High Treason (1929 British film)
A 1929 British sci-fi film converted to sound mid-production.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
High Treason is a 1929 British science fiction drama film directed by Maurice Elvey, based on a play by Noel Pemberton Billing. It is notable as an early sound film that was initially produced as a silent but converted to sound mid-production, and for featuring Raymond Massey in his first screen appearance. The film's plot and aesthetics were heavily influenced by Fritz Lang's Metropolis.
- Release year
- 1929
- Director
- Maurice Elvey
- Based on
- Play by Noel Pemberton Billing
- Genre
- Science fiction drama
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Notable cast
- James Carew, Humberstone Wright, Benita Hume, Henry Vibart, Hayford Hobbs, Irene Rooke, Jameson Thomas; Raymond Massey (first screen appearance)
- Sound process
- RCA Photophone (sound-on-film); Tiffany-Tone sound-on-disc
Lore & Background
High Treason was produced by Gaumont and co-produced with Tiffany Pictures for the sound version. Midway through production, director Maurice Elvey was pushed by the studio to add sound to capitalize on the talkies. The sound version used the RCA Photophone sound-on-film process and was also issued on sound-on-disc format using Tiffany-Tone discs. About a third of the film was shot with sound; Elvey retained much of the silent footage and dubbed dialogue over those scenes, voicing some minor characters himself. The film was presented at a London trade show on 9 August 1929 and released in the UK in both silent and sound versions on 9 September 1929. The US release by Tiffany Productions followed on 13 March 1930.
Reader's Guide
High Treason is significant as an early example of a film converted from silent to sound during production, a process also undertaken concurrently by Alfred Hitchcock's Blackmail. The film's sound version entered the public domain in the United States because its copyright was never renewed. The only known surviving original copy of the sound version is a lavender fine grain held by the Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association, recently restored by the Library of Congress. The silent version and a sound trailer are preserved by the British Film Institute. In 1998, a new sound version with a live electronic music mix was produced by French duo Les Electrons Libres and screened in several French cities and Barcelona. Critical reception has varied: The New York Times called the story 'a farrago of nonsense,' while Horrornews.net described it as 'one of the best examples of early science fiction cinema.'
Did You Know?
- Raymond Massey made his first screen appearance in a small role in this film.
- The sound version was copyrighted by Tiffany Pictures in 1930 in the United States and never renewed, making it public domain in the US.
- Director Maurice Elvey voiced some minor characters in the dubbed silent footage.
- The only known surviving original copy of the sound version is held by the Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed High Treason (1929) and what was it based on?
Maurice Elvey directed the film, adapting a stage play written by Noel Pemberton Billing into a cinematic science fiction drama.
Why is High Treason (1929) considered a transitional film?
It was originally shot as a silent picture but converted to sound partway through production, leaving it as a hybrid artifact of the late silent era. It also captures Raymond Massey's very first appearance on screen.
What earlier film influenced High Treason (1929)?
The picture's grandiose visual design and dystopian storytelling were heavily shaped by Fritz Lang's Metropolis, giving it a scale and aesthetic that stood out in British cinema of the period.
Who is in the cast of High Treason (1929)?
The principal performers include James Carew, Humberstone Wright, Benita Hume, Henry Vibart, Hayford Hobbs, Irene Rooke, and Jameson Thomas, alongside a young Raymond Massey making his screen debut.
What genre and country does High Treason (1929) belong to?
It is a 1929 British science fiction drama that blends speculative, futuristic storytelling with the theatrical pacing inherited from its stage-play origins.
More in Silent science fiction films 1-20
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