Ecaterina Teodoroiu

  • Genre: Feature film
  • Year: 1931
  • Runtime: 00:29:28
  • Description: In World War I, Romania is still neutral. In Bucharest, people demonstrate for entering the war alongside the Entante and freeing the Romanians from Transylvania. Mares, the leader of the Students’ Committee and an ardent nationalist, is one of the most vocal protestors. Nadia is a spy working for the Central Powers, therefore the enemies of Romania. She seduces Mares and asks him to think more about the Romanians in Bessarabia, who are also suffering. Mares writes to his childhood friends, Nicolae and Ecaterina Teodoroiu from the village Vadeni (Gorj county). Brother and sister read his letter and are worried, as Mares speaks about the influence Nadia has upon him. Nicolae asks him to come to Vadeni and rest his mind. Mares listens to the invitation. In Vadeni, the three friends live happily for a few days, recalling their childhood. But the war breaks out. Mares and Nicolae are drafted into the army. Ecaterina becomes a girl scout. In a hospital, she finds out from a wounded man that her brother has died heroically on the front and that Mares is injured. She goes to the front line and insists on being allowed to look for her brother. An officer is impressed by her courage and agrees. Ecaterina finds Nicolae dead on the battle field and takes his place, fighting for her country. She is wounded. In the hospital, Queen Marie gives her a medal and promotes her to sub-lieutenant. Nadia becomes a nurse to follow her target. She steals an important document from Mares, who is desperately in love with her, and sends it to the enemy with a pigeon. Mares is sent in a dangerous reconnaissance mission. Nadia, who really loves Mares, warns him and confesses to him she’s a spy. She is shot by a stray bullet and dies in her lover’s arms. The Romanian army is forced to retreat, after a heroic resistance. The village of Somanesti (Gorj county) is evacuated. The civil population in the town of Targu Jiu, made up of women, children and old men, defends the bridge together with only an officer and 14 soldiers. Another officer fights with his men at the railway station in Carbunesti, so that the trains full of ammunition can leave and reach the Romanian troops.
    The film, called also „The Heroine from Jiu”, presents an episode in Romania’s war for union with Transylvania and Bessarabia. The film uses real newsreel footage from the war’s archive (which are not always well-integrated), such as the visit of Queen Marie to a hospital and scenes from the front. Besides professional actors, the director used also persons who took part in the war. Some parts of the film have been lost.
  • Keywords: EFG1914 / World War I / Fiction / World War, 1914-1918 -- Austria / World War, 1914-1918 -- Hungary / World War, 1914-1918 -- Romania / World War, 1914-1918 -- Russia / Germany / World War, 1914-1918 -- Public opinion / Patriotism / Nationalism / Autonomy and independence movements / Secret service / World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals / World War, 1914-1918 -- Trench warfare / Military education / War casualties / War victims / World War, 1914-1918 / Civilians in war / World War, 1914-1918 -- Evacuation of civilians / Women and war / Women and the military / City and town life / War and society / World War, 1914-1918 -- Motion pictures and the war / World War, 1914-1918 -- Propaganda / World War, 1914-1918 / Balkan Peninsula -- History -- War of 1912-1913 -- Territorial questions
  • Provider: Arhiva Naţională de Filme
  • Rights: In Copyright / ANF
  • Production company: "Soremar-Film"
  • Colour: Black & White
  • Sound: Without sound
  • Language: ro