Climber Max (1952)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Climbing Max |
 | |
| Country of production | Federal Republic of Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1952 |
| length | 86 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Kurt Hoffmann |
| script |
Johanna Sibelius , Eberhard Keindorff |
| production | Standard-Film ( Franz Tapper ), Porta-Film ( Herbert Obscherningkat ) |
| music | Hans-Martin Majewski |
| camera | Albert Benitz |
| cut | Martha Dübber |
| occupation | |
| |
Klettermaxe is a German comedy film by director Kurt Hoffmann . The black and white film based on the detective novel of the same name by Hans Possendorf premiered on May 15, 1952 in the Filmbühne Wien in West Berlin .
The material was realized as a silent film under the same title as early as 1927.
action
"Klettermaxe", a daring facade climber, keeps the city in suspense. With his artistic skills, the black-clad phantom repeatedly outwits criminals. To make their prey easier, they are eventually handed over to the police. The stamp imprint with the initials “KM” is then emblazoned on the forehead of the crooks. Klettermaxe always donates the captured money to charitable purposes. Although his deeds are not always entirely legal, the climber maxe receives great applause and even Detective Inspector Plessen likes his actions. The officer is all the more desperate in looking for evidence against a certain Malkov. Thanks to Klettermaxe, the police keep getting crooks who are obviously directed by Malkow. But there is a lack of solid evidence or statements against the presumed backer.
The crime writer Max Malien also stays in the vicinity of a few underworlders for professional reasons. One day he receives a visit from his cousin, the Cuban dancer Corry Bell. The spirited exotic is disappointed to find that her cousin's private life seems boring and does not correspond at all to his exciting novels. On the other hand, she is immediately impressed by the romantic adventures of the burglar climber.
Meanwhile, the petty criminal Kruschke steals Corry's valuable bracelet, which ends up with the crook Dobnika after a few detours. A little later, the climber can surprise the insidious Malkow. He takes all of his money and his passport from him to prevent him from going abroad. During the escape, the climber has to hide in Corry's hotel room. She is blown away by the phantom who still hides his face behind a black mask. After all, climbing max Corry promises to reveal his identity on another occasion. The next day, Corry reports what has happened to her cousin Max. She is even determined to marry a climber.
It doesn't take long before the climber can take Dobnika by surprise and take the stolen bracelet off him. Klettermaxe has no idea that Malkow, against whom there is now clear evidence, is in the same hotel room and secretly informed the police. Thanks to a daring action, Klettermaxe succeeds in handing Malkow over to the police. A police officer is now also chasing the climber himself. The two end up in the middle of a revue with Corry Bell, who is also pursuing the phantom she loves. After a breakneck hunt behind the theater sets , the climber shows the Cuban dancer his true colors. She almost faints because it is her supposedly boring cousin Max. He hands her the bracelet and promises to make Corry's dream of marrying a climbing maxi come true.
History of origin
Background and script
The director Kurt Hoffmann , who had directed successful films such as Quax, der Bruchpilot (1941) or I trust you my wife (1943) since 1939, landed his first great success of the post-war period in 1951 with the comedy Fanfares of Love . He then received the offer to take over the direction of the sequel fanfares of marriage , which he refused. Instead, the director decided, among other things, to implement a project that was offered to him by the film producers Franz Tapper (Standard-Film) and Herbert Obscherningkat (Porta-Film), the adaptation of the crime thriller Klettermaxe, written by Hans Possendorf and filmed in 1927 had been.
The screenwriters Johanna Sibelius and Eberhard Keindorff updated the detective novel set in the interwar period and reworked it into a turbulent detective comedy.
occupation
When casting the female lead with Liselotte Pulver , the producers managed a real stroke of luck. The then 22-year-old actress had been under contract with the film producer Friedrich A. Mainz , who supported the realization of Klettermaxe , since 1950 . The film laid the foundation for the long-term collaboration between Liselotte Pulver and Kurt Hoffmann, who built the actress into an internationally known star of German film in the 1950s. In her memoirs she also remembered climbing maxima : “The shooting began and we got along fantastic. He just found everything I did funny: my South American accent, which he had made up for me, my acrobatic efforts as an eccentric dancer and above all my long leadership when I didn't understand his stage directions straight away. "
Albert Lieven , who had left Germany with his Jewish wife in 1936 and wanted to regain a foothold on the domestic film market since 1951, was hired as the male lead . After the operetta film Die Dubarry , which was rather poorly rated by the critics , he made a successful comeback with Klettermaxe . For his participation he needed a release from the Rank Organization , with which he was still under contract.
Another sensation of the film was the spectacularly staged climbs of the stunt double Arnim Dahl . Towards the end of the shooting, he even wrote additional scenes for Klettermaxe that show him in a double role : as a climber and as a policeman who is chasing him. The producer Herbert Obscherningkat had particular fun with the scene in which Dahl jumps against a high backdrop with a dagger and slits it all the way down. The sensational actor turned out to be the perfect advertising medium for the film, as Obscherningkat admitted in 1953: “Dahl is selling so well. Daring alone doesn't make it. Lots of people can jump down somewhere, but Dahl also makes the necessary wind. ”After the filming was over, the European film distribution company hired the sensational actor to climb houses and cinema facades as living advertisements in 22 West German cities in order to promote the film. Dahl succeeded in the unusual coup for a double, becoming more popular than the main actor with the first major role.
The rest of the equally convincing ensemble consisted of well-known actors such as Erna Sellmer , Harald Paulsen , Paul Henckels , Hubert von Meyerinck and Josef Sieber .
production
The shooting took place from mid-February to mid-March 1952 in Hamburg . The interior shots were shot in the Real-Film studios in Hamburg-Tonndorf . For the Filmbauten were Willi Herrmann and Heinrich Weidemann responsible. Dascha Rowinskaja designed the costumes, with Irms Pauli assisting her. The costumes for the fashion show came from the fashion designer Charles Ritter. The production line took Dietrich von Theobald .
Film music
The soundtrack comes from the pen of Hans-Martin Majewski . Kurt Schwabach wrote the lyrics to the song My heart beats in the rhythm of love .
Others
In the opening credits Liselotte Pulver's first name is accidentally spelled with "ie".
In 1948, in post-war Berlin, a serial burglar was arrested who was nicknamed "Climber Maxe" after daring facade climbing.
reception
publication
The FSK was Klettermaxe on 25 April 1952 from 12 years free. On May 15th of the same year the world premiere took place in the Filmbühne Wien in West Berlin . The film was shown in Austria under the title Corry Bell . It was initially not marketed in what was then the GDR because the film could have encouraged young people to read crime fiction in the eyes of the film censors there .
The film turned out to be a huge commercial success. With the film Das Nachtgespenst (director: Carl Boese ), Porta-Filmproduktion tried to build on the success of Klettermaxe in 1953 . Liselotte Pulver is in it, again at the side of a detective writer (played by Hans Reiser ), on the hunt for a whole band of phantoms. As early as 1952, two films "a series in the climbing maxe genre" with Liselotte Pulver and Albert Lieven had been announced. The projects with the titles Liselotte and the fire brigade and Liselotte is supposed to get married were not realized.
Klettermaxe was first broadcast on television on June 24, 1963 on ZDF . On June 15, 1968, the film was finally shown on East German television . It was first released on DVD in 2013 .
Reviews
“Anyone who has been claiming that there are no comedies in Germany will have to revise their opinion. Klettermaxe is a film comedy, a wonderful parody, a witty (not 'witty') slapstick, without embarking on the 'downhill' path of political cabaret, without allusions and attacks, just very funny. This comedy film has a book ... that's right. But beyond this book, the main merit here is the direction. With Queen for a Night [sic] and fanfares of love , Kurt Hoffmann proved that he is a master of comedic film directing. Here he could draw on the full. And what did the director do with the team of actors! While Liselotte Pulver could previously be counted among the talented offspring, she must now be counted among the top of our talents. And Albert Lieven should again be counted among the favorites of the audience, whose younger part no longer knew him. His noble masculinity is not even lost when he appears mysteriously and with a wink as a phantom under the creepy mask of the climber ... If this climber does not allow the theater box office to climb up, then in Germany should be able to be happy, smile and laugh to be extinct. "
“[...] Directed by Kurt Hoffmann, a lively crime fiction film was made with comedic moods and moving scenes. Albert Lieven in the main role seems a bit stiff, but always remains the likeable actor. The other participants, led by Liselotte Pulver, make all the more credible use of all the possibilities of the amusing action. The audience has a lot of fun with Klettermaxe . "
"[...] It's bare, backgroundless, but very nice, unreservedly funny entertainment [...]"
"[…] How to do it. Namely a successful film ... Hoffmann can really do it. To make a movie fun game. How he lets his ideas roll over, how he serves them musically (Hans Martin Majewski), how he quickly reels off the acoustically and visually funny sequence of scenes, that sometimes has the style of a René Clair film. Certainly Hoffmann does not want to make film art, but D-Mark . With stuff and stuff and taste. If it didn't look so sad in German films, there wouldn't be much talk about it. But at least that is how entertainment films have to be [...] "
"[...] Kurt Hoffmann staged with a light hand, sprinkled numerous gags over the enjoyable Kohl and timidly approaches the limits of the real grotesque ... In short: one of the few German comedies that one really laughs at. Small to medium-sized fun. "
“Second and more skilful comeback [sic] from Albert Lieven: as a facade climber who simply overtakes criminals out of inclination and leaves them tied up to the less fixed police. First real talent test for Liselotte Pulver, who is allowed to let off steam and dance at the same time girlish and eccentric. Nonsense with grace and without lengths. "
"[...] Who is the climber, the facade-climbing Sherlock Holmes, must not be revealed. Suffice it to say that this delicious crime comedy under Kurt Hoffmann's neat direction has found humor with charm and situation comedy without clothes. A pleasant comeback from Albert Lieven, fresh and radiant, young as before. Exuberant temperament, becoming more appealing and convincing from film to film: Liselotte Pulver. Both maybe the upcoming, lively movie lovers. All around magnificent types of the underworld ... for ninety minutes of unclouded cheerfulness and smiling pleasure. "
"[...] Albert Lieven is a 'climber' as one could hardly ask for better: A gentleman with humor and courage, with heart and mind. His double Arnim Dahl, who unfortunately is currently injured in the Krefeld hospital, offers breathtaking artistic performances. The Corry by Liselotte Pulver is enchanting. She is capricious, perky, passionate and amiable at the same time ... At the level of entertainment films, climbing maxe is one of the nicest things you've seen lately. "
"Entertaining crime comedy."
Web links
- Klettermaxe in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Klettermaxe at filmportal.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ 86 minutes for cinema projection (24 images / second), 83 minutes for television playback (25 images / second), film length: 2358 meters
- ↑ a b Reiner Boller: Climbing Max. The booklet for the film. Movie jewels. 2013.
- ↑ Climbing Max (1927). In: filmportal.de . German Film Institute , accessed on September 12, 2016 .
- ↑ Hans Possendorf: Climbing Max . A Berlin crime story between Kurfürstendamm and Scheunenviertel. Publishing house of the Münchner Illustrierte Knorr & Hirth , Munich 1927, DNB 361186762 .
- ↑ Liselotte Powder. In: filmportal.de . German Film Institute , accessed on September 12, 2016 .
- ↑ Liselotte Pulver: ... if you still laugh . Diary of my life. Ullstein Verlag , Frankfurt am Main, Berlin 1993, ISBN 3-548-22918-2 .
- ↑ Dahl lives dangerously . In: Der Spiegel . No. 2 , 1953 ( online ).
- ↑ Der Spiegel, 5/1948: Max Krause
- ↑ Flashing light through the curtain . In: Der Spiegel . No. 3 , 1955 ( online ).
- ^ The German films of the new season . In: Der Spiegel . No. 33 , 1952 ( online ).
- ^ Film: New in Germany . In: Der Spiegel . No. 23 , 1952, pp. 26 ( online ).
- ↑ Climbing Max. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .