A landmark of adventure cinema, The Mountain of Destiny combines awe‑inspiring Alpine landscapes with climbing sequences so gripping you’ll feel the chill of the summit in your seat.
The film
A young mountaineer is obsessed with conquering the Guglia del Diavolo (Devil’s Peak) —a peak no climber has ever reached. Again and again he attempts the ascent, and always fails. His mother, worn down by fear for his life, makes him promise that he will never try again. But the call of the mountain proves irresistible, setting the stage for a drama of passion - and peril.
In the 1920s, the Bergfilm—or mountain film—emerged as one of German cinema’s most popular genres. When The Mountain of Destiny premiered in Berlin in 1924, it played seventy‑two consecutive days of full houses - and it was this film that inspired the young Leni Riefenstahl to pursue a career in film.
Now newly restored, the film’s breathtaking location photography can be experienced in all its original splendour. This rare UK screening—brought to life with live musical accompaniment—offers the chance to rediscover one of cinema’s first edge-of-your-seat adventure movies.
“This reviewer has never seen a picture, on or off Broadway, which has actually thrilled him more than The Mountain of Destiny…The majestic heights of the Alps are gloriously photographed. ”
The music
Silent film pianist Jonny Best returns to Harrogate Theatre. Creating an on-the-spot improvised score, Jonny will conjure the might of the Dolomites and the daredevil excitement of the action sequences.
Music: Jonny Best (piano)
Director: Arnold Fanck
Year: 1924
Country: Germany
Length: 103 mins
A film from the holdings of the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung (www.murnau-stiftung.de) in Wiesbaden
