The Grand Duke's Finances (1934)

Movie
Original title	The Grand Duke's finances
Country of production	Germany
original language	German
Publishing year	1934
length	96 minutes
Age rating	FSK 0
Rod
Director	Gustaf Gründgens
script	Hans Rameau; Gustaf Gründgens
production	Tofa film, Berlin
music	Theo Mackeben
camera	Ewald Daub
cut	Wolfgang Loë-Bagier ; Carl Forcht
occupation
	Viktor de Kowa : Grand Duke Ramon Gomez; Hilde Weissner : Grand Duchess Diana; Paul Henckels : Minister Paqueno; Heinz Rühmann : Detective Pelotard; Maria Loja : Conchita Hernández; Hans Stiebner : Luis Hernández; Fritz Alberti : Grand Duke Cyrill; Theo Lingen : Prince Potemkin; Willi Schur : Captain Malossol; Wolfgang von Schwind : NCO Quesada; Ernst Rotmund : Mircovich financier; Vilma Bekendorf : Diana's maid; Herbert Maris : Street boy;

The Grand Duke's Finances is a film comedy or musical made in 1933 by director Gustaf Gründgens . The literary film adaptation is based on the novel Storhertigens finanser by the Swedish writer Frank Heller , published in 1915 . In the lead role embodies Viktor de Kowa the financially ailing Grand Duke Ramon Gomez.

action

Grand Duke Ramon, ruler of Abacco, suffers from financial difficulties. He has already had to sell almost all of his possessions. His biggest financier and creditor, the windy crook Mircovich, is already devising a devious plan to overthrow the duke because he wants to rule the country himself.

However, when the American Bekker discovered underground sulfur deposits, the situation initially changed, as he offered the Duke a large sum in order to be allowed to mine the sulfur. However, the duke refuses to accept the purchase offer. A short time afterwards, he has to resign as he no longer has any financial means. The situation is saved when the Duke marries the wealthy Russian Grand Duchess Diana.

Production notes

The shooting of The Finances of the Grand Duke began with the outdoor shots in September 1933 and continued with the studio shots from October to December 1933. The film was released in German cinemas on January 10, 1934 (premiere in the Berlin Capitol) . In the USA this happened a year and a quarter later, on April 5, 1935. The filming locations were Madeira and Tenerife .

Ludwig Behrends was in charge of production. Co-editor Wolfgang Loë-Bagier also served Gründgens as assistant director, Franz Schroedter designed the film structures. Fritz von Friedl assisted head cameraman Ewald Daub , Gustav Rathje was in charge of the production management. Martin Müller and Hans Rütten took care of the sound, the still photography was in the hands of Eigil Wangøe .

The 24-year-old theater actress Hilde Weissner made her debut in front of the camera in this film.

The following track was played: Yes, in Sillorca the women are so beautiful .

Reviews

“Gründgens tries to turn Frank Heller's entertaining novel into an Offenbachiad and forgets that Mackeben, his composer, does not have its ease and format. The result is a random musical parody that remains playful in detail and sometimes looks clumsy. The costumes of the turn of the century have to be used for the comedy, and on the whole Gründgens as a director overlooked the fact that he himself does not act, and consequently the prerequisites are not available to endure a parodic film. Viktor de Kowa is a likeable rascal and Heinz Rühmann is a nice dumbass; but they lack the slight exhilaration that the director strived for. A rivet for Hilde Weißner [sic], who just seems boring. To stage Offenbach without having Offenbach - that just doesn't work. "

- Pem

“The director Gustaf Gründgens found the courage to record the whole plot in the studio. and through this he achieves a wonderful stylistic unity, an atmosphere that is toned down to the smallest detail and that corresponds to the mood of the plot, that one would almost like to speak of chamber-style delicacy ... almost something that is somehow related to French 'esprit'. (...) In short, this is primarily a directorial film, an extremely subtle chasing work done in the style of the subject. "

- Fritz Olimsky, film critic, 1934

"The silent film once took over the novel" The Finances of the Grand Duke "by Frank Heller, while the sounding film dares to design the young ruler (Viktor de Kowa) of an island country that around 1900 owes more than residents . So another old-style operetta? Not at all. A magician has made one of the most charming and charming comedies out of the material, almost even a fairy tale dream: Gustaf Gründgens, the director who has come from the theater and opera. "

- Oskar Kalbus : On the development of German film art. Part 2: The sound film. Berlin 1935. p. 88