Leo Vincey, told by his dying uncle of a lost land visited 500 years ago by his ancestor, heads out with family friend Horace Holly to try to discover the land and its secret of immortality, said to be contained within a mystic fire. Picking up Tanya, a guide's daughter, in the frozen Russian arctic, they stumble upon Kor, revealed to be a hidden civilization ruled over by an immortal queen, called She, who believes Vincey is her long-lost lover John Vincey, Leo's ancestor.
Costume
Helen Gahagan's metallic gowns: Art Deco fever dream.
Production
Massive Kor sets that swallowed the entire budget.
Acting
Gahagan's operatic She vs. Scott's wooden Leo.
Director
Irving Pichel
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Helen Gahagan was a Broadway star and later California Congresswoman—this was her only film.
RKO's most expensive production until King Kong, and it bombed so hard Gahagan never acted again.
US
