Ahasver, the eternal Jew

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Movie
German title Ahasver, the eternal Jew
Original title The Wandering Jew
Country of production United Kingdom
original language English
Publishing year 1933
length 110 minutes
Rod
Director Maurice Elvey
script H. Fowler Mear based
on the play of the same name by E. Temple Thurston
production Julius Hagen for Twickenham Film Studios
music Hugo Riesenfeld
camera Sydney Blythe
cut Jack Harris
occupation

First episode

Second episode

Third episode

Fourth episode

Ahasver, the Eternal Jew (Original title: The Wandering Jew ) is a British feature film from 1933 by Maurice Elvey with Conrad Veidt in the title role.

action

At the center of the action is a Jew who, ever since he insulted Jesus Christ on his path of suffering to Golgotha , has been condemned to live forever. Four stations of his long hikes through time are retold.

The first episode tells of Ahasver's "fall into sin", which leads to the curse that has been imposed on him. The proclamation of the curse follows in episode two of Ahasver's encounter with the crusaders in the Holy Land. In the third part, the eternal Jew lives the life of a merchant in Italy, while in the fourth part, as a doctor accused of witchcraft, he finds redemption and inner peace through death in a flame at the stake at the time of the Inquisition in Spain.

Prehistory and production background

After the seizure of power by the Nazis in Germany in early 1933 there were among Britain's producers sporadic attempts against the government-sponsored anti-Semitism of the government of Adolf Hitler to control. In the same year, the German-born producer Julius Hagen had this film produced for Twickenham Film Studios under the original title The Wandering Jew . The film star Conrad Veidt , who emigrated from Germany with his Jewish wife, was won over for the main role .

The Wandering Jew had its world premiere on November 20, 1933 in London (sales presentation). The British mass start was on February 26, 1934. While this philosemitic flick was not allowed to be shown in the Third Reich, as expected , it was shown in Austria in June 1934 under the title Ahasver, the eternal Jew .

For Conrad Veidt, his participation in this film and the assumption of the title role in the no less philosemitic Feuchtwanger filming Jud Süß had serious effects the following year. In National Socialist Germany, where between these two films, at the turn of the year 1933/34, when Gessler was in front of the camera in a film adaptation of Wilhelm Tell, and had enjoyed great popularity until then, he was henceforth a persona non grata ; a return both to his old home and in front of German cameras was now impossible. The Völkischer Beobachter rushed in its issue of November 23, 1934: Veidt was "no longer humanly worthy that even a finger in Germany should lift his praise".

criticism

Critic Erich Kaiser discussed Ahasver, the eternal Jew in exile, and criticized Elvey's directorial work while praising Veidt's performing arts. The Pariser Tageblatt reads: “Conrad Veidt, one of the few top German actors who did not allow themselves to be aligned, is doing justice to the great task. In mask and representation he gives the right mix of typically Jewish character and generous demeanor. If his great achievement does not take full effect, it is also the fault of the impossible manuscript that let the 'Eternal Jew' die during the Spanish Inquisition. "

The New York Times stated on January 14, 1935: “The film of the 'Wandering Jew', based on a play by the late E. Temple Thurston, opens at Criterion as a rich and well-photographed production that is slowly moving forward but steadily moving towards a strong climax. (...) Conrad Veidt's poignant portrayal of the Jew, perfectly coordinated with all four sections of his journey and, through careful hinting, promoting the changes in character over the centuries, is the life and essence of this film. He is supported by a generally capable cast, with particular emphasis on Peggy Ashcroft. "

Halliwell's Film Guide characterized the film as follows: "An ambitious fantasy that starts off pretty well for those who are into it was an odd choice for a British production company of the day."

The industry journal Variety found: "A beautiful production, a historic triumph - and very likely a commercial fallacy."

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Pariser Tageblatt, edition of January 5, 1934; London Calling. Germans in British Film of the 1930s (edited by Hans-Michael Bock, Wolfgang Jacobsen, Jörg Schöning), a CineGraph book, Munich 1993, p. 154.
  2. ↑ The Wandering Jew in nytimes.com , original text: “The film of 'The Wandering Jew', based on the play by the late E. Temple Thurston, has come to the Criterion's screen in a rich and well-photographed production that moves steadily , if slowly, to a strongly dramatic climax. (...) Conrad Veidt's moving portrayal of the Jew, perfectly attuned to each of the four phases of his wanderings and conveying, by delicate implication, the changes in the character during the intervening centuries, is the life and essence of the film. He is supported by a generally competent cast, with special praise for the work of Peggy Ashcroft. "
  3. ↑ Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 1091, original text: "Ambitious fantasy which comes off pretty well for those in the mood, but was a curious choice for a British studio at the time."
  4. ↑ ibid., Original text: "A beautiful production, a historic triumph - and most likely a commercial error"