The House of Mystery (La Maison du Mystère)

Serials—those adventure cliffhangers screened in theaters before the main feature at a rate of one chapter per week—are commonly dismissed as kid's stuff, glorified B-movies cranked out with little thought for story or character. In France, however, some serials were made with high production values for adult audiences. The House of Mystery (1921-23) is an epic story of love, jealousy, murder, blackmail, and injustice starring Ivan Mosjoukine—one of the most celebrated stars of French silent cinema—as Julien Villandrit, a hero framed for murder by his friend and business associate, Henri Corradin (Charles Vanel), over the love of a woman, Régine de Bettigny (Hélène Darly). This decades-spanning tale features a daring jailbreak, a desperate escape over rugged mountains and across deadly ravines, and a series of disguises donned by Villandrit as he labors to clear his name, but even with the heavy action, this is still more romantic melodrama than thriller. Based on a bestselling novel, the serial format gives the drama room to breathe and the actors space to develop characters and relationships over the 10 chapters that run more than six hours total. Directed by Alexandre Volkoff with a high degree of sophistication and elegance, the complete serial was restored in 1992 and digitally remastered for its home video debut in 2014. Extras include a photo gallery, and a booklet. A rarity that is sure to appeal to fans of silent film, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)