![Image](http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa123/cleteux/SilverScreen/LionDesMogols.jpg)
Le Lion des Mogols (The Lion of the Mogols, 1924) by Jean Epstein with Ivan Mosjoukine, Nathalie Lissenko et Camille Bardou
Prince Roundghito-Sing (I. Mosjoukine) leaves his country on a boat as the nasty Great Khan is after him. On the boat, he meets a film crew. He notices immediately Anna (N. Lissenko) an actress...
This Epstein picture seems to enjoy a real prestige among the Albatros collection. I wonder why. It's a high piece of camp and kitsch. Mosjoukine appears on the screen dressed in the most hilarious costume (hot pants!) covered with pearls. The narrative is highly flawed and Epstein seems unable to build characters. Strangely, he manages to get an inexpressive performance from Mosjoukine, that protean actor! The beginning of the film tries to create an Arabian Nights atmosphere unsucessfully. When William Cameron Menzies' sets in Thief of Bagdad are a masterpiece, here we get something that looks like cardboard sets. The film peaks up when he boards a boat bound for France. He steps into a movie set where a camera crew is shooting a film. But what could have provided some amusing comedy relief turns quickly into a bore. The best aspect of the film is that we can get a glimpse of the Albatros studios in Montreuil. But, the idea of the film-within-a-film was not new. In 1920, L'Angoissante Aventure (Protazanov) was also showing scenes behind the camera. Epstein tries to use the latest technical advances, but they seem like showing off rather than an integral part of the film.
I saw yesterday a new print with restored tints (based upon a Pathé-Baby print). Tints or no tints, this film is the least interesting Mosjoukine picture among his French silents.