The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1929)

This first cinematic version of the classic book is a part-talkie, although the only surviving print is silent (housed in the George Eastman House, Rochester, NY). It is a straight-forward telling of the intermingled lives of a group of strangers doomed to die in a collapsing bridge accident. The Art Direction, paltry and unremarkable, surprisingly won an Oscar over the far more remarkable work nominated in THE IRON MASK. The special effect scene of the lovers plummeting with the bridge into the chasm is unforgettable and remarkably done.

Released

1929-03-30

Genres

Drama

Runtime

87 min

Status

Released

Directed / written by

Charles Brabin

TMDB rating

8.0/10 from 4 votes