My brother Joshua
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | My brother Joshua |
| Country of production | FRG |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1956 |
| length | 92 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK or age restriction |
| Rod | |
| Director | Hans Deppe |
| script |
Werner Eplinius , Janne Furch |
| production | Wilhelm Gernhard |
| music | Willy Mattes |
| camera | Werner M. Lenz |
| cut | Hanna Meisel |
| occupation | |
| |
My brother Josua , also known in southern Germany under the reference title Der Bauer vom Brucknerhof , is a homeland and music film , shot by the German director and actor Hans Deppe . It shows the American- German singer Kenneth Spencer in a leading role. The film premiered on September 19, 1956 at the Thalia Theater in Spencer's adopted home, Wuppertal .
action
Mathias Bruckner, formerly a farmer from the Brucknerhof, comes home after a stay in prison . However, he only met with rejection, going so far that he was even chased out of the church. His daughter Lena doesn't want to know anything about him either, only the black American occupation soldier Josua Washington Stone helps him. Meanwhile, Mathias' sister-in-law Franziska Donath continues to try to incite the villagers against him, which she only succeeds to a limited extent, as American soldiers help Mathias with the work in the fields. With this help, Mathias manages to bring in the entire harvest, and Franziska suddenly stands there alone. In an argument between Josua and Franziska's son Hans about the waitress of the village innkeeper Hildegard, Hans Hildegard pushes down a flight of stairs, but accuses Joshua of the act, who is then arrested. Mathias is upset and tries everything to save Joshua. He even offers to serve the sentence for him, to no avail. Hans feels like the sure winner, but makes a promise with his father Josef, who after a remorse of conscience finally tells the mayor the truth. Joshua is then released.
background
The film was supposed to show the USA as a friendly ally and to help overcome the still widespread prejudices, especially against black US soldiers. The frequent negative press reports about excesses by British and American soldiers in Germany should also be counteracted.
The shooting locations were the villages of Michelbach and Caldern in the Marburg district , whose population took an active part in the shooting and provided numerous extras . Furthermore, around 80 US soldiers are said to have worked as extras. The US Army supported the premiere of the film in Wuppertal with 48 musicians from the 3rd US Armored Division .
Reviews
- “Best attitude, no artistic format.” - 6000 films. Critical notes from the cinema years 1945 to 1958 . Handbook V of the Catholic film criticism, 3rd edition, Verlag Haus Altenberg, Düsseldorf 1963, pp. 296–297.
“A well-intentioned story about the edifying statement that there are good people among all peoples was stripped of all psychological shades by director Hans Deppe and instead embellished with solid picture book drama. The colored US soldier (Kenneth Spencer) helps the robust German farmer (Willy A. Kleinau), who was released prematurely from prison, to regain his status in the class-conscious village community with songs to the lute and spontaneous harvest use, which in many cinemas, like an observer of the US headquarters in Heidelberg, only triggered salmon volleys. "
Web links
- My brother Joshua in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b My brother Joshua. Film service , accessed October 11, 2018 .
- ^ A b Heinrich Vogel: Ol'Man River on the Wupper. Remscheider General-Anzeiger , April 2, 2015, accessed on October 11, 2018 .
- ^ A b Gudrun Schmiesing: A positive image of occupation soldiers at that time. Filmreporter.de, accessed on October 11, 2018 .
- ↑ NEW IN GERMANY - My brother Josua (Germany). Der Spiegel 42/1956, p. 49, October 17, 1956, accessed on October 11, 2018 .