Mrs. Ruth's two husbands

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Movie
Original title Mrs. Ruth's two husbands
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1919
length 49 minutes
Rod
Director Rudolf Biebrach
script Henrik Galeen
production Oskar Messter
music Giuseppe Becce
camera Willibald Gaebel
occupation

The two spouses of Mrs. Ruth is a German silent film lust play by Rudolf Biebrach with Henny Porten in the title role. At her side are Curt Goetz , who later became known primarily as a comedy author, and Erich Schönfelder in the male lead roles.

action

The engineer and researcher Dr. Robert Holversen is asked in a letter to take over the guardianship of the daughter of a good friend. The "little one" is called Ruth and has so far been to a pension, which she will now leave. Holversen is very busy with his work and therefore asks the sister who lives in his apartment to make the appropriate preparations for the move in of the "child", whose age no one knows exactly. As a precaution, a room is first converted into a children's room and a doll is provided for the girl to play with. Holversen and his sister are all the more astonished when a fully grown, charming young lady appears who has left her childhood behind for some time. The astonishment soon gave way to doubts as to whether it would be appropriate for a woman of the best marriageable age and an unmarried gentleman of society with the very best reputation to live under one and the same roof. Unmarried! Not that talk suddenly starts! Especially since engineer Holversen developed an interest in Ruth that goes well beyond mere guardianship ...

The way out is clear: the two should marry so that lost customs and decency can be restored as quickly as possible. Said and done. But Ruth soon realizes that her godly husband is a researcher and scholar through and through. Soon he hardly has any time for the newlyweds and is completely lost in his studies. So it is a good thing that Baron Alfred Alberg, a friend of the house, is visiting and that the lonely Ruth is only too happy to be distracted by the urbane bon vivant. This in turn does not suit her husband at all, especially since Ruth takes a liking to the baron and is already talking about divorce! Now all that's missing is one reason for divorce. Ruth has a “brilliant” idea: she asks her husband during a soirée to give her coram publico a sharp slap in the face, which he loves to do. But now Ruth suddenly becomes jealous of Robert because he wants to take advantage of the situation to hook up with another lady. Ruth does not agree with this at all and instead of her goes to the agreed meeting point, where, hidden under a veil, she meets her perplexed husband. Finally everything turns out for the best and the two newlyweds are reconciled. Holversen explains to Ruth that the date with that ominous other lady was fabricated, solely to win Ruth back.

Production notes

The two spouses of Mrs. Ruth was created in the late spring of 1919 in the Ufa-Messter-Atelier in Berlin-Tempelhof , had four acts and was 1,331 meters long when it was first performed on July 25, 1919 in Berlin's Mozart Hall. After the re-censorship on January 13, 1921, the film was shortened to 1,143 meters. A youth ban was issued.

The buildings were designed by Kurt Dürnhöfer and carried out by Jack Winter. For screenwriter Henrik Galeen , a specialist in fantastic film material, this film was one of his very few forays into the comedy field.

criticism

“It's strange how Henny Porten keeps showing new, always delightful ways of expression. So in this piece, too, the success is based on her mine game [sic!], Her movement and her sign language. If the rough and drastic effect is limited after salmon volleys, then the material as a whole forces a constant inner and outer smile, which arises from the joy of Henny Portens cheerful muse. "

- New Kino-Rundschau

Individual evidence

  1. Neue Kino-Rundschau of September 13, 1919. P. 73

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