The Queen of Spades (1949 film)
| The Queen of Spades | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Thorold Dickinson |
| Produced by | Anatole de Grunwald |
| Written by |
Alexander Pushkin (story) Rodney Ackland Arthur Boys |
| Starring |
Anton Walbrook Edith Evans Yvonne Mitchell |
| Cinematography | Otto Heller |
| Edited by | Hazel Wilkinson |
|
Production
company |
De Grunwald Productions for Associated British Picture Corporation
|
| Distributed by |
Associated British-Pathe (UK) Republic Pictures (US) |
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Release date
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Running time
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95 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £107,250 (UK) |
The Queen of Spades is a 1949 fantasy-horror film based on a short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin. It stars Anton Walbrook, Edith Evans and Yvonne Mitchell. Although Evans and Mitchell were both experienced stage actors, this was their cinematic debut.
Captain Herman Suvorin (Anton Walbrook) is a Russian soldier in St Petersburg in 1806. He comes from a working class background, and is consequently spurned by his wealthier fellow officers. Suvorin begins gambling, playing the card game Faro. He is told of an aged countess (Edith Evans), who allegedly sold her soul to the devil in exchange for success in playing Faro. Suvorin seduces her ward (Yvonne Mitchell) as part of a plan to learn the countess's secret of success.
The story was adapted from a short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin, with a script written by Arthur Boys and Rodney Ackland. The original director of the film left the project after suffering from poor health, and was replaced by Thorold Dickinson, who also rewrote sections of the script.
The film was shot at Welwyn Studios in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, using sets created by William Kellner.
Despite a limited budget, it was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best British Film. It was also entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival.
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