The Maharaja's favorite wife
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The Maharaja's favorite wife |
| Original title | Maharajahens Yndlingshustru |
| Country of production | Denmark |
| original language | Danish |
| Publishing year | 1917 |
| length | 72 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Robert Dinesen |
| script | Svend Gade |
| production | Nordisk Film Kompagni |
| camera | Sophus Wangøe |
| occupation | |
| |
The Maharajah's Favorite Wife is a Danish silent film drama from 1917 by Robert Dinesen with Gunnar Tolnæs in the male lead.
action
The young officer's daughter Elly von Langen meets the enigmatic Maharajah of Bhagalpur at a luxurious seaside resort that is mainly visited by well-heeled Europeans. She has just resisted her cousin Kuno von Falkenberg's courtship and is therefore only too willing to follow the interesting stranger to his Indian palace. To her dismay, her gallant dream man has an entire harem at home. And she is not allowed to leave the spacious property without his permission. But at least he promises Elly that she will be a favorite among all his women. Since none of her relatives knows where Elly disappeared to, her family and friends believe that she drowned while bathing.
One day a ship arrives in India. Kuno von Falkenberg is also on board. The Maharajah gives a reception in his palace in honor of his European guests. The Maharajah introduces his wife to the officers, and Elly and Kuno recognize each other immediately. Kuno accuses the Indian prince of having kidnapped Elly here and holding her against her will, and Elly too only seems to be hoping for an opportunity to escape the strict mores of her golden cage as quickly as possible. The Maharajah realizes that there is little point in holding one's favorite wife against her will. He then has her European clothes returned to her and instructs his guards not to hold her should she try to escape. Moved by this genuine token of love, Elly turns around outside the gate of the palace walls and sinks into her husband, who had sadly looked after her. She decides to stay.
Production notes
The film, shot in 1916, had its world premiere on January 31, 1917 in Copenhagen. It was such a big box-office success - not only in Denmark, but also in Germany and other foreign countries - that it earned Tolnæs great popularity and led to two sequels in which Tolnæs took up his old role again:
- The Maharaja's favorite wife. Second part (Maharadjahens yndlingshustru II) . Denmark 1918, directed by August Blom
- The Maharaja's Favorite Wife, Part 3 . Germany 1920, directed by Max Mack
It is not known exactly when the Maharaja's favorite wife arrived in Germany. In Austria-Hungary the film could still be seen in the year of its premiere in 1917.
criticism
In Paimann's film lists it says: “The subject is exciting, highly dramatic. Game and photos excellent. The scenery is very good, the harem scenes are great ”.
Web links
- The favorite wife of Maharaja in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The Maharaja's favorite wife on danskkulturarv.dk (Danish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 2: C - F. John Paddy Carstairs - Peter Fritz. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 404.
- ↑ In Heinrich Fraenkel's Immortal Film. The great chronicle from the Laterna Magica to the sound film. Munich 1956 it says on page 396: " The film breaks all box office records and makes Tolnaes one of the most popular stars in Germany "
- ↑ Tolnæs in Det Danske Filminstitut ( Memento from May 18, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 7: R - T. Robert Ryan - Lily Tomlin. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 696.
- ↑ The Maharaja 's Favorite Wife in Paimann's Film Lists ( Memento of the original from April 23, 2016 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.
