I don't want to be a man
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | I don't want to be a man |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1918 |
| length | 45 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 0 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Ernst Lubitsch |
| script |
Hanns Kräly , Ernst Lubitsch |
| production |
Paul Davidson ; Projektions-AG “Union” for Universum Film-AG |
| music | Neil Brand (2006 version) |
| camera | Theodor Sparkuhl |
| occupation | |
| |
I don't want to be a man is a German silent film by Ernst Lubitsch from 1918.
content
1st act
Ossi lives with her governess with her uncle, a wealthy commercial councilor . She is completely unladylike, plays poker, flirts with men, smokes and drinks. Neither uncle nor governess can go against her in the long run. When the uncle has to travel urgently to set up a company, Ossi thinks she can now freely determine her life and go shopping. Instead, the governess provides her new guardian, Dr. Kersten in front. This is strictly, Ossi forces to stand up when she talks to him, and before him Knicks to make. He also immediately stops strolling. Frustrated, Ossi goes to bed with the exclamation “Why wasn't I born a boy!”.
2nd act
Ossi has a suit made and dresses up as a man . However, just putting on the collar and bow tie frustrates her. Her governess does not recognize her and is enthusiastic about the "lovely fellow". In the tram , Ossi is reprimanded by other men for not offering a woman her seat. At the same time, the men complain that she whines so loudly when someone steps on her feet - after all, she is a man. Ossi goes to the Mäusepalast, a dance hall. Here she fights her way through the entrance together with other men only to be chased by the women. She recognizes her guardian Dr. Kersten with a woman and tries, in revenge, to relax her. While Dr. Kersten confronts the alleged rival, his companion has already turned to another man and Dr. Kersten and Ossi become friends with men.
3rd act
They get drunk and swap their coats on the way home. Drunk as a stick, they kiss during the ride in the horse-drawn carriage and finally fall asleep. The driver looks for the wallet in their coats to find out where to drop their passengers off. Dr. Kersten ends up at Ossi's house, while Ossi goes to Dr. Kersten's bed is the night. The next morning both are horrified. Dr. Kersten is woken up by Ossi's rabid governess, but is able to hide under the covers. Ossi bursts into tears when she sees Dr. Seeing Kersten's servant in front of him, wants to see her governess. Arrived at her house, she meets Dr. Kersten, who doesn't recognize her. Ossi pretends to want to see her cousin and Dr. Kersten tells her that he finds the cousin attractive. While Ossi is getting rid of her wig in her room, the governess meets Dr. Kersten. She suspects that he has only just appeared and he asks her to wake the real Ossi. He is amazed to see that the young man he drank with last night is actually Ossi. After Ossi has insulted him and he is amazed that she - as a woman! - Let him kiss her, they both embrace.
production
The shooting took place during the First World War in the Ufa-Union-Atelier Tempelhof near Berlin . I don't want to be a man was the eighth collaboration between leading actress Ossi Oswalda and director Ernst Lubitsch. Between 1916 and 1920 they made a total of twelve films together. In July 1918, the film was banned by the censors. The world premiere of I don't want to be a man took place on October 1, 1918 in Berlin .
In 2006 I don't want to be a man appeared as one of five silent films by Lubitsch in the Ernst Lubitsch Collection on DVD. The digitally restored version of the film was accompanied by a piano composition by Neil Brand.
criticism
Contemporary critics noted that people go to the cinema with high expectations when a Lubitsch comedy is on the program: “This expectation was not disappointed with the new Ossi-Oswalda comedy.” The film was “very, very funny to see and read in the titles. The most delicious thing is of course the blonde Ossi in her 'tragicomic' trouser role. There were then also strong salmon volleys. "
Other critics said that the subject matter of the young girl, who pretends to be a boy and thus finds herself in adventurous situations, is not new, but that is precisely why it is all the more remarkable “if the authors have nevertheless managed to entice the audience into stormy glee yes, to make it neigh directly at times ”. The "humorous titles ... that are full of wit and fabulous situational comedy " and Ossi Oswalda's "bubbly temperament, their exuberant mood and their mischievous coquetry" were highlighted. While Curt Goetz portrayed the opponent elegantly and with "discreet humor", Lubitsch had with his careful, but also spirited direction, "put a whole series of delightful pictures".
I don't want to be a man was later referred to as "a stunning Berlin comedy in which the temperament of the production is completely identical to the temperament of the comedian [Ossi Oswalda]".
Web links
- I do not want to be a man in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- I don't want to be a man at filmportal.de
- International reviews of I don't want to be a man on the Bonn Kinemathek website