The secret of Johann Orth

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Movie
Original title The secret of Johann Orth
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1932
length 83 minutes
Rod
Director Willi Wolff
script Willi Wolff
Paul Merzbach
Georg C. Klaren
production Willi Wolff
Ellen Richter
music Alfred Strasser based
on motifs by Johann Strauss (son) , Carl Millöcker and Joseph Lanner
camera Emil Schünemann
Wilhelm Schwäbl
cut Ernst Stern
occupation

The Secret of Johann Orth is a German period film drama from 1932 with Karl Ludwig Diehl in the title role . Ellen Richter played the female lead, her husband Willi Wolff directed.

The historical Johann Salvator, who last called himself "Johann Orth"

action

Austria-Hungary in 1886/87. For almost four decades, Emperor Franz-Joseph has been ruling the country with a hard hand. Political tensions are developing between him and the Russian tsar, as no one can agree on a candidate for the Bulgarian princely throne. A very real danger of war, which the Kaiser seeks to prevent, is in the air. In the Vienna Hotel Sacher, a number of highly aristocratic, young Austrian officers around Crown Prince Rudolf advise whether and how one could strike militarily against Russia. The young Viennese hotspurs favor one of their own for the Bulgarian royal dignity: there are plans to enthrone Johann Salvator, who was banished from the Viennese court because of his free-spirited attitude, in Sofia and thus to classify Bulgaria under the Austrian sphere of influence.

Like his Austrian counterpart Franz Joseph, Tsar Alexander does not thirst for a war either, and he therefore sends Prince Rostowsky and his much younger wife Princess Olga Rostowskaja to Vienna as an emissary to point out the real dangers of war to Austria. Archduke Johann Salvator is impressed by the ideas of the liberal Crown Prince and also comes to Vienna from Linz. He soon met Princess Olga there, with whom he got along particularly well. Born in Bulgaria, she becomes a veritable ally in Johann Salvator's political concerns. This is not entirely unselfish, because Olga hopes to marry the archduke after her husband's death. Should he ascend the Bulgarian throne, Olga could one day become Queen of Bulgaria.

However, Johann Salvator's heart beats for a completely different lady: the young soubrette Milly Stubel. He retires with her for a tête-à-tête at his Orth castle near Gmunden. When Princess Olga unexpectedly appears there, a scene of jealousy ensues. Offended, the Russian rushes away. Her old husband thereupon informs Emperor Franz-Joseph of Rudolf and Johann Salvator's plans, which clearly contradict both the ideas of the Russian Tsar and those of the Austrian Emperor. Then there was another serious argument between the progressive Emperor's son Rudolf, which was supposed to lead to his suicide in Mayerling in early 1889, and Franz-Joseph. Johann Salvator is also reprimanded and, feeling duped by the highest authority, surrenders all lordly titles in the same year. From then on he calls himself Johann Orth and disappears from Europe with his lover Milly in 1890. Orth's trail is lost on board the three-masted steamer Santa Margareta, which goes down in a heavy storm off the coast of South America.

Production notes

The secret of Johann Orth arose between October 3rd and October 21st, 1932 in the Jofa studios in Berlin-Johannisthal and in Austria (exterior shots) and was met with enthusiastic applause on November 17th, 1932 in the presence of the Wolff-Richter couple the Austrian Film-Zeitung knew how to report, premiered in Vienna. The Berlin premiere took place on November 29, 1932 in the UFA premiere theater Kurfürstendamm.

The film structures were created by Hans Sohnle and Otto Erdmann . Leon Sklarz took over the production management. Willi Ernst created the costumes.

A piece of music was played: As long as the Danube still flows through Vienna .

Reviews

The Österreichische Film-Zeitung wrote: “An intriguing subject, the fate of Archduke Johann Salvator, has been turned into a moving and varied, highly effective film. (...) In the film, which is consistently performed excellently and whose genuinely Viennese atmosphere the director Willy Wolff knew how to bring to life, the original, humorous art of Paul Hörbiger underlines the Viennese note, which also hits Gretl Theimer as Milly Stubel. Ellen Richter plays the role of Princess Rostowska with genteel restraint… ”.

The New York Times described the film at its US premiere in 1936 as “well-made and entertaining” and found a harmonious blend of fact and fiction.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Short message "Johann Orth", a Viennese film
  2. ↑ "The secret of Johann Orth". In:  Österreichische Film-Zeitung , November 19, 1932, p. 2 (online at ANNO ).Template: ANNO / Maintenance / fil
  3. ^ The New York Times , October 12, 1936 issue

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