Life #2: Actress
Historical Context - Weimar Culture: 1919-1933
• Golden Age of Cinema - German cinema rivalled Hollywood in terms of output and artistic expression; Innovation and opportunity
• Strong ‘expressionistic influence’ -
• imagery and symbolism to relate stories;
• not realistic or natural;
• revealed deep and intense emotions
• Themes - Crime, Horror, Action/Adventure, ‘Berg’ films -
• hero leaves sin of city and seeks purity in the mountains; battle the elements; appealed to nationalistic sentiments;
Ways to Strength and Beauty (1925)
• Promoting a healthy lifestyle
• Controversial - women shown nude to the waist
• Leni’s view - denied participation; wanted more ‘fateful’ entry to films (i.e. a better story!)
The Holy Mountain (1926)
• ‘Der Heilige Berg’
• Cast in film after ‘fateful’ trip to the doctors
• Arnold Fanck - director
• Developed interests in climbing, skiiing and cinematography
• Good reviews
The Great Leap (1927)
• ‘Der Grosse Sprung’
• Comedy
• Average reviews
The Fate of the House of Habsburgs (1928)
• ‘Das Schicksal derer von Habsburg’
• Tragic tale of Austrian Archduke Rudolf
• Poorly received, quickly forgotten
White Hell of Piz Palu (1929)
• ‘Die weisse Holle vorn Piz Palu’
• Arnold Fanck and Georg Pabst
• Leni’s performance was critically acclaimed; movie judged to be one of the greatest German films of the year
Storm over Mont Blanc (1930)
• ‘Sturme uber dern Mont Blanc’
• Arnold Fanck - director
• Leni gave a good performance; first ‘talkie’
The White Frenzy/Ecstasy (1931)
• ‘Der weisse Rausch/Teufel’; aka The White Ecstacy
• Leni didn’t like the film - poorly dubbed; butt of the jokes - but it gave her funds to pursue directing
The Blue Light (1932)
• ‘Das blaue Licht’
• Starred, directed, co-produced and edited - written by Bela Balazs
• Typical Bergfilm - but remarkable skills demonstrated in directing; use of new film to create eerie night setting
• Won a silver medal at the Venice Biennale Film Festival
• Hitler loved it!
S.O.S. Iceberg (1933)
• ‘S.O.S. Eisberg’
• Leni’s last film as an actress
• Nazi Connection - Meeting with Hitler at Wilhelmshaven prior to filming - used Hitler’s private plane to meet up with crew on location
• At premiere, Leni gave cheering crowds the Nazi salute
Lowlands (1954)
• ‘Tiefland’
• Filmed during WW2
• Controversy - used gypsies from a concentration camp as extras; Leni denied knowledge of the camps but this point is irrefutable
• Plagued with problems; constant delays due to the war
• Confiscated by the French after arrest in 1945
• Recovered in 1949 after being classified as a ‘Nazi sympathiser’ (fellow traveller)
• Released in 1954