Light and darkness

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Movie
Original title Light and darkness /
the love of a blind man
Country of production Austria-Hungary
original language German
Publishing year 1917
length about 80 minutes
Rod
Director Fritz Freisler
script Fritz Freisler
Friedrich Porges
production Sascha Messter Film, Vienna-Berlin
occupation

Light and Darkness , also known under the title Die Liebe einer Blinden , is an Austrian silent film melodrama from 1917 with Magda Sonja in one of her first film roles.

action

Countess Maja Kövesy was blind at a young age, and her ophthalmologist gives her little hope that anything will ever change. As a final piece of advice, the doctor recommends that old Count Kövesy, her father, transfer Majas to Professor Worringen's asylum for the blind. The eye exams done there give little cause for hope. Worringen and his assistant Dr. However, Kellinghaus are in the process of developing a serum that may cure some patients. Maja feels more comfortable in the home for the blind every day and, out of gratitude, begins to develop deep love for Prof. Worringen. He only learns of her affection when he accidentally takes a look at her diary, where she writes down her most intimate thoughts. Thereupon the professor goes to the old count and asks for his daughter's hand. Maja and Worringen get married.

One day the moment came when the professor and Kellinghaus successfully developed the serum for production. Even the first test on a blind person leads to an excellent result. Majas Gatte then treated other patients and held lectures on his research results to one or the other specialist audience. For reasons inexplicable to all involved, however, Prof. Worringen categorically refuses to treat his own wife - as if he wanted her to remain blind forever. The reason he gives is that he is afraid that Maja will not be able to survive this procedure. During her husband's absence, Maja asks Dr. Kellinghaus to perform the procedure on her. Since the young doctor feels Maja's deep despair, he finally fulfills her wish. And indeed: Maja can see again.

But now she is deeply shocked when she sees her much older husband for the first time: He is so terribly ugly! Worringen anticipated her reaction and therefore did not want to give her sight back. From then on, Maja is more unhappy than ever and howls on Kellingshaus's chest. Why did he let her see her again ?! she accuses him. The young doctor is far more attractive than the old professor, and Worringen sees that Maja will not stand a chance against Kellinghaus in the long run. He then decides to put an end to his life, climbs a high mountain and plunges down from the summit. A small tomb will be erected for the altruistic professor near the asylum for the blind, to which countless sighted people will now make pilgrimages. Kellinghaus and Maja, tormented by strong feelings of guilt, threw themselves into the work that Worringen left behind in order to complete his work. Only after an appropriate period of mourning do they finally find each other and become a couple.

Production notes

Light and Darkness was shown for the first time at a Vienna film show in August 1917. The official premiere took place in Vienna on November 23, 1917. The four-act act was 1650 meters long, and a shortened version of 1521 meters was later shown again in cinemas.

criticism

“This colossal, important film is characterized above all by a splendid, substantial plot that reveals noble thinking and feeling, paired with great intellectual abilities. (…) As well as the plot is well thought out, the presentation is masterful. Karl Götz, who embodies the figure of the famous scholar and professor, is perfect for this role. (...) Magda Sonja creates an artistic figure of the first order as the actress of the blind. In suffering and terrible awakening, she grabs us deeply with her great art and shakes us. If we also consider that the entire presentation of the film, which shows us true paintings, is worthy of the valuable subject, we come to the gratifying result that it is a first-class film creation from our local Sascha Messter film factory have to do."

- Neue Kino-Rundschau from August 25, 1917. p. 63

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