One of the major romantic classics of the latesilent German cinema (telling of the mistress of a Russian colonel who leaves him for one of his lieutenants,then sacrifices herself to prevent the ruin of her lover's career), The Wonderful Lie of Nina Petrovna hasfor years been thought lost, available (if at all) only in a truncated two-reel version. It wasmouth-watering and frustrating even in that form. Then, fortunately, a magnificent print was discovered atthe British Film Institute. Try to imagine if you can Tolstoy's Anna Kareninafilmed by Max Ophuls at his peak-but bearing in mind that this is a pre-Ophuls film. Elegant, stunninglyphotographed by Carl Hoffman, who worked with Lang and Murnau, it is, despite its novelettish storyline,an intensely moving film. It is almost certainly Brigitte Helm's finest film, and Franz Lederer is also at hissensitive best. The third member of the romantic triangle is the ubiquitous British actor, Warwick Ward,who appeared in so many German silents and later became a producer of note (his The Dancing Years wasscreened at PFA in August). Director Hanns Schwarz was a refugee to England in the early thirties and hiscareer was aborted. Few of his films survive; one, Hungarian Rhapsody, was screened at PFA in 1985. The Wonderful Lie... also marked the first association with film for the notedFrench composer Maurice Jaubert; his outstanding score for the film was played at last year's silent filmfestival in Pordenone, Italy, where the film was a highlight; we are endeavoring to get a copy of the scorefor this screening. In any case, the rediscovery of this film is a major event, and since the print will haveto go back to Europe immediately, you are urged to give this one priority on your schedule of PFAselections. William K. Everson