• Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Romantic Drama
• Themes: Extramarital Affairs, Love Triangles, Military Life
• Director: George Cukor
• Main Cast: Walter Huston, Kay Francis, Kenneth MacKenna, Jobyna Howland
• Release Year: 1930
• Country: US
• Run Time: 80 minutes

Plot

The Virtuous Sin was adapted from The General, a novel by Lajos Zilahy. Kay Francis plays Marya, the wife of overly sensitive scientist Sabin (Kenneth MacKenna). Commissioned into the Russian army during WWI, Sabin can't cope with the rigors of military life, and as a result is condemned to death for insubordination. To save his life, Marya offers herself to libidinous General Platoff (Walter Huston), even willing to rendezvous with the general in a seamy bordello. Against both their better judgements, Marya and Platoff fall in love, whereupon the far-from-grateful Sabin threatens to kill his rival. The Virtuous Sin may have a silly storyline, but otherwise the film does a remarkable job re-creating the milieu, manners, and costumes of 1914. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Walter Huston - Gen. Gregori Platoff
• Kay Francis - Maria Ivanova
• Kenneth MacKenna - Lt. Victor Sablin
• Jobyna Howland - Alexandra Stroganov

Paul Cavanagh - Capt. Orloff
Eric Kolkurst - Lt. Glinka
Gordon McLeod - Col. Nikitin
Victor Potel - Sentry
Oscar Apfel - Maj. Ivanoff
Youcca Troubetzkoy - Capt. Sobakin

Credit

Dave Abel - Cinematographer; George Cukor - Director; Louis J. Gasnier - Director; Otho Lovering - Editor; Louise Long - Screenwriter; Lajos Zilahy - Play Author; Martin Brown - Screenwriter