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Robert C. Reimer- European Cinema Minutes: January 31, 2005 Andrea Manti
Mr. Reimer began class today speaking about some extra credit opportunities coming up in the next few months.
* If interested in attending for extra credit, you need to write a one-page summary for each attendance and they are worth one full point on your final grade.
Mr. Reimer began his class lecture on German Films from 1933-45. The first film that he spoke about was “Goodbye Franziska” bye director Helmut Käutner. This movie was made primarily to entertain the masses and to help them forget about the world around them. Many films were made in this era solely for the purpose of pushing Nazi propaganda, yet this film is not one of them. The premise of the movie is a reporter who spots a beautiful woman in the park and stalks her throughout the scenes trying to vie for her attention. One important aspect of this movie that Mr. Reimer speaks about was the musical mickey mousing at the opening of the film. This simply means that the waltz-like music mimicked the movement and steps made by the actors/actresses. Dr. Reimer also pointed out how the musical instrument of the melody switched to an organ as soon as the couple walked into a church.
Thirty minutes into class, Mr. Reimer began his discussion on the films made during the 3rd Reich or Nazi Germany. There were close to 1100 films made during this time period. There were six main genres of movies made during this time in Nazi Germany. A. Comedies: 1 “Glücksinder(Lucky Kids)” directed by Paul Martin in 1936. 2 “Robert und Bertram” directed by Hans Zertlett in 1939. This was a very anti semitic piece of work. You could tell by the movie that Zertlett had a charge form the Ministry of Propaganda to make this movie. They parodied Jews in an insulting manner in the film. Robert and Bertram were a sort of Laurel and Hardy. 3 “Quax, der Bruchpilot” directed by Kurt Hoffman in 1941.
B. Melodramas: emotional drama. Some movies from this genre were: 1 “Schlußakkord” directed by Detlef Sierck in 1936 ( SDierck soon after became Douglas Sirk and moved to Hollywood to pursue a career) 2 “La Habarnera” directed by Detler Sierck in 1937 3 “ Der Schritt Vom Wege” directed by Gustav Gründgens in 1937
C. Romances: 1 “Goodbye, Franziska” directed by Helmut Käutner in 1941. 2 “Romanze in Moll” directed by Hemlut Käutner in 1944 Helmut never became part of the Nazi party and for that reason it is very hard to pinpoint any aspects of Nazi ideology in his films
D. Documentaries: Some such movies: 1 “Triumph des Willens” directed by Leni Riefenstahl (who was one of the most well known woman filmmakers of her time.) Died a few years ago at the age of 100. 2 “ Der ewige Jude” directed by Fritz Hippler in 1940. This was a highly sought after movie for Germans to see in 1940. This film helped Germany justify the Final Solution (killing the Jews) by making the Jewish population of Europe look like a “cancer” spreading across the land. The film also used a clip from “M” starring, Peter Lorre, which related his character’s perversion in the movie to the Jewish actor and by implication to all Jews.
E. Historical Dramas: the two movies below show the clash between Nazis and Communists through the eyes of the Nazis. In these films there was a very drastic difference in the Communist and Nazi characters. The communists were rugged, unshaven, roughly dressed and rude. The Nazi characters on the flip side were blonde, handsome, clean shaven/clean cut and very polite to everyone. Some movies in this genre were: 1 “SA Mann Brand” directed by Fran Seitz in 1933 2 “Hiterjunge Quex” directed by Hans Steinhoff in 1933
Musicals: 1 “Große Freiheit #7” directed by Helmut Käutner. This film was not released because it showed sailors visiting the “red light district” and that was considered unacceptable behavior for officers’ conduct.
Mr. Reimer spoke about a famous Swedish actress of the time named Zarah Leander. This woman had Dietrich like roles yet her characters were a little more brazen and usually involved an affair or two. Some films she was in were “Die Große Liebe” in 1942 and “Heimat” in 1938. Another actress we discussed was Kristina Soderbaum who was nicknamed the “corpse of the 3rd Reich” because she dies in mostly all her films, usually involving a drowning scene. One movie she appeared in was “The Golden City” by Veit Harlan (1942).
We watched clips form Nazi films for about 20 minutes, including Hitlerjunge Quex, Triumph of the Will, To New Shores, Wunschkonzert, and die große Liebe before we began to discuss Post war films(beginning 1945) before the Oberhausen Manifesto in 1962. Mr. Reimer discussed the different genres of post war film:
A. Trümmerfilme(rubble film) These are movies that were literally filmed n the streets of Germany post war, and the cities were almost complete rubble from the war ruins. There was a lack of studios so filmmakers had to turn to the streets.
B. Heimatfilme(my homeland films) These movies are full of nostalgia about where one came from, for instance Bavaria or Sudetland or western Poland These were generally pre-war and escapist films. People would watch these movies so that they can escape to a time when life was pure.
C. Kriegsfilme(war films) These were used to show the conflict between officers and soldiers.
D. Sexfilme(soft core farces and educational sex instruction)
Early post war films: “The Murderers are Among Us” directed by W. Staudte in 1946(rubble film) “Somewhere in Berlin” directed by G. Lamprecht in 1946(rubble film) War Films: “Children, Mothers, and a General” directed by L. Benedek in 1954. This film was about a group of 14 yrs olds pulled out of school and sent to the war front to fight without their mothers knowing. One mother dies in the midst of getting her son back. “Sharks and Small Fish” directed by F. Wisbar in 1957. “The Bridge” directed by B. Wicki in 1959. “Dogs, Do you Want to Live Forever?” directed by F. Wisbar in 1959.
Fifties Musicals and Comedies: “Wir Wunderkinder” one of the first comedies that made fun of the Nazis and was very successful.
Criticisms of Pre Oberhausen Film: Misery glossed over and ignored Nazis seen as anonymous power Nazism seen as personal sin of Hitler Lack of critical stance to the past Confirmed prejudices and biases Restoration of Nazi directors
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