The black ball (1913)

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Movie
Original title The black ball
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1913
length 39 (today) minutes
Rod
Director Franz Hofer
script Franz Hofer
production Max Maschke for Luna-Film, Berlin
occupation

The black ball is a German silent film drama about two sisters in 1913. Under the direction of Franz Hofer played Manny Ziener and Mia Cordes the leading roles.

action

Edith and Violetta, one blonde, the other black-haired, work as jugglers at the vaudeville theater. The two are sworn sisters and in deep mourning for their third sister Gussi, who recently committed suicide out of lovesickness. Edith and Violetta promise each other that they will never commit themselves to a man with skin and hair and are also determined to commit themselves to this senseless and early suicide of their sister against the man who in their eyes is responsible for it and from them as the unscrupulous seducer is considered to take revenge. Because Gussi's act of desperation came about out of an archaic feeling of having been dishonored by her lover, the Viscount Giron, without him taking responsibility for his actions. The two sisters found Gussi's farewell letter. Then they devise a precise plan of revenge, which should lead to the seducer admitting his outrage.

Neither of them suspected at first that Viscount Giron, accompanied by his friend, was already watching them during a variety show in which they were juggling with burning torches. The count quickly cast an eye on Violetta, who will probably be his next "victim". The sisters, who are completely similar except for their hair color and always wear the same costumes, plan to gradually drive the villain insane. Edith finds out that Giron is the very man who they hold responsible for Gussi's death. The sisters decide that the last person to hold a black ball in her hand while juggling in the evening should hold the viscount accountable. The choice falls on Edith. She goes to Giron with a revolver to confront him. However, Giron is very careful that this plan fails. Edith flees from him headlong. Violetta has secretly followed her sister and helps her escape. After a wild chase, the sisters bring Giron. He realizes his offense, falls on his knees and asks for forgiveness.

Production notes

The black ball , also known under the subtitle The Mysterious Sisters , was made in the early autumn of 1913 in the Berlin Luna Film Atelier at Friedrichstrasse 224. The strip was censored in October of the same year and premiered on October 26, 1913. The three-act act is 39 minutes long. It was a milestone in film history because it was the first time that it used a fast editing technique to portray a rapid chase .

The film was viraged .

The black ball was extensively restored in 1991 by ZDF and in 2004 it was accompanied by new music by Bernd Thewes .

reception

In his essay "Two Stylists of the Ten Years: Franz Hofer and Jewgeni Bauer", Yuri Tsivian pointed to the absolute symmetry of individual scenes as a central element of arrangement and style in this film.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. Thomas Elsaesser (ed.): A Second Life. German Cinema's First Decades. P. 270 ff., Amsterdam 1996

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