Schicksalswürfel (Original title)A Throw of Dice (Alternative title)Prapanch Pash (Alternative title)A Throw of the Dice (Alternative title)
Date: 1929 (Release)Countries: Germany, United Kingdom, IndiaDirector: Franz Osten
Synopsis: King Sohat conspires to kill King Ranjit ruler of a neighbouring kingdom.Shotlist: A story of love and treachery in India. Rl.1. King Sohat who covets the neighbouring kingdom, invites its ruler, King Ranjit, to a tiger hunt where he plans to have him killed with a poisoned arrow. Kirkabar, Sohat's henchman, wounds him, but his life is saved by a hermit and his daughter, Sunita, with whom Ranjit falls in love (980). Rl.2. Ranjit returns to health and Sohat is given the news in his palace. It angers him and he sets out for the hermit's hut. When Ranjit asks to marry Sunita, he hermit forbids it because he knows Ranjit's passion for dice and believes it will lead to unhappiness for Sunita. Ranjit and Sunita decide to fly together, but Kirkabar overhears their plans. He steals Ranjit's dagger and amulet (1892). Rl.3. While the lovers are travelling to Ranjit's palace, Kirkabar kills the hermit and plants the dagger and amulet near him so that Sunita is led to believe Ranjit killed her father (2858). Rl.4. She flies from his palace when she hears the news and is captured by Sohat. Kirkabar now knows too much and when he begins to demand part of Sohat's kingdom he is killed, but not before confessing to the murder of the hermit (3814). Rl.5 Sunita is taken back to Ranjit's palace and preparations for their wedding continue. Sohat arrives for the marriage and gives Ranjit a gift of dice. They begin to play (4816). Rl.6. Using trick dice Sohat wins from Ranjit his kingdom and his person. Sohat takes him back to his palace together with Sunita. At Ranjit's palace, the trick dice are discovered (5745). Rl.7. Ranjit's followers gather and arm agasint Sohat. Sunita still resits Sohat's advances and he tries to overcome her refusal by torturing Ranjit. When Ranjit's army appears, Sohat escapes with Sunita, but is pursued and jumps to his death over a cliff. Ranjit promises never to gamble again (6749ft)
Genre: Period drama
Subjects: Gambling, India, Maharajas
Releases
Date: August 1929Country: GermanyRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 74 mins Length: 6693 FeetLanguage: German
Date: October 1929Country: United KingdomRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 74 mins Length: 6693 FeetLanguage: English
Date: 31 August 2007Country: United KingdomRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 74 mins Length: 6693 FeetLanguage: EnglishDistributor: BFI Distribution
Date: 29 October 2007Country: United KingdomRelease type: Home ViewingFormat: DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) - Black and White - SilentAspect ratio: 4:3Runtime: 73 mins 28 secs - Language: EnglishDistributor: BFI Video
Date: 1929 (Release)Countries: Germany, United Kingdom, IndiaDirector: Franz Osten
Synopsis: King Sohat conspires to kill King Ranjit ruler of a neighbouring kingdom.Shotlist: A story of love and treachery in India. Rl.1. King Sohat who covets the neighbouring kingdom, invites its ruler, King Ranjit, to a tiger hunt where he plans to have him killed with a poisoned arrow. Kirkabar, Sohat's henchman, wounds him, but his life is saved by a hermit and his daughter, Sunita, with whom Ranjit falls in love (980). Rl.2. Ranjit returns to health and Sohat is given the news in his palace. It angers him and he sets out for the hermit's hut. When Ranjit asks to marry Sunita, he hermit forbids it because he knows Ranjit's passion for dice and believes it will lead to unhappiness for Sunita. Ranjit and Sunita decide to fly together, but Kirkabar overhears their plans. He steals Ranjit's dagger and amulet (1892). Rl.3. While the lovers are travelling to Ranjit's palace, Kirkabar kills the hermit and plants the dagger and amulet near him so that Sunita is led to believe Ranjit killed her father (2858). Rl.4. She flies from his palace when she hears the news and is captured by Sohat. Kirkabar now knows too much and when he begins to demand part of Sohat's kingdom he is killed, but not before confessing to the murder of the hermit (3814). Rl.5 Sunita is taken back to Ranjit's palace and preparations for their wedding continue. Sohat arrives for the marriage and gives Ranjit a gift of dice. They begin to play (4816). Rl.6. Using trick dice Sohat wins from Ranjit his kingdom and his person. Sohat takes him back to his palace together with Sunita. At Ranjit's palace, the trick dice are discovered (5745). Rl.7. Ranjit's followers gather and arm agasint Sohat. Sunita still resits Sohat's advances and he tries to overcome her refusal by torturing Ranjit. When Ranjit's army appears, Sohat escapes with Sunita, but is pursued and jumps to his death over a cliff. Ranjit promises never to gamble again (6749ft)
Genre: Period drama
Subjects: Gambling, India, Maharajas
Releases
Date: August 1929Country: GermanyRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 74 mins Length: 6693 FeetLanguage: German
Date: October 1929Country: United KingdomRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SoundRuntime: 74 mins Length: 6693 FeetLanguage: English
Date: 31 August 2007Country: United KingdomRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Black and White - SilentRuntime: 74 mins Length: 6693 FeetLanguage: EnglishDistributor: BFI Distribution
Date: 29 October 2007Country: United KingdomRelease type: Home ViewingFormat: DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) - Black and White - SilentAspect ratio: 4:3Runtime: 73 mins 28 secs - Language: EnglishDistributor: BFI Video
Credits
(13)
Production Company: Ufa, Production Company: British Instructional Films, Production Company: Himansu Rai Film, Producer: Himansu Rai, Assistant Director: Alan Campbell, Screenplay: W.A. Burton, Screenplay: Max Jungk, Story: Niranjan Pal, Photography: Emil Schünemann, Art Director: Promode Nath, Costume Designer: Devika Rani, [Music - 2006 Re-release]: Nitin Sawhney
Cast
(7)
Seeta Devi (Sunita), Charu Roy (King Ranjit), Himansu Rai (King Sohat), Modhu Bose, Sincouri Chakravarty, Lala Bizoykishen, Sarada Gupta (the hermit)