SHE (1935)
Article #127 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 7-21-2001
Posting date: 12-4-2001

Explorers discover a lost civilization in the arctic wastelands. The seemingly immortal queen of the land believes one of the explorers is the reincarnation of an old lover.

This is a fairly enjoyable version of H. Rider Haggard’s novel, of which there have been several adaptations, mostly during the silent era. It’s produced by Ernest P. Schoedsack, who along with Merian C. Cooper and Willis O’Brien gave us KING KONG; this time, directorial chores are handled by Lansing C. Holden and Irving Pichel, who played Sandor in DRACULA’S DAUGHTER. Randolph Scott is on hand in this one, as well as Rathbone’s Dr. Watson, Nigel Bruce. It’s the sets that really steal the show in this movie, as the story was pretty old hat by this time; in fact, what stands out most in my mind about the movie was a huge cylindrical gong that was used in a couple of scenes.

I’ve never read any H. Rider Haggard, but I think I’d like to sometime; the large number of adaptations of SHE, as well as KING SOLOMON’S MINES, leads me to believe he must have immensely popular at one time.