Adventures of Michael Strogoff on AllMovie

Based on a Jules Verne novel, Adventures of Michael Strogoff stars Anton Walbrook in the title role. Strogoff is the personal courier of the Russian Czar, sent to Siberia with vital information that will help win the war against the Tartars. Captured by a Tartar prince, Strogoff is sentenced to be blinded, but not before being permitted to witness the beautiful sights he'll never see again...including an elaborate dance sequence choreographed to the tunes of Rimsky-Korsakov. Apparently sightless, Strogoff completes his mission, but happily his blindness was only a pose to allow him safe conduct. Adventures of Michael Strogoff was originally produced in France, with a German-language version filmed simultaneously. RKO secured the services of the film's star Anton Walbrook, lifted the major battle sequences from the European version, reshot most of the plot footage in Hollywood (with added comedy relief in the form of Thomas Mitchell and Eric Blore), and released the results as The Soldier and the Lady.