Scarlet Dawn
Encyclopedia
Scarlet Dawn is a 1932
romantic drama film starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
and Nancy Carroll
as refugees from the Russian Revolution. It is based on the novel Revolt by Mary C. McCall, Jr.
Krasnoff sets off for Turkey; Tanyusha accompanies him, much to his puzzlement. To get past a checkpoint, they hide in a car. When they are discovered, Krasnoff offers to pay, exchanging a single strand of pearls at a time as their journey continues. When the couple falls asleep, the greedy car owner and his driver rob them and force them out of the vehicle. However, when the crooks try to run another checkpoint, they are killed by the guards.
Krasnoff and Tanyusha continue on foot. The first night, Krasnoff tries to take advantage of his companion, but when she resists his advances, he desists. Eventually, they reach Constantinople
, where Krasnoff gets a job as a dishwasher, while Tanyusha scrubs floors at a hospital. Krasnoff marries Tanyusha.
One day, restaurant patron Vera Zimina (Lilyan Tashman
) is astonished to find her ex-lover Krasnoff working as a busboy. She enlists him for a moneymaking scheme. Tired of his wretched existence, Krasnoff goes off with Vera, telling his wife that he will send her money. However, his letters are intercepted by the landlady.
Vera has befriended the wealthy Mr. Murphy (Guy Kibbee
). Krasnoff is assigned to romance Murphy's daughter Marjorie (Sheila Terry). Vera then gives Krasnoff an excellent imitation of the Krasnoff pearls to sell to the trusting Murphys. When he proves reluctant, she shows him a Turkish proclamation announcing that all unemployed Russians are to be deported back to the Soviet Union. It does not have the effect she intended though. Krasnoff, afraid that his wife will be sent back, confesses the truth to Marjorie and rushes off to find Tanyusha.
He cannot find her and is picked up by the Turkish police for deportation. He is reunited with Tanyusha, and together, they board the ship taking them to a grim future.
1932 in film
-Events:*Cary Grant's film career begins*Katharine Hepburn's film career begins*Shirley Temple's film career begins*Disney released Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon in three-strip Technicolor film.*Santa, first sound film made in Mexico released....
romantic drama film starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Jr. KBE was an American actor and a highly decorated naval officer of World War II.-Early life:...
and Nancy Carroll
Nancy Carroll
Nancy Carroll was an American actress.-Career:She was christened Ann Veronica Lahiff in New York City. Of Irish parentage, she and her sister once performed a dancing act in a local contest of amateur talent. This led her to a stage career and then to the screen. She began her acting career in...
as refugees from the Russian Revolution. It is based on the novel Revolt by Mary C. McCall, Jr.
Mary C. McCall, Jr.
Mary C. McCall, Jr. was a writer best known for her screenwriting. She was the first woman president of the Writers Guild of America, serving from 1942-44 and 1951-52....
Plot
When Russian revolutionaries overrun his country estate, Baron Nikita Krasnoff (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) barely escapes with his life by killing one of them and switching clothes. His story is suspicious, so the household servant Tanyusha (Nancy Carroll) is found and brought to identify him. To his surprise, she does not betray him, and they are released. He is even allowed to "loot" one of his own possessions, a sword with the fabulous Krasnoff pearl necklace hidden in a secret compartment in the scabbard.Krasnoff sets off for Turkey; Tanyusha accompanies him, much to his puzzlement. To get past a checkpoint, they hide in a car. When they are discovered, Krasnoff offers to pay, exchanging a single strand of pearls at a time as their journey continues. When the couple falls asleep, the greedy car owner and his driver rob them and force them out of the vehicle. However, when the crooks try to run another checkpoint, they are killed by the guards.
Krasnoff and Tanyusha continue on foot. The first night, Krasnoff tries to take advantage of his companion, but when she resists his advances, he desists. Eventually, they reach Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, where Krasnoff gets a job as a dishwasher, while Tanyusha scrubs floors at a hospital. Krasnoff marries Tanyusha.
One day, restaurant patron Vera Zimina (Lilyan Tashman
Lilyan Tashman
Lilyan Tashman was a Brooklyn-born Jewish American vaudeville, Broadway, and film actress. Tashman was best known for her supporting roles as tongue-in-cheek villainesses and the bitchy 'other woman'...
) is astonished to find her ex-lover Krasnoff working as a busboy. She enlists him for a moneymaking scheme. Tired of his wretched existence, Krasnoff goes off with Vera, telling his wife that he will send her money. However, his letters are intercepted by the landlady.
Vera has befriended the wealthy Mr. Murphy (Guy Kibbee
Guy Kibbee
Guy Bridges Kibbee was an American stage and film actor.Born in El Paso, Texas, Kibbee began his entertainment career on Mississippi riverboats and eventually became a successful Broadway actor...
). Krasnoff is assigned to romance Murphy's daughter Marjorie (Sheila Terry). Vera then gives Krasnoff an excellent imitation of the Krasnoff pearls to sell to the trusting Murphys. When he proves reluctant, she shows him a Turkish proclamation announcing that all unemployed Russians are to be deported back to the Soviet Union. It does not have the effect she intended though. Krasnoff, afraid that his wife will be sent back, confesses the truth to Marjorie and rushes off to find Tanyusha.
He cannot find her and is picked up by the Turkish police for deportation. He is reunited with Tanyusha, and together, they board the ship taking them to a grim future.
Cast
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Baron Nikita 'Nikki' Krasnoff
- Nancy Carroll as Tanyusha Krasnoff
- Lilyan TashmanLilyan TashmanLilyan Tashman was a Brooklyn-born Jewish American vaudeville, Broadway, and film actress. Tashman was best known for her supporting roles as tongue-in-cheek villainesses and the bitchy 'other woman'...
as Vera Zimina - Guy KibbeeGuy KibbeeGuy Bridges Kibbee was an American stage and film actor.Born in El Paso, Texas, Kibbee began his entertainment career on Mississippi riverboats and eventually became a successful Broadway actor...
as Mr. Murphy - Sheila Terry as Marjorie Murphy