One of the more memorable visions at Cinecon 53 was beautiful Billie Dove in Lois Weber's SENSATION SEEKERS (1927). That reminded me of one of my favorite of the "lost films" we've located, Alexander Korda's THE STOLEN BRIDE (also 1927), starring Billie Dove, Lloyd Hughes, Lilyan Tashman and Armand Kaliz. Ms. Dove is absolutely stunning in this Ruritanian Romance, delightfully helmed by Korda. IFE reported our find to the National Film Preservation Foundation, and it is now appropriately listed in the American Silent Feature Film Survival Database (http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/silentfilms/silentfilms-home.html). However it may be a long time before this classic reaches American shores again. The film has been preserved by the European archive that holds it, meaning that the only surviving copy is already on acetate Safety Film. Most US archives feel the first priority for new restorations should be given to original nitrate prints. Still, I'm hopeful that some institution will want to restore this film because of its importance in Alexander Korda's oeuvre. The picture of Billie Dove and Lilyan Tashman was taken off the ground glass screen of the flatbed viewer, and does not do this very good print justice.
