Adoration (1928 film)

1928 film

Adoration

Theatrical poster

Directed by| Frank Lloyd
Written by| Winifred Dunn (scenario)
Story by| Lajos Biró
Produced by| Frank Lloyd
Starring| Billie Dove
Antonio Moreno
Emile Chautard
Lucy Doraine
Cinematography| John F. Seitz
Edited by| John Rawlins
Frank Stone
Music by| Max Bergunker
Gerard Carbonara
Karl Hajos
Distributed by| First National Pictures: a subsidiary of Warner Bros.

Release date

* December 2, 1928 (1928-12-02) (U.S.)

Running time

| 73 minutes
Country| United States
Languages| Sound (Synchronized)
English Intertitles

Adoration is a 1928 American synchronized sound drama film. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the sound-on-disc Vitaphone process. The film was released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., and directed by Frank Lloyd. It stars Billie Dove, Antonio Moreno, Emile Chautard and Lucy Doraine. The film was also issued in a shorter silent version for theatres that were not yet wired for sound.[1][2]

## Plot

[edit]

Set during the final days of Imperial Russia, Adoration tells the story of Prince Serge Orloff (Antonio Moreno) and Princess Elena (Billie Dove), whose love is tested by political upheaval, mistaken identity, and betrayal.

On the eve of Prince Serge’s departure for military service, a grand ball is held at the Orloff palace in Petrograd. During the festivities, Serge becomes increasingly jealous of Count Vladimir (Nicholas Soussanin), a fellow aristocrat whose attentions toward Princess Elena are conspicuous. Unbeknownst to Serge, Vladimir is also involved in a romantic entanglement with Ninette (Lucy Doraine), Elena’s French maid.

Later that evening, Ninette wraps herself in Elena’s distinctive cloak and visits Count Vladimir at his residence. At the same time, the Russian Revolution erupts in Petrograd. Serge, bloodied and battered in the chaos, stumbles past Vladimir’s home and sees what he believes to be his wife entering. He follows, finds Elena’s cloak inside, and becomes convinced of her unfaithfulness. Vladimir denies Elena is present, but Serge refuses to believe him. The two men engage in a brutal fight, only to be interrupted when a revolutionary mob storms the house. Both are left unconscious.

The narrative then shifts to Paris, where exiled members of the former Russian aristocracy are forced to take up humble professions. Elena now works as a fashion model (mannequin), and Serge, shattered by what he believes was his wife's betrayal, has become an alcoholic and works as a waiter in a low-class café. Emotionally and physically deteriorated, he lives only in bitterness.

Through the assistance of a former general, Murajev (Emile Chautard), now reduced to shining shoes, Elena discovers Serge’s whereabouts. When she confronts him, he accuses her of infidelity and refuses to accept her denial. Determined to prove her innocence, Elena seeks out Ninette, who is now living comfortably. Misunderstanding Elena’s motives, Ninette assumes she is trying to rekindle a relationship with Vladimir for personal gain and helps her locate him.

Elena visits Count Vladimir at his luxurious apartment. He misinterprets her visit as a romantic advance. When she clarifies that she has come solely to make him admit the truth about the night of the revolution, he refuses to let her leave and confesses his continued obsession with her.

Meanwhile, Serge, still believing himself wronged, follows Elena to Vladimir’s apartment. Armed with a revolver and resolved to end the matter with three bullets—one for Vladimir, one for Elena, and one for himself—he bursts in and confronts them. With the gun aimed at her, Elena insists once more that she was never there that night. At that moment, Ninette arrives. Pressured by Vladimir, she confesses that she—not Elena—visited him while wearing her mistress’s cloak.

The revelation clears Elena’s name, but Serge, devastated by his misjudgment, leaves in shame, believing himself unworthy of her love. Later, Elena sees him again—this time working as a chauffeur in the rain. Though humbled, he is now sober, clear-eyed, and emotionally transformed. Moved by their enduring bond, Elena joins him, and together they return to her modest apartment, ready to begin a new life in exile.

## Cast

[edit]

* Billie Dove as Princess Elena
* Antonio Moreno as Prince Serge Orloff
* Emile Chautard as General Murajev
* Lucy Doraine as Ninette (Elena's French maid)
* Nicholas Bela as Ivan (Head waiter at Russian cafe)
* Nicholas Soussanin as Count Vladimir
* Winifred Bryson as Baroness
* Lucien Prival as Baron

## Music

[edit]

The theme song for this film was entitled "Adoration" and was composed by Karl Hajos.

## Preservation

[edit]

A print of Adoration survives in the Czech Film Archive.[3]

## See also

[edit]

* List of early sound feature films (1926–1929)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Progressive Silent Film List: Adoration at silentera.com
2. ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Adoration
3. ^ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Adoration

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adoration (1928 film).

* Adoration at IMDb
* Still at gettyimages.com

* v
* t
* e

The films of Frank Lloyd

1910s|

* The Gentleman from Indiana (1915)
* Jane (1915)
* The Reform Candidate (1915)
* The Tongues of Men (1916)
* The Call of the Cumberlands (1916)
* Madame la Presidente (1916)
* The Code of Marcia Gray (1916)
* David Garrick (1916)
* The Making of Maddalena (1916)
* An International Marriage (1916)
* The Stronger Love (1916)
* The Intrigue (1916)
* Sins of Her Parent (1916)
* The World and the Woman (1916)
* The Kingdom of Love (1917)
* The Price of Silence (1917)
* A Tale of Two Cities (1917)
* American Methods (1917)
* When a Man Sees Red (1917)
* Les Misérables (1917)
* The Heart of a Lion (1917)
* The Blindness of Divorce (1918)
* True Blue (1918)
* Riders of the Purple Sage (1918)
* The Rainbow Trail (1918)
* For Freedom (1918)
* The Man Hunter (1919)
* Pitfalls of a Big City (1919)
* The World and Its Woman (1919)
* The Loves of Letty (1919)

1920s|

* The Woman in Room 13 (1920)
* The Silver Horde (1920)
* Madame X (1920)
* The Great Lover (1920)
* A Tale of Two Worlds (1921)
* Roads of Destiny (1921)
* A Voice in the Dark (1921)
* The Invisible Power (1921)
* The Grim Comedian (1921)
* The Man from Lost River (1921)
* The Eternal Flame (1922)
* The Sin Flood (1922)
* Oliver Twist (1922)
* The Voice from the Minaret (1923)
* Within the Law (1923)
* Ashes of Vengeance (1923)
* Black Oxen (1923)
* The Sea Hawk (1924)
* The Silent Watcher (1924)
* Her Husband's Secret (1925)
* Winds of Chance (1925)
* The Splendid Road (1925)
* The Wise Guy (1926)
* The Eagle of the Sea (1926)
* Children of Divorce (1927)
* Adoration (1928)
* Weary River (1929)
* The Divine Lady (1929)
* Drag (1929)
* Dark Streets (1929)
* Young Nowheres (1929)

1930s|

* Son of the Gods (1930)
* The Way of All Men (1930)
* The Lash (1930)
* The Right of Way (1931)
* East Lynne (1931)
* The Age for Love (1931)
* A Passport to Hell (1932)
* Cavalcade (1933)
* Berkeley Square (1933)
* Hoop-La (1933)
* Servants' Entrance (1934)
* Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
* Under Two Flags (1936)
* Maid of Salem (1937)
* Wells Fargo (1937)
* If I Were King (1938)
* Rulers of the Sea (1939)

1940s|

* The Howards of Virginia (1940)
* This Woman Is Mine (1941)
* The Lady from Cheyenne (1941)
* Forever and a Day (1943)
* Blood on the Sun (1945)

1950s|

* The Shanghai Story (1954)
* The Last Command (1955)

Productions|

* Saboteur (1942)
* The Spoilers (1942)
* Invisible Agent (1942)

This article related to an American film of the 1920s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

|

* v
* t
* e

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template