Helena (1924 film)
1924 German epic silent film based on Homer's Iliad.
Helena is a 1924 German epic silent drama film directed by Manfred Noa. It is based on Homer's poem the Iliad and was released in two separate parts: The Rape of Helen and The Fall of Troy. The film starred Edy Darclea as Helena, with a large cast including Vladimir Gajdarov, Albert Steinrück, and others. Produced by Bavaria Film at the Emelka Studios in Munich, it was made on an epic scale with thousands of extras and large sets that rivaled those of the larger Berlin-based UFA.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Manfred Noa
- Writer
- Homer (poem) · Hans Kyser
- Starring
- Edy Darclea · Vladimir Gajdarov · Albert Steinrück · Adele Sandrock
- Cinematography
- Ewald Daub · Gustave Preiss
- Studio
- Bavaria Film
- Released
- 21 January 1924 · Part I · 1924 · 02 · 04 · Part II
- Runtime
- 204 minutes
- Country
- Germany
- Language
- Silent / German intertitles
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
For many years, Helena was considered partially lost until it was reconstructed from a version found in Swiss archives. The cast included Vladimir Gajdarov as Paris, Albert Steinrück as Priamos, Adele Sandrock as Hekabe, Carl de Vogt as Hektor, Friedrich Ulmer as Menelaos, Carlo Aldini as Achille, Carl Lamac as Patroklos, Karl Wüstenhagen as Agamemnon, Hanna Ralph as Andromache, Albert Bassermann as Aisakos, Ferdinand Martini as Agelaos, Rudolf Meinhard-Jünger as Tersites, and Otto Kronburger as Ulises.
Reader's Guide
Helena (1924) is significant as a German epic silent drama that adapted Homer's Iliad on a grand scale, rivaling the productions of the larger UFA studio. Directed by Manfred Noa, it is considered his masterpiece, though its enormous budget severely damaged Bavaria Film's finances. The film was long thought partially lost until a reconstruction from Swiss archives restored it. Its two-part release—The Rape of Helen and The Fall of Troy—reflects the epic narrative structure. The film's legacy lies in its ambitious scope, use of thousands of extras, and its place in the history of silent cinema as a major German production outside Berlin. It remains a notable example of early film adaptations of classical literature.
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