| On the Brink of Paradise | |
| Director: | Josef Stein |
| Producer: | [1] |
| Cinematography: | Josif Rona |
| Studio: | Ustad-Film |
| Distributor: | Filmhaus Bruckmann and Co.[2] |
| Runtime: | 90 minutes |
| Country: | Germany |
| Language: | Silent |
On the Brink of Paradise (German: '''Auf den Trümmern des Paradieses'''/ transl: On the Ruins of Paradise[3]) is a 1920 German 90-minute film directed by Josef Stein and featuring Carl de Vogt in the title role of Kara Ben Nemsi.[4] Béla Lugosi was thought to have appeared in a supporting uncredited role, but this is disputed.[5] [6]
The film was an adaptation of part of the 1892 Karl May novel Von Bagdad nach Stambul and is now considered to be lost. This film was followed by a sequel Caravan of Death (1920), which went on to adapt the latter part of the same Karl May novel (Bela Lugosi did co-star in the sequel, playing a shiek).[7]
Kara ben Nemsi and his servant Halef Omar come across a group of Persians headed to Baghdad, led by Prince Hassan Ardžir-Mírza. The Persians are attacked by their enemies, the Kurds. Prince Hassan discovers there is a traitor among his people. Kara ben Nemsi offers to help guard the caravan on its journey to Baghdad.