SHE
US, 1935, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Helen Gahagan, Randolph Scott, Helen Mack, Nigel Bruce, Samuel S. Hinds, Jim Thorpe.
Directed by Lancing C. Holden and Irving Pichel.
With Merian C. Cooper having great success with King Kong in 1933, his attention turned to H. Rider Haggard’s writings, especially She. King Solomon’s Mines was to be filmed two years later by Robert Stevenson.
The film has lavish production values, opening quietly in a room in an English mansion and then going to the Arctic with some spectacular snow sequences, most especially an avalanche. Then the travellers pass through some caves and enter an exotic world of fine architecture, lavish accommodation, the overtones of a religion… There are some spectacular scenes in the kingdom, several dances with what seems now rather awkward choreography – and then back home in England.
The film opens with a story about mysterious adventures in the north, a legend about a fire which enabled immortality as well as a gold emblem which has been brought back. Reading a manuscript which has also been brought back, a dying man instructs his nephew and his science associate to travel to find out the truth. In the north, they come across a manager of a trade outpost and his daughter, the man being killed off early because of his greed and the daughter accompanying the travellers and providing a love motif.
However, it is the queen of this kingdom, She, ‘she who must be obeyed’ who controls the rest of the film, thinking that her lover has come back, wanting to trap him, wanting to get rid of the trader’s daughter, protected by her military guard. But, she is seen to be cruel – and in her attempt to preserve her immortality, in fact goes through the fire too many times and crumbles to death.
Quite exotic for 1935.
The film is of historical interest because of some of the cast. This was the only film made by singer Helen Gahagan who married Melvyn Douglas, went into the American Congress for two terms, was mocked by Richard Nixon as being ‘pink’ and was defeated by him in her attempt to be elected to the Senate. Her black outfit as she sat on the throne was the model for that of the wicked queen in Snow White, two years later. Randolph Scott was making routine films, although some Astaire- Rogers musicals, at this time but was eventually to enter into a 25 year run of starring in westerns. Nigel Bruce is the assistant, bungling as always, and soon to become a celebrated Dr Watson to Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes. Also of interest is the head of the guard played by Native American athlete Jim Thorpe who was to have a biographical film made about him in 1952, Man of Bronze, with Burt Lancaster in the central role.
She has been filmed several times, with the 1966 version starring Ursula Andress in the central role, the best known. And King Solomon’s Mines has been filmed a number of times
1. An exotic entertainment from the 1930s, from the makers of King Kong? The popularity of the novels of H. Rider Haggard, best known as the author of King Solomon’s Mines?
2. The scope of the film, the budget, the cast? The Arctic sets, the avalanche, the kingdom of She? The elaborate interiors? The dances and choreography? The musical school?
3. The plausibility of the plot, the visit to the kingdom of She, the return, the document, the gold emblem? The uncle and his believing the legend, his science associate? The summoning of Leo to England? The explanation of the documents, the legend, the long close ups of the uncle narrating the story, his death? Leo and the expedition to the north?
4. The plausibility of the expedition, Leo and Holly trekking through the snow? Coming to the trader’s house, the old man, the welcome, his reluctance about the trip, the language about the natives, condescending? His daughter and her cooking, keeping the old man? Climbing the crevice, the finding of the frozen snow leopard, the gold? Caution about an avalanche, the trader and his making the vibrations, perishing in the giant avalanche, the others surviving?
5. The decision to go on, finding the caves, going through, their being pursued, the leader of the guard, the explanation of his being able to speak English? the fight? Leo wounded, their carrying him into the kingdom?
6. She, as a personality, her appearance, dignity, the reality of her being immortal? her thinking Leo was John, returned to her? Her command of the kingdom, her love, her cruelty, attitude towards the girl, towards Holly?
7. Leo, character, personality, bringing the girl along, his growing attachment, love? The fight, his being wounded, in the court of She, singling out the men who attacked him, his reaction to her executing one? With She, his bewilderment, wondering whether he was a reincarnation, or had lost all his memories?
8. She, wanting to possess Leo, her persuasion, her harshness, the build-up to the final confrontation, ceremonial, her going into the fire, gradually ageing and dying?
9. Holly and the girl, in captivity, in the court, Leo and his decisions?
10. Happy ending to the saga?
