Lady of Spain… A Romance of Seville (1929), Network Blu-ray

Finding a British silent film on Blu-ray is a rare treat and so, with no knowledge of the contents, I didn’t hesitate to bung £8 to the staff at Fopp in exchange for Network's new Blu-ray, A Romance of Seville; that’s roughly the cost of a large cappuccino and cheesecake at Caffe Nero so an essential sacrifice as part of my so-called diet.

Directed by Norman Walker and co-scripted by Alma Reville, wife of Alfred but a fine writer first and foremost, with cinematography from Claude, son of The William Friese-Greene, the packaging promised a “silent classic” with sweeping panoramas of Seville, glamour and adventure. Originally the film featured extensive Pathéchrome colour sequences and I can only imagine how the ball scenes would have looked but what remains is 62 minutes of decent quality black and white restored from original elements and with a contemporary score from John Reynders featuring “a medley of colourful Spanish music” written when the film was re-presented with sound – no dialogue just the music - in 1930.

The gardeners of Seville

Of what remains, the star must be the location shooting and the cameraman with some stunning sweeps across the Spanish countryside together with inventive framing that gives the narrative a little more impetus than the narrative otherwise warrants. But we should be glad that this exists at all and I found it entertaining with some unexpected and winning characters.

The camera pans round to the ancestral home of Don Pedro Cortez, a splendid villa suspended on a rock face overlooking the plains of Andalucía. Cortez has pledged his daughter Delorez (Eugenie Amami) to Ramon (Alexander D'Arcy who enjoyed a long career including Hitchcock’s Champagne ) son of Senor and Senora Duniga, a marriage of moneyed convenience… and there’s a nice shot as the couples meet as seen through a grille and Friese-Greene’s camera moves forward passing through to reveal our players.

Uneasy Eugenie Amami and Alexander D'Arcy

We’re pretty sure how this is going to play out and the young couple look awkward as Ramon’s mother teases him about his lack of romantic wiles but, whilst he doesn’t look like he lacks experience with that moustache, he turns out as to be a splendid chap who won’t be forcing his hand on anyone but the woman who loves him. Delorez loves a soldier, Captain Juan Fernando (can you hear the drums, Hugh Eden?) and when they are spied by Ramon in the garden, he surprises them both by saying he will do anything to avoid his duty and to let their love continue.

Fernando: Senor Roman I would die for her.

Ramon: I think Delores would much rather you lived for her.

All very noble you might think and just as Ramon looks at a loose end he spots a young woman standing on a balcony – it’s Pepita (Russian-born, Marguerite Allan) – who turns around, spurning Roman’s attention only to find herself set upon by three bandits. He races to her aid quickly despatching the three other men; clearly the Force is strong with this one.

Rascally Randle Ayrton and compromised Cecil Barry...

The thieves were not only after Pepita but also the jewels in her father’s safe, but whilst Don Orsino Valdez has been tied up, his valuables are still safe in the safe. Don Orsino invites his double saviour to dinner… Meanwhile, Ruso (Randle Ayrton) the leader of the gang sits munching on prawns against another lovely mountain backdrop as he discusses tactics with Pepita’s young man, Estaban (Cecil Barry) upon whom he has some impressive “kompromat” – although we never find out what it is to make the man betray her in such a way… guess he’s just a wrong ‘un. The necklace is to be Pepita’s marriage dowry and so Estaban would get it anyway but he cannot escape his past.

Back at Don Orsino’s villa Estaban thanks Ramon for rescuing his intended although Pepita’s affection is hardly a done deal and both men know the game is up when they meet.

More neat camerawork as the shadows fall on Marguerite Allan's face

So, who will win the heart of Pepita? Will the jewels escape Estaban’s blackmail and Ramon’s protection and will there be desperate chases across gorgeous dusty terrain as true love wins out? And, let’s not forget Delorez and Juan Fernando; will his soldier’s training come into use?

Whether you find all of this engaging is probably down to your mood but it’s a well made film and even the character of Ruso is well established by Randle Ayrton; he likes his prawns and also has a balanced view of his felonies, he’s not just a baddy. The four young leads are all energetically convincing too, especially Marguerite Allan and Alexander D'Arcy as the negotiate the will they/won’t they arc of true cinema lovers…

A Romance of Seville (1929) is available directfrom Network, or Fopp et al and is a good value glimpse at the home-grown product on the brink of the talkies.