Legong: Dance of the Virgins
Legong: Dance of the Virgins is a 1935 synchronized drama travelogue sound film in color, one of the last feature films shot using the two-color Technicolor process, and one of the last films shot by a major Hollywood studio without any dialogue. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects. It is a drama based on a Balinese native tale, with travelogue elements depicting Balinese culture. Legong and the follow-up travelogue drama Kliou, the Killer (once believed lost) were the last mainstream silent films to be released in the US.
Plot
Poutou the daughter of Gousti Bagus is in love with Nyong. She attends a barong dance depicting a mythical struggle between a demon and men but is only interested in Nyong who is also there in the crowd of spectators. Nyong is invited to the home of Gousti Bagus and Poutou the next day. He is on his way when he sees Poutou's sister Saplak bathing and is smitten. Nyong writes on a leaf for Saplak to meet him during the temple dance (Legong) Potou is to dance at. It is to be her last temple dance and Potou is very happy until she finds the note and learns of the betrayal. She goes to the bridge and sees the pair together and commits suicide. Gousti Bagus puts her body in a funeral pyre and burns it so she may be reincarnated.
Cast
More details
| author | Hampton Del Ruth |
|---|---|
| director | Henry de La Falaise |
| genre | drama |
| keywords | barong dance bath legong reincarnate reincarnation |
| producer | Constance Bennett |
| productionCompany | Bennett Pictures Inc. |
| publisher | Paramount Pictures |
| theme | exploitation romantic drama silent |