Knight Without Armour

Knight Without Armour Theatrical Release Poster Country UK Directed by Jacques Feyder Release Date 1937 Language English Russian Studio London Film Productions Main Cast Character Actor Alexandra Adraxine, nee Vladinoff Marlene Dietrich A.J. Fothergill alias Peter Ouranoff Robert Donat The Duchess Irene Vanbrugh General Gregor Vladinoff Herbert Lomas Colonel Adraxine Austin Trevor Axelstein Basil Gill Maronin David Tree Commissar Poushkoff John Clements

Knight Without Armour is a 1937 British adventure movie directed by Jacques Feyder and starring Marlene Dietrich and Robert Donat. The plot is set in Russia before WWI and then during the Russian Civil War. A. J. Fothergill (Robert Donat), an agent of the British intelligence service, infiltrates the Russian revolutionary group under the name of Peter Ouranoff. After a failed attempt on Gen. Vladinoff, he is arrested and sent to Siberia. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Fothergill/Ouranoff is freed and meets Gen. Vladinoff's daughter, Alexandra (Marlene Dietrich), who is arrested by the Bolsheviks. After numerous dangers, the pair escape from both Reds and Whites and at last leaves the war-torn Russia.

Revolvers

Webley .455 Mk VI

Several officers of Russian Imperial Army and White Army, as well as a revolutionary sailor, carry Webley .455 Mk VI revolvers as a replacement for the common Russian Nagant M1895s that were probably unavailable for the moviemakers.

Webley Mk VI - .455 Webley

A Russian officer in charge of the convoy carries a revolver in holster. Judging by the shape of the holster, the revolver is most likely a Webley Mk VI.

A revolutionary sailor at the background holds a Webley Mk VI in the scene in Vladinoff's estate.

Another view of the sailor's revolver.

White Army General Roman Andreevich (Allan Jeayes) carries a Webley Mk VI holster.

A White Army officer (Raymond Huntley) in charge of the firing squad carries a Webley Mk VI in a holster.

The officer draws his revolver.

The long barrel of the officer's revolver is seen.

Webley .455 Mk IV / Mk V

Webley .455 Mk IV or Webley .455 Mk V revolvers are seen in several scenes, notably during the attempted escape of the Bolsheviks condemned to death.

Webley Mk IV - .455 Webley

Webley Mk V - .455 Webley

A revolutionary sailor carries a Webley revolver in an open top holster. Judging by the "bird head" shaped grip, this is a pre-Mk VI version, most likely thesame Mk IV or Mk V revolver that is seen later.

A female Bolshevik holds a Webley revolver, taken from a killed convoy soldier during the attempted escape. The shape of the hammer spur matches .455 Mk IV or Mk V models.

When the woman fires the revolver, the hammer doesn't move, so the muzzle flame must be a pyrotechnic charge.

Another Bolshevik holds a short-barreled Webley in the same scene.

Various revolvers

Both Reds and Whites carry various revolvers in holsters. These guns aren't identified.

What may be a kind of Webley RIC revolver is seen in holster of a Red Army man who chases the escaping Alexandra in the forest.

Another view of the holstered revolver.

A Red Commissar (supposedly Edward Lexy) carries a revolver in a holster in the scene at the railway station in Kazan. The revolver may be some pre-Mk VI Webley .455 model.

A Bolshevik carries a revolver in a holster in the same scene. The gun seems to have a "bird head" shaped grip, so it also may be some pre-Mk VI Webley .455 model.

A White Army officer who stops Peter Ouranoff carries a revolver in a holster. The lanyard ring is seen.

A White Army NCO carries a revolver in an open top holster. The revolver seems to be a compact gun, maybe a Webley Bulldog, but the holster is for a larger military revolver.

Pistols

Mauser C96

Mauser C96 pistols are widely used throughout the movie, used by Fothergill/Ouranoff (Robert Donat), Alexandra Adraxine (Marlene Dietrich), Russian Imperial police, and Bolsheviks.

Pre-War dated Mauser C96 "Broomhandle" Commercial Version - 7.63x25mm Mauser

A Gorodovoy (policeman) at the left holds a Mauser in the scene after the unsuccessful attempt on General Vladinoff. In reality. C96 pistols were never adopted as a service sidearm of Russian police.

Another Gorodovoy with a Mauser.

One of the Bolsheviks, escorting an arrested Alexandra, carries a Mauser tucked in his belt (at the left). The pistol is a Wartime Commercial model (in the previous scene, this character is armed with a "Large Ring Hammer" model.

Alexandra holds a Mauser, given to her by Peter Ouranoff (he has two pistols).

Ouranoff holds a Mauser.

The Bolshevik holds his Mauser while grappling with Ouranoff. The late version of the safety lever is seen.

Alexandra fires.

A close view of Ouranoff's Mauser in another scene.

The grip is seen.

Mauser C96 "Large Ring Hammer"

One of the Bolsheviks, escorting an arrested Alexandra, is armed with a Mauser C96 "Large Ring Hammer" pistol (later he holds a Wartime Commercial model of C96). What appears to be the same model of C96 is seen in the hands of a Gorodovoy of Sankt-Peterburg police during the attempt on General Vladinoff.

Mauser C96 early "Large Ring Hammer" version - 7.63x25mm Mauser

A Gorodovoy at the left holds a Mauser C96 that seems to be a "Large Ring Hammer" model.

One of the Bolsheviks, escorting an arrested Alexandra, holds a Mauser C96 "Large Ring Hammer" pistol.

Another view of the same scene. The early version of the base of the barrel is seen.

The same man carries his pistol tucked in his belt. The hammer with the large ring is seen.

Mauser C96 "Rework" Model

Another Bolshevik escorting Alexandra is armed with a Mauser C96 "Rework" Model pistol. It has a post-war grip with side-to-side lanyard ring and short barrel like the "Bolo" model but without the barrel band on the muzzle that allows to identify the pistol as a "Rework" rather than a specially built "Bolo".

Mauser C96 M1920 "Rework" - 7.63x25mm Mauser

The man at the right carries a Mauser in an open top leather holster.

A grapple for the pistol. The barrel and lanyard ring are seen.

Rifles

Mosin Nagant M1891 Infantry

Russian Imperial soldiers, revolutionary soldiers and sailors, and personnel of the White and Red Armies are armed with Mosin Nagant M1891 rifles, mostly, if not all, Infantry models. Many rifles have the slings attached on swivels rather than in slots that indicate the early version of M1891 Infantry rifle.

Russian Mosin Nagant M1891 3rd configuration - 7.62x54mm R

The barrel and bayonet of the rifle of a convoy guard.

Another convoy guard holds his rifle.

In the scene in Vladinoff's estate, several revolutionary soldiers and sailors carry M1891 rifles.

The barrels of the M1891 Infantry rifles are seen at the left and right.

A good view of the bayonets.

A revolutionary soldier at the left holds an M1891 Infantry rifle. A Webley holster is seen on the belt of the leader of the group, Bolshevik Tomsky (Franklyn Kelsey).

A Red Army man who chases the escaping Alexandra in the forest carries an M1891 Infantry rifle.

A White soldier fires at the escaping Ouranoff.

A White soldier kills the wounded female Bolshevik with the bayonet. The sling swivel on the magazine is seen.

Karabiner 98AZ

Several of the Reds carry Karabiner 98AZ rifles.

Mauser 98AZ Artillery Carbine - 7.92x57mm Mauser

In the scene on the pier in the (fictional) town of Khalynsk, a Red sailor at the left carries a Karabiner 98AZ.

A Red sailor holds a Karabiner 98AZ in the scene in Vladinoff's estate.

A good view of the barrel and front sight of Kar 98AZ in the same scene.

Two Bolsheviks, escorting an arrested Alexandra, carry Kar 98AZ rifles.

Red sailors with Kar 98AZ rifles in the railway station in Kazan.

Mannlicher M1895

During the battle for the (fictional) town of Zaratursk, some of the Red Army men carry Mannlicher M1895 rifles.

Steyr Mannlicher M1895 - 8x50mmR Mannlicher

A man at the right carries a Mannlicher M1895. The barrel of another Mannlicher is seen at the left.

Another view of the Mannlicher at the left.

Machine Guns

Vickers Mk1

Both Whites and Reds use the Vickers Mk1 machine gun.

Vickers gun with ribbed water jacket - .303 British

The Whites fire a Vickers. A White officer at the background carries a Webley holster.

The machine gun in the hands of the Reds. A Red commander at the background carries a Webley holster.

MG08

Both Whites and Reds use MG08 machine guns.

Maxim MG08 on 'sledge' mount - 7.92x57mm Mauser

An abandoned MG08 on the Whites' positions.

Two MG08s, laden on a horse, are seen during the Reds offensive on Zaratursk.

The Whites use an MG08 for the execution of Red POWs.

Another view of the same scene.

MG08/15

Several MG08/15 machine guns are seen in the camp of the White troops.

Maxim MG08/15 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Trivia

The Reds pull a heavy field gun through the forest. This gun may be a British 4.5 inch howitzer.

Another view of the gun.