria and Germany and after appearing in Austrian...
, based on the novel of the same name
The Emperor's Candlesticks
The Emperor's Candlesticks is a historical novel by Baroness Orczy. Written soon after the birth of her son John, it is her first book as an author rather than translator and was a commercial failure...
by Baroness Orczy
Baroness Orczy
Baroness Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála "Emmuska" Orczy de Orczi was a British novelist, playwright and artist of Hungarian noble origin. She was most notable for her series of novels featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel...
. It was directed by George Fitzmaurice
George Fitzmaurice
George Fitzmaurice was a film director and producer. Fitzmaurice's career first started as a set designer on stage...
.
Plot
While visiting ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
incognito, Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Grand Duke Peter (Robert Young
Robert Young (actor)
Robert George Young was an American television, film, and radio actor, best known for his leading roles as Jim Anderson, the father of Father Knows Best and as physician Marcus Welby in Marcus Welby, M.D. .-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Young was the son of an Irish immigrant father...
) is lured away from a masquerade ball
Masquerade ball
A masquerade ball is an event which the participants attend in costume wearing a mask. - History :...
by the beautiful Maria (Maureen O'Sullivan
Maureen O'Sullivan
Maureen Paula O’Sullivan was an Irish actress.-Early life:O'Sullivan was born in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland, the daughter of Roman Catholic parents Mary Lovatt and Charles Joseph O'Sullivan, an officer in The Connaught Rangers who served in The Great War...
), only to find himself the prisoner of Polish nationalists. Peter is made to write a letter to his father, the Czar of Russia, offering to exchange him for Maria's father, who has been sentenced to be executed.
Because their previous petitions for clemency were intercepted by the Russian secret police and never reached the Czar, the Poles task secret agent Baron Stephan Wolensky (William Powell) to deliver the letter. Colonel Pavloff (Frank Reicher
Frank Reicher
Frank Reicher , was a German-born American stage and film actor, director and producer.-Early life:Frank Reicher was born in Munich, Germany, the son of actor Emanuel Reicher and Hedwig Kindermann, a popular German prima donna who was a daughter of the famous baritone August Kindermann...
), head of the secret police, learns of this and assigns his own agent, Countess Olga Mironova (Luise Rainer), to stop Wolensky.
Since he is already going to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Wolensky's friend, Prince Johann (Henry Stephenson
Henry Stephenson
Henry Stephenson , sometimes credited as Harry Stephenson, was a British character actor....
), asks him to deliver a pair of ornate candlesticks to a princess. Each of the candlesticks has a secret compartment, so the baron places the letter in one. Later, when Prince Johann amuses Countess Mironova by showing her the candlesticks' unusual feature, she puts Pavloff's order to have Wolensky arrested inside the empty one, and persuades the prince to entrust the pair to her. When Wolensky is given the news, he sets off in pursuit.
A complication arises when Mironova's maid, Mitzi Reisenbach (Bernadene Hayes), and Mitzi's lover Anton (Donald Kirke) steal her jewelry and the candlesticks, which then pass through various hands. As they trace the candlesticks, first to Paris and then to London, Wolensky and Mironova realize they are on opposite sides, but this does not prevent them from falling in love.
Finally, the candlesticks are put up for auction. The countess places the winning bid, but since only cash is acceptable as payment, she has only enough to pay for one. The baron offers to buy the other. They each choose a candlestick at random; Wolensky gets the one with Pavloff's order. Knowing the price for failure in the Russian secret police, he offers to give her back her papers once Peter's letter is safely delivered.
Meanwhile, the Polish patriots become restless at the long, unexplained delay. Korum (Douglas Dumbrille) favors killing Peter, but Maria persuades the others to wait until they hear from Wolensky. Peter eavesdrops and is pleased.
Pavloff, by now aware of the love between Wolensky and Miranova, arrests the pair and brings them before the Czar. The ruler of Russia reads his son's letter and agrees to the terms. Then he graciously frees the loving couple, who get married.
Cast
- William Powell as Baron Stephan Wolensky
- Luise Rainer as Countess Olga Mironova
- Robert YoungRobert Young (actor)Robert George Young was an American television, film, and radio actor, best known for his leading roles as Jim Anderson, the father of Father Knows Best and as physician Marcus Welby in Marcus Welby, M.D. .-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Young was the son of an Irish immigrant father...
as Grand Duke Peter - Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'SullivanMaureen Paula O’Sullivan was an Irish actress.-Early life:O'Sullivan was born in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland, the daughter of Roman Catholic parents Mary Lovatt and Charles Joseph O'Sullivan, an officer in The Connaught Rangers who served in The Great War...
as Maria - Frank MorganFrank MorganFrank Morgan was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of the title character in the film The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
as Col. Baron Suroff, Peter's companion and fellow captive - Henry StephensonHenry StephensonHenry Stephenson , sometimes credited as Harry Stephenson, was a British character actor....
as Prince Johann - Bernadene Hayes as Mitzi Reisenbach
- Donald Kirke as Anton
- Douglass DumbrilleDouglass DumbrilleDouglass Dumbrille was a Canadian actor and one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.-Life and career:...
as Korum - Charles WaldronCharles WaldronCharles Waldron , sometimes credited as Charles Waldron Sr., Chas. Waldron Sr., Charles D. Waldron or Mr. Waldron, was an American film and theatre actor.-Film:...
as Dr. Malchor, a conspirator - Ian WolfeIan WolfeIan Wolfe was an American actor whose films date from 1934 to 1990. Until 1934, he worked as a theatre actor. Wolfe mostly found work as a character actor, appearing in over 270 films...
as Leon, a conspirator (as Ien Wulf) - Barnett Parker as Albert
- Frank ReicherFrank ReicherFrank Reicher , was a German-born American stage and film actor, director and producer.-Early life:Frank Reicher was born in Munich, Germany, the son of actor Emanuel Reicher and Hedwig Kindermann, a popular German prima donna who was a daughter of the famous baritone August Kindermann...
as Pavloff - Bert RoachBert RoachBert Roach was an American film actor. He appeared in 327 films between 1914 and 1951.He was born in Washington, D.C., and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Fatty's Magic Pants...
as Hotel Clerk - Paul PorcasiPaul PorcasiPaul Porcasi was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 142 films between 1917 and 1945.He was born in Palermo, Sicily and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:* Broadway...
as Santuzzi, a jeweler who buys the candlesticks