The Rebel Son (1938)

The 16th century Cossack leader Taras Bulba (Harry Baur) has two sons. One, an educated peaceful boy (Anthony Bushell, looking like a young John Wayne) and the other (Roger Livesey, LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP) who thrives on fighting. When the elder Bulba declares war on the Prince of the Tartars (Frederick Culley), the educated son must choose between his people and the woman (Patricia Roc in her film debut) he loves, the daughter of the Prince. Based on the Nikolai Gogol novel, perhaps best known for the 1962 American film version, this is a rather crude and simplistic Romeo and Juliet take on the story. It's short on spectacle but at a brief running time of 1 hour and 13 minutes (almost an hour less than the 1962 film), it doesn't wear out its welcome. The downside is that there isn't enough time for any of the characters to get fleshed out, especially Baur's Taras Bulba who the film seems to take as a tragic hero. Though to be fair the original running time was fifteen minutes longer. Directed by Adrian Brunel. The cinematography, which is quite decent, is shared by Bernard Browne (THE SPY IN BLACK) and Franz Planer (ROMAN HOLIDAY) and the lively underscore by Paul Dessau.