Laugh, Bajazzo! (1915)

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Movie
Original title Laugh, Bajazzo!
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1915
length 83 minutes
Rod
Director Richard Oswald
script Richard Oswald
production Paul Davidson
Jules Greenbaum for PAGU & Vitascope (Berlin)
camera Hermann Boettger
occupation

Laugh, Bajazzo! is a 1914 German silent film by Richard Oswald with Rudolf Schildkraut in the title role.

action

The musician Rudolf is a good-natured, boyish and sociable guy with big children's eyes, with whom one also likes to joke. When one of his friends, the writer Alfred, had too much trouble with him - a girl was playing with him - he was deeply affected and withdrew temporarily into the solitude of his bachelor life. One day Rudolf met a poor match seller whom he had mercy. Rudolf takes her to his home and gives her a home and food. In return, the girl takes care of him and his house as a housekeeper, so that the loner does not go to waste. With Rudolf deep feelings arise which he expresses towards his wards.

Things seem to be going well for Rudolf, especially since he is reconciled with Alfred, with whom he had fallen out. His own friend Hanni has just become unfaithful to this. Rudolf shows solidarity with Alfred out of deep friendship and makes it clear to Hanni how much he thinks of her behavior towards her friends: namely nothing. It is the same moment when his friend has no qualms about cheating on him, Rudolf, with his new flame, the match girl. Rudolf is only left with the saying of every clown: Laugh Bajazzo! ... even if you really want to cry.

Production notes

Laugh, Bajazzo! was shot in the Vitascope studio in Berlin-Weißensee and passed the censorship test in November 1914 and was premiered on January 7, 1915 as part of a press screening. The film had four acts and measured 1515 meters in its long version. A shortened, three-act version was only 1060 meters long.

Laugh, Bajazzo! was Richard Oswald's third film director. 19-year-old Hanne Brinkmann made her film debut here.

criticism

“The art of man, his emotional expression and his passion for the thought of subordinating the foreign idea, absorbing it and reproducing it in all its natural originality, is what makes the actor great. Whoever sees Rudolf Schildkraut in this film picture will have to count him among the greats. (...) The film is introduced with insurmountable vivacity. The air of artistic bohemianism is stimulating until this crushing conclusion comes and the picture achieves a complete success. (...) With this brilliantly coordinated ensemble, it was not difficult for the Berliner Union and its director Richard Oswald to produce one of their best pictures. "

- Cinematographische Rundschau from January 3, 1915. P. 42 f.

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