Summer Storm

Director: Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk

Overview

In this film, Linda Darnell stars as the beautiful wife of a middle-aged Russian civil servant. Darnell becomes the object of the affections of her husband's employer. The girl in turn is enamored of a provincial judge. However, the judge takes Darnell so seriously that he ends up killing her.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/20/2009
UPC:	0089859060724
Original Release:	1944
Rating:	NR
Source:	Kit Parker Films
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:46:00
Sales rank:	6,778

Special Features

Original Theatrical Trailer; Interview with Author Bernard Dick on Director Douglas Sirk Interviewed by Joel Blumberg

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Linda Darnell	Olga Urbenin
George Sanders	Fedor Michailovitch Petroff
Anna Lee	Nadina
Edward Everett Horton	Count Volsky
Hugo Haas	Urbenin
Lori Lahner	Clara
John Philliber	Polycarp
Sig Rumann	Kuzma
Andre Charlot	Mr. Kalenin
Mary Servoss	Mrs. Kalenin
John Abbott	Lunin
Robert Greig	Gregory
Paul Hurst	Orloff
Charles Trowbridge	Doctor
Byron Foulger	Clerk in Newspaper Office
Charles Wagenheim	Postman
Frank Orth	Cafe Proprietor
Elizabeth Russell	Dinner Guest
Ann Staunton	Dinner Guest
Nina Koschetz	Gypsy Singer
Jimmy Conlin	Passerby at Mailbox
Kate MacKenna	Woman with Umbrella
Fred Nurney	Judge in Kharkov
Sarah Padden	Beggar Woman
Sharon McManus	Beggar Child
Gabriel Lionoff	Priest
Mike Mazurki	Policeman
Woody Charles	Young Lackey
Joyce Gates	Gypsy Girl
Rex Evans	Bit Part (uncredited)
Ken Jones	(uncredited)
Anita Venge	Bit Part (uncredited)
Frances Morris	Bit Part (uncredited)
John Kelly	(uncredited)
Lon Lahner	Clara
Nina Koshetz	Gypsy Singer
Karl Hajos	Composer

Technical Credits

Douglas Sirk

Rowland Leigh

Robert Thoeren

Anton Chekhov

Seymour Nebenzal	Producer
Douglas Sirk	Director,Screenwriter
Rowland Leigh	Screenwriter
Robert Thoeren	Screenwriter
Anton Chekhov	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Summer Storm is a tiny gem of a movie, one which has been overlooked by audiences and is therefore a pleasant surprise for those looking for an older movie that they haven't seen dozens of times. There are certainly flaws in Storm, starting with a bit of a "split personality" between its Anton Chekhov roots and its interpretation by a Hollywood team, as well as the contribution of director Douglas Sirk, not from Hollywood but from Europe and bringing a third flavor to the mixture. Pacing is a also a bit of a problem, and some viewers might wish that Sirk had made a few things a bit clearer. But these flaws are more than made up for by the literate, intelligent screenplay, which captures a great deal of Chekhov even as it bows to Hollywood conventions and Code strictures. And Sirk's work, while not as all-encompassing as his later 1950's masterpieces, still has the determination and sense of a unique worldview that one finds in his best films. The director also coaxes a truly lovely performance from Linda Darnell, looking stunning and creating an ambitious, selfish portrait that is hard to resist. George Sanders is also in top form, showing the audience a man whose heightened self-awareness is no match for his own moral weakness and cowardice. But best of all is Edward Everett Horton in a totally atypical serious performance that is a true surprise to all who know him merely from his usual bumbling comedic parts. Storm is a tragic, passionate film that deserves to be more widely seen.