The black galley (film)

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Movie
Original title The black galley
Country of production GDR
original language German
Publishing year 1962
length 94 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Martin Hellberg
script Martin Hellberg
production DEFA , KAG "Solidarity"
music Wilhelm Neef
camera Karl Plintzner
cut Ursula Rudzki
occupation

The Black Galley is a German DEFA historical film by Martin Hellberg from 1962. It is based on the novel of the same name by Wilhelm Raabe .

action

In 1585, Protestant Antwerp was taken by the Catholic soldiers of King Philip II of Spain . The Protestants are allowed to hold one last service and are received in front of the church by the scornful Spaniards and converted Dutch. Ten-year-old Jan Norris is also among the Protestants. His girlfriend, Myga van Bergen, whose father became a Catholic out of opportunism, stands in front of the church. He used to be Father Norris' partner. He leaves the occupied Netherlands with Jan, but Jan and Myga want to stay true to each other.

The years go by and 14 years later the children of yore have grown up. The Netherlands is still under Spanish rule. Jan has now joined the rebellious Geusen who are fighting for the liberation of the Netherlands. He is the helmsman of the Black Galley, a ship that the Spaniards fear because it appears impregnable and causes serious damage to their troops. One day Jan is secretly in Antwerp and overhears the Spanish military officers Leone della Rota and Antonio Valani, the helmsman of the Spanish ship Andrea Doria, in a tavern. Antonio, who believes his death is near, has fallen in love with Myga and Leone persuades him to take Myga. When Jan tries to leave the tavern unrecognized, he is recognized as Geuse and chased through town. He flees to Myga. Meanwhile, Leone has persuaded Antonio to break into Myga's apartments with a house search warrant. There they are both surprised by Jan who stabs Antonio. Jan is arrested and taken to the Andrea Doria as a prisoner together with the seriously injured Antonio and the hostage Myga. Jan manages to escape. Since the dying Antonio has a privilege over Myga, the unscrupulous Leone cannot claim her for himself. Leone now hopes that Antonio will die soon.

Jan was considered dead by the Spaniards. In reality he was able to save himself on land and got to the Black Galley. With his men he succeeds in capturing the Andrea Doria, whose helmsman has now become captain after Antonio's death. Leone is killed by Jan and Jan can hug his Myga again. A little later Spain had to surrender to the overwhelming power of the Geusen and the Netherlands were free.

production

The black galley was shot from 1961 to 1962 and had its premiere on July 10, 1962 in the Berlin Colosseum . It was one of the first films in which Dietrich Körner took part and the last film by veteran production designer Erich Zander .

criticism

The contemporary criticism criticized Hellberg's proximity to the underlying work: “Exaggerated loyalty to the work or consent - Hellberg largely takes on the philistine dialogue. […] The screenwriter Hellberg did not succeed in turning Raabe's narrative into a film subject that organically connects events and tendencies. [...] The film's conventional impression is reinforced by the world of scenery [...] and the honest trick ”. Other critics also found that “verbose and pathetic dialogues, even if they can be proven almost verbatim in the poet's work, contradict the visual dramaturgy of the film”.

For the film service , The Black Galley was an "elaborate, but not very convincing dramaturgical and dramatic staging that froze in constant boredom."

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christel and Wolfgang Gersch: A new literary film adaptation. The black galley . In: Deutsche Filmkunst , No. 10, 1962.
  2. ↑ Grandstand , July 14, 1962.
  3. ↑ The black galley. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used