"Madame DuBarry" (1919) By Ernst Lubitsch
Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:46 am
In the mid 10's of the last century, big budget film productions were
fashionable, and usually depicted historical events or popular dramas.
Italians had silent "kolossal" movies with an emphasis on historical
realism, especially in terms of superb art direction. The Italian
extravaganzas were enormously influential but directors in different
countries made epics in their own peculiar way and style.
For this reason, Germans couldn't sit back and do nothing and allow
themselves to be beaten so pretty soon historical "kostume" films were
invented, "Madame DuBarry" (1919), being an excellent example of that
early Teutonic film genre whose director, Herr Ernst Lubitsch achieved
international success because of this and similar epics. Herr
Lulbitsch's work here is shining but one can hardly overlook the main
actors, Dame Pola Negri und Herr Jannings. "Madame DuBarry" was the
first post-war German film sold in the United States though sometimes
the Amerikans cut the tragic end of the film probably due to their
audiences not understanding those special and sharp European habits…
"Madame DuBarry" tells of the rise and fall of the favourite mistress
of Louis XV of France. She is played as a sensual libertine by Dame
Pola Negri while the king is a wonderful (though overacting, as usual)
Herr Emil Jannings.
Dame DuBarry is a carefree girl, with plenty of "joie de vivre", who
toys and uses men for but remains foolishly innocent about what's she
doing. Ultimately, she will lose her head, literally, for the king.
Obviously a "kostume" film must have superb décors and great art
direction and, since the story involves the French revolution, there
must also be feverish, ragged crowds, here played accordingly in those
early Weimar times, by impoverished extras who would soon forsake
demonstrating in a fictional Paris for doing the real thing on the
Berlin streets. Herr Lubitsch trivializes the historical events, giving
more importance to sensuality and he has an irreverent and satirical
point of view; With Dame Negri's villainous presence on the silent
screen, who cares about the French revolution??..., that's a trifling
matter in comparison with Dame Pola's eyes!
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this
German Count must avoid
losing his head over a naughty rich Teutonic heiress.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien
http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/
fashionable, and usually depicted historical events or popular dramas.
Italians had silent "kolossal" movies with an emphasis on historical
realism, especially in terms of superb art direction. The Italian
extravaganzas were enormously influential but directors in different
countries made epics in their own peculiar way and style.
For this reason, Germans couldn't sit back and do nothing and allow
themselves to be beaten so pretty soon historical "kostume" films were
invented, "Madame DuBarry" (1919), being an excellent example of that
early Teutonic film genre whose director, Herr Ernst Lubitsch achieved
international success because of this and similar epics. Herr
Lulbitsch's work here is shining but one can hardly overlook the main
actors, Dame Pola Negri und Herr Jannings. "Madame DuBarry" was the
first post-war German film sold in the United States though sometimes
the Amerikans cut the tragic end of the film probably due to their
audiences not understanding those special and sharp European habits…
"Madame DuBarry" tells of the rise and fall of the favourite mistress
of Louis XV of France. She is played as a sensual libertine by Dame
Pola Negri while the king is a wonderful (though overacting, as usual)
Herr Emil Jannings.
Dame DuBarry is a carefree girl, with plenty of "joie de vivre", who
toys and uses men for but remains foolishly innocent about what's she
doing. Ultimately, she will lose her head, literally, for the king.
Obviously a "kostume" film must have superb décors and great art
direction and, since the story involves the French revolution, there
must also be feverish, ragged crowds, here played accordingly in those
early Weimar times, by impoverished extras who would soon forsake
demonstrating in a fictional Paris for doing the real thing on the
Berlin streets. Herr Lubitsch trivializes the historical events, giving
more importance to sensuality and he has an irreverent and satirical
point of view; With Dame Negri's villainous presence on the silent
screen, who cares about the French revolution??..., that's a trifling
matter in comparison with Dame Pola's eyes!
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this
German Count must avoid
losing his head over a naughty rich Teutonic heiress.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien
http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/