The wife
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | The wife |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1943 |
| length | 92 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Georg Jacoby |
| script | Thea of Harbou |
| production | Eberhard Klagemann (production group) |
| music | Theo Mackeben |
| camera | Franz Weihmayr |
| cut | Wolfgang Wehrum |
| occupation | |
| |
The wife is a German comedy from 1943 by Georg Jacoby with Jenny Jugo , Willy Fritsch and Viktor Staal in the leading roles. The story is based on the stage plays The Wife and I Love Four Women by Johann von Bokay (1892–1961).
action
Peter Niklas is an architect, but anything but successful in his profession. He is all the more dependent on his versatile wife Puck, who has achieved some mastery in filling financial holes and inventing excuses for creditors as to why there is a financial bottleneck right now, and lovingly wrapping any "lifesavers" around her finger . One of the latter is the charming furniture manufacturer Walter Baumann, a gentleman of the old school. Although the man quickly realizes in his prime that Puck Niklas only ensnares him because she hopes for something from him, he plays along with her sympathetic game. Baumann is interested in working with her husband Peter, who, however, is more likely to offend people with his manner than to win them over. And so Puck Niklas uses all the means at her disposal to sign a contract with Walter: She pretends to Mr. Baumann that Peter is very successful and appears in different roles to the furniture dealer: sometimes she is the house maid, sometimes she Secretary to the architect, then his wife again. After all, Puck Niklas even mimes a strange wood wholesaler widow who is also interested in signing a contract with Peter - all just to fool Baumann into believing that his interest in Peter is not unrivaled.
Baumann is amused by Puck's efforts and gives her husband Peter a chance. The collaboration with the furniture manufacturer turned out to be lucrative for the Niklas couple. The money worries are gone and they even move into a fine villa. While Walter Baumann has become a good friend to the couple, the success goes to Peter’s head. He no longer pays attention to his wife, who is responsible for this success, and instead acquires a mistress in the fashionable Helene Tomaczek. She soon begins to put pressure on Peter: He should confess publicly to her and leave his wife. When Walter realizes what a bad game this woman is playing and that the decent Puck has to suffer from it, he prevents a public scandal in which he unceremoniously pretends to be Tomaczek's lover. The wife is no longer willing to play the role of victim. She knows that Walter secretly loves her and uses him to put pressure on her unfaithful husband. She packs her seven things and moves in with Walter. Peter remains perplexed. However, Walter believes that Puck is seriously interested in him, but learns from his wife that she has unfortunately only used him as a means to an end. Only now does Peter recognize what he has in his wife, gives up on Helene and goes to Baumann's villa: Here he promises Puck that from now on he will only look after her and asks her to take him back. That's why. House owner Walter proves to be a good loser and stays with the couple Niklas as family friends.
Production notes
The shooting of The Wife began on January 11, 1943 and ended in mid-April of the same year. The film premiered in two Berlin cinemas on August 31, 1943. The production costs amounted to 1,240,000 RM, the gross profit by April 1944 was 3,932,000 RM. The wife was thus considered a huge box office success.
Jugo's partner and regular producer Eberhard Klagemann also took over the production management. Emil Hasler designed the film structures carried out by Walter Kutz , Hans-Robert Bortfeldt was assistant director and also directed the dialogue.
Reviews
"Jenny Jugo's comedic temperament turns the capricious little comedy based on two tabloids into lively entertainment."
"Jenny Jugo's carefree manner and her sometimes grotesque humor make the film an entertaining pleasure."
Individual evidence
- ^ Ulrich J. Klaus: German sound films, 12th year 1942/43. P. 145 f. (019.43), Berlin 2001
- ^ The wife in the Lexicon of International Films , accessed on April 1, 2020
- ↑ Brief review Die Wattin , accessed on April 1, 2020
Web links
- The wife in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The wife at filmportal.de