Northern Silents: The Mountain of Destiny (Der Berg Des Schicksals)

A landmark of adventure cinema, The Mountain of Destiny combines awe‑inspiring alpine landscapes with climbing sequences so gripping you’ll feel the chill of the summit in your seat.

A young mountaineer is obsessed with conquering the Guglia del Diavolo (Devil’s Peak), a peak no climber has ever reached. Again and again he attempts the ascent, and always fails. His mother, worn down by fear for his life, makes him promise that he will never try again. But the call of the mountain proves irresistible, setting the stage for a drama of passion and peril.

Now newly restored, the film’s breathtaking location photography can be experienced in all its original splendour. This rare UK screening, brought to life with live musical accompaniment, offers the chance to rediscover one of cinema’s first edge-of-your-seat adventure movies.

‘This reviewer has never seen a picture, on or off Broadway, which has actually thrilled him more than The Mountain of Destiny…The majestic heights of the Alps are gloriously photographed.’ – Moving Picture World, June 27th 1925

Silent film pianist Jonny Best returns to Harrogate Theatre. Creating an on-the-spot improvised score, Jonny will conjure the might of the Dolomites and the daredevil excitement of the action sequences, with added drama provided by percussionist Jeff Davenport.

Northern Silents presents The Mountain of Destiny, followed the same evening by Chicago.