The Molander case

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Movie
Original title The Molander case
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year none (1945 on average)
Rod
Director GW Pabst
script Ernst Hasselbach
Per Schwenzen based on the novel “Die Sternengeige” (1938) by Alfred Karrasch
production Production group Adolf Hannemann
for Terra-Filmkunst, Potsdam
music Hans Ebert
camera Willi Kuhle
cut Elisabeth Pewny
occupation

and in roles that cannot be assigned by name Viktor Afritsch , Gustav Bertram , Will Dohm , Walter Franck , Ernst Fritz Fürbringer , Walter Gross , Käte Jöken-König , Nikolai Kolin , Harry Langewisch , Ludwig Linkmann , Eva-Maria Meineke , Theodor Loos , Armin Münch , Fritz Odemar , Harald Paulsen , Heinz Moog , Walter Richter , Rudolf Schündler , Wilfried Seyferth , Karl Skraup , Walter Werner , Hermine Ziegler .

The Molander case is an unfinished German feature film from 1944/45 by GW Pabst with Paul Wegener in the lead role.

action

The young violinist Fritz Molander inherited a Stradivarius , the so-called “star violin ” , from his father, a famous conductor . Molander junior has a lot of talent and has already made it to the first violinist in the State Opera. But he wants more. His goal is great fame as his father, who died early, had once achieved. For since his death the family has been in considerable economic difficulties and has to restrict itself. Fritz absolutely wants to change this situation. To make matters worse, Molander's concert agency demands a considerable advance payment, which he can only pay if he sells the precious star violin. After selling the Stradivarius, Molander can finally give unlimited concerts and is celebrated by both critics and audiences. But suddenly the police arrested him: It had been established that the alleged Stradivarius was a fake!

Elisabeth Molander, the artist's sister, then goes to her secret fiancé, the young public prosecutor Holk, who is working on the "Molander case". While she offers Holk to break off the engagement because of this "scandal", he wants to resign from this case as a public prosecutor in order not to get into a conflict of interest. Elisabeth then turns to her fiancé's father, the old Attorney General Holk. He then decides to handle the case himself. His research finally shows that the old instrument maker Dannemann had exchanged the star violin for a worthless but not immediately recognizable fake during a repair. For him, it was not about the money, but, as an obsessed instrument lover, about the large piece of violin-making culture.

Fritz Molander is released from prison and rehabilitated. Old Holk also ensures that his son and fiancée can now get together again, officially appear as a couple and finally get married. While Elisabeth can finally introduce her fiancé to her mother, the sounds coaxed from the Stradivarius by Fritz Molander ring out the open window.

History and production notes

The Molander case is the last Reich German Pabst film. Actually, after Paracelsus , his main work in the Third Reich , director Pabst was planned for other material since 1943. The producing Bavaria wanted him to make the film Regimentsmusik , but the direction finally went to Arthur Maria Rabenalt (1944) . Then Pabst entered into negotiations with Prag-Film , for which he was to shoot Theresa Lasotta from January 1944 . For the title role u. a. Heidemarie Hatheyer in conversation. Finally, Pabst was commissioned to produce the crime film The Molander case for Terra Film .

Filming began on August 28, 1944 in the Barrandov studios in Prague . At the end of the war, the completely wacky film was being edited and was no longer ready for screening.

The film constructions come from Robert Herlth and were executed by Gerhard Ladner . Walter Rühland was responsible for the sound . Production and production manager was Adolf Hannemann .

The unfinished film is in the Národní Filmový Archive (Prague).

Reviews

Since the unfinished film was never shown, there are no reviews either.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. Boguslaw Drewniaks: The German Film 1938–1945. A complete overview. Düsseldorf 1987, ISBN 3-7700-0731-X , p. 92.

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