The man who committed the murder
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | The man who committed the murder |
| Country of production | German Empire |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1931 |
| length | 92 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Kurt Bernhardt |
| script |
Heinz Goldberg Hermann Kosterlitz Harry Kahn Carl Mayer (collaboration) based on the novel by Claude Farrère (1907) and the play of the same name by Pierre Frondaie (1912) |
| production |
Curt Melnitz Ralph Scotoni for Terra-Film AG, Berlin |
| music |
Hans J. Salter using various compositions |
| camera | Curt Courant |
| cut | László Benedek |
| occupation | |
| |
The Man Who Committed the Murder is a 1930 German fictional film directed by Kurt Bernhardt with Conrad Veidt and Heinrich George in the leading roles.
action
Constantinople in 1912. The French Colonel Marquis de Sévigné has just arrived in Constantinople to act as an advisor to the sultan's Turkish army. On site he met the British Lord Falkland and his best confidante, Prince Stanislaus Cernuwicz, the Russian embassy attaché on site. That same evening, the Ottoman police minister Mehmed Pasha told the colonel that the sedate Brit, as director of the state debt administration, was a powerful man in this country and that he had to be careful of him. Falkland is married to the very young, petite Lady Mary, an almost childish woman who suffers greatly from the paschal and irascible husband who, moreover, does not even love her. They have a child together, a boy. When de Sévigné made Lady Mary's acquaintance, he was impressed with how much love and tenderness the woman spoke of her son. When Colonel Lady Mary wants to pay his respects in her house the next day, he is received by Lady Edith. She is not only Lord Falkland's cousin, but also his lover.
The Marquis de Sévigné quickly sensed the tensions that lay open in this house. Edith did not inform Mary of his arrival as she is completely surprised to find him in the villa. Mary's misfortune is evident; When the language comes up about a possible divorce from her despotic husband, Mary explains to the French that this is not an option for her, otherwise Lord Falkland would deprive her of their boys. Falkland is doing everything possible to bully his own wife and ban her from his environment. After a provocation on the part of Edith, Mary complies and moves into the pavilion in the garden of the house. With the help of Prince Cernuwicz, who is obedient to the Falklands, the British even managed to compromise his own wife. She calls for help, and there appear: her characterless husband and his lover Edith. Falkland now presses her from the signature with which she agrees to a divorce and even renounces her child. Sévigné, who observes this degrading scene from the park, is shocked but does not intervene.
Three hours later, Lord Falkland is found dead in his carriage. He was shot. The investigation began quickly, and the suspicion focused on Prince Stanislaus Cernuwicz. Colonel Sévigné goes to the police minister, whom he has since gained confidence, and confesses to the murder. Mehmed Pascha finds out all the circumstances and everything about Lord Falkland's behavior towards his own wife. He finds that this killing of the dishonorable villain was justified and does not allow this capital crime to be prosecuted to the detriment of the Marquis. On the other hand, the Minister of Police recommends Sévigné to leave the Ottoman Empire immediately. The colonel, the Turk explains, will one day have to answer for this act before a higher court. A little later, Lady Mary receives a letter from the Marquis in which he says goodbye to her.
Production notes
The man who committed the murder was shot between September and December 1930. The exterior shots took place in Constantinople and on the Bosporus . The film premiered on January 23, 1931 in Berlin's Gloria Palast . In Austria, the film was entitled Nights on the Bosporus on February 9, 1931.
Carl Mayer was the dramaturgical director. Composer Hans J. Salter also took over the musical direction. The film structures were created by Hermann Warm and Arno Richter , the costumes were designed by Alexander Arnstam. Gerhard Goldbaum took care of the sound. Viktor Skutezky was in charge of production and was also responsible for the overall organization. Director Kurt Bernhardt's brother-in-law Eugen Tuscherer was production manager, Otto Lehmann was one of two production managers .
There was also a French version called “L'homme qui assassina” and a Spanish version called “El hombre que asesino”. The British made a remake in 1931 called “Stamboul”.
As early as 1918, Lupu Pick made a silent film version of the subject entitled Die Liebe des van Royk .
Reviews
The man who committed the murder was received largely enthusiastically by contemporary critics at the beginning of 1931. Here are a few examples:
"The strong applause of the premiere audience acknowledged this Kurt Bernhardt film that in its entire disposition, in the noblesse of its cast and presentation, in the uniform line management in the pleasing overall level, it fulfills many expectations that one has in this top of the terra- Production has set. (...) Bernhardt gives this film unique values in the confident balancing of sound and image "
“The tension grows, without exaggeration, from scene to scene. The murder itself is exemplary and brilliantly staged. (...) Kurt Bernhardt proves his sensitive hand again. He stages a criminal chamber play with all decorative and visual finesse. He casts his roles in an exemplary manner. Conrad Veidt, Heinrich George and Friedrich Kayßler do not need a certificate that they are good ... "
“With admirable disdain for the common, crude means of cinematic drama, without any consideration for cheap effects, they have created an excellent and gorgeous sound film. It works through the refinement of disposition demonstrated by its creators and the deep tension that is inherent in it. (...) Great, rousing actors: wonderful and heartfelt Heinrich Georges Falkland, excellent Conrad Veidts Sevigné, very pleasing you charming Trude von Molo, who made a successful debut with her Lady Falkland. "
“Bernhardt's direction proves how right they were who had put him in the front row for years. Overwhelming in the portrayal of Veidt as the Colonel, very economical, very simple, really excellent. (...) The audiences were deeply moved by the boldest daring of this film, by scenes that were completely silent for minutes, with almost no sound, by the splendid landscape shots, which put Courant's skills in the best possible light… "
“This film grows through its attitude, through its nobility to art, sometimes to great, clear art that does not make a concession at any moment of triviality… A hymn to Conrad Veidt seems entirely appropriate: A film of poise and nobility, one of the few entertainment films that venture into the art field. "
Paimann's film lists summed up: “The focus is on the masterful drawing of the milieu, which is endeavored by soignant direction, neat dialogue, artistically viewed exterior shots, as well as timely interiors and costumes, but often inhibiting the pace of the broadly exposed and somewhat abruptly ending subject. Veidt is excellent, George is a bit too North German for a Lord, Molo is very good for its debut. All sorts of tonal subtleties, visually effective, often almost too soft photography and unobtrusive musical illustration: performance of a remarkable level. - Overall qualification: Almost a hit. "
“The higher the ambition of a film, the more depressing the failure. "The man who committed the murder" is that sort of thing. (...) Bernhardt put the emphasis on the atmosphere, not on character drawing and content. The action takes place in Constantinople, and he has captured the mood of this city with great skill. (…) But it's a mood without vitality. (...) Not only does the city come across as lifeless, the characters populating the film are also bloodless, a little ghostly. All the oppressive little details of daily life that give expression to the depressing boredom have been specially highlighted; lit cigarettes, drunk tea, the usual conversations are interspersed with those embarrassing pauses that no one can really end with a proper remark. (...) The effect is excruciating. I have seldom seen a film that I had great difficulty making. The canvas demands action, action, action - and the atmosphere can at best form the gold frame. All the more regrettable is the waste of the fragile intensity of Trude von Molo, the noble retaliation of Conradt Veidt and the growing strength of Heinrich George. And this was the first sound film script by Carl Mayer, who gave us "Caligari" and "The Last Man". Should the language in the film have cut him off from us? "
In the lexicon of the international film it says: "Less concerned with a credible development of the cumbersome and erratic story than with an exotic atmosphere."
"Director Kurt Bernhardt saw" The Man Who Committed Murder "as one of his best films, not so much because of what happened in the film, but because of the omnipresent atmosphere of tension about what might happen."
Web links
- The man who committed the murder in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The man who committed the murder at filmportal.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ The man who committed the murder in Paimann's film lists ( Memento of the original from September 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ The man who committed the murder. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed August 30, 2015 .
