Marlene Dietrich had started as a cabaret singer, and had made a bunch of silent german films, but what got her noticed was Blue Angel. off to hollywood! Knight Without Armour is made many years later, in the innocent year 1937, before WW II. Period piece... 1913, so we're just a couple years before the russian revolution. Dietrich is russian Countess Alexandra, when it didn't pay to be royalty. and she's marrying a colonel in the royal guard. Robert Donat is british translator Fothergill, who has worked in russia, but is now told to leave. but he doesn't. the underground fires on the royal procession and Fothergill is arrested. when the revolution rolls around, Fothergill is freed and celebrated. it's his job to take Alexandra to the trial, but ... of course they fall in love. Can they escape, seeing as they are from opposite sides? they run the obstacle course of adventures, as they try to make a getaway. it's quite good, although in the name of brevity, a lot of things are explained in a sentence or two by the other actors. I guess they had a lot of story to tell in a short time. directed by jacques feyder . belgium director who had started in silents for Gaumont Films. Novel by James Hilton, who specialized in epic stories of intrigue across country borders. Robert Donat won his oscar for Goodbye Mr Chips, but sadly died at 53 from a brain tumor.
Review of Knight Without Armor
