| Betrayal | |
| Director: | Lewis Milestone |
| Cinematography: | Henry W. Gerrard |
| Editing: | Del Andrews |
| Studio: | Famous Players–Lasky |
| Distributor: | Paramount Pictures |
| Runtime: | 80 minutes 8 reels, 6,614 ft |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | Sound (Synchronized) |
Betrayal is a 1929 American sound drama film produced for Famous Players–Lasky and released by Paramount Pictures. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using both the sound-on-disc and sound-on-film process.[1] The film is the last film without audible dialogue that was directed by Lewis Milestone,[2] the last non-speaking role performance by Gary Cooper,[3] the last non-speaking performance by Germany's Emil Jannings,[4] [3] and the only onscreen pairing of Cooper and Jannings.[1] It is considered a lost film.[5]
Swiss peasant girl Vroni (Esther Ralston) is having a secret summer romance with Viennese artist Andre Frey (Gary Cooper). When Andre later returns to Switzerland, he learns that Vroni has been forced to marry wealthy burgomeister Poldi Moser (Emil Jannings). Explaining Andre's appearance, Vroni introduces him as a young man who has just lost his sweetheart, and in sympathy, Poldi invites Andre to be a guest in his house.
Several times over the next few years Andre visits, during which time Poldi and Vroni have two children. Andre is overwrought by his repressed feelings toward Vroni, and after seven years, begs her to run off with him. She refuses, but agrees to one last tryst. While speeding down a dangerous run on a toboggan together, Vroni is killed and Andre fatally injured. Poldi learns the truth of the relationship while attending Vroni's funeral, and swears vengeance but discovers that Andre has died from the severity of his injuries.
The film featured a theme song entitled "Under The Weather" which was written by J.S. Zamecnik (music and lyrics).
Filmed at locations near Lake Tahoe, the film was intended to be a "part-talkie" with incorporated talking sequences,[1] [6] but because of Jannings's heavy German accent and the poor recording of Ralston's voice, it was released as a synchronized film with only music and sound effects.[3]