The Stranger (1917)

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Movie
Original title The stranger
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1917
length about 80 minutes
Rod
Director Otto Rippert
script Paul Otto
production Hella Moja
camera Carl Hoffmann
occupation

Die Fremde is a German silent film melodrama from 1917 by Otto Rippert with Hella Moja in the leading role.

action

The East Asian traveler Dr. Svend Svendson returns home from an expedition one day and introduces his wife, Birgit, to the Tibetan prince, Pan Hoang Amitaba, whom he has brought with him. He is a doctor and wants to expand his medical expertise here in Europe. Pan Hoang Amitaba (contemporary sources call him Anistaba) finds accommodation in the clinic of the respected Professor Dahlquist. In his free time, Pan Hoang Amitaba spends a lot of time at Svendson's house and is fascinated by Birgit. When he realizes that he has more feelings for Svendson's wife than he deserves and that his relationship with his friend Svendson is good, Pan Hoang Amitaba stops visiting.

Some time later, Svendson wants to set off again for East Asia for another Tibet expedition. Amitaba finds out about this and makes a farewell visit. So that nothing happens to Svendson on his journey, he presents them with a lucky talisman. When Birgit comes home one day, she has to watch how a large ape, a “souvenir” of her husband from his first trip to East Asia, has usurped her little daughter Ulla. Madame fainted from shock, befitting her class. When Birgit wakes up again, she has lost her memory. Birgit Svendson is admitted to Prof. Dahlquist's sanatorium and receives optimal care there. When the chief physician has to travel for some time, Dahlquist wants to move Ms. Svendson into her own home. But it happens differently.

Amitaba's servant leads Birgit in the car to Amitaba's apartment on behalf of his master. Birgit, who still suffers from amnesia, explains to her “savior” that she now wants to stay with him. Amitaba decides to travel back with her to his Tibetan homeland, where “the foreigner” is received with all honors. Amitaba introduces them to his father, the aged prince. He is not very enthusiastic about his son's “conquest”, since his son's liaison with the “strange woman” could lead to the overthrow of his dynasty. One day Birgit looks out of the window and sees rioting happening in the streets, accompanied by a piercing, constant drumming. She hears the news that a stranger, a European, has ventured into the city. For the stranger this advance means the death sentence. Amitaba looks at the captured stranger and recognizes him as Dr. Svendson.

Amitaba frees him and brings Svendson to Birgit. But she doesn't recognize him. Amitaba explains to Svendson how Birgit's situation came about and says that Birgit can only be cured with shock therapy. In his altruism, the Tibetan decides to sacrifice himself in order to give the European woman the horror of her life that leads back to her old life. Before doing this, Amitaba assures his princely father that the two Europeans can move in after his death. On the steps of a temple altar, Amitaba stabs her heart with a dagger. Marked with great horror, his servant announces the death of his master, and Birgit runs to the corpse of her savior. Passed out she sinks down at his feet. When she wakes up again, Birgit Svendson's memory is restored. She asks about her daughter Ulla and asks her husband to go home together.

Production notes

Die Fremde, also with the subtitle A Strange Story from Tibet , was made at the beginning of 1917 in the Eiko-Film-Atelier in Berlin-Marienfelde . The film passed the censorship in March 1917 and was premiered in August 1917 in the Marmorhaus . The film had a prelude and four acts and was 1,648 meters long.

The exterior structures were made available by the Ethnographic Museum, which also provided building advice.

criticism

“This film gives Hella Moja the opportunity to show her art in the most beneficial way. The artist, who only appeared on the film horizon last year, brings a masterpiece of characteristics to this film. The consistently original types from Tibet give this picture a special charm. The artistic seriousness in the implementation raises this film image to the heights of true art. In addition to the leading actress, the actor of the Tibetan prince offers an extremely interesting and striking acting performance ... "

- Cinematographic review of October 6, 1917. p. 87

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