Princess Turandot (1934)

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Movie
Original title Princess Turandot
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1934
length 76 minutes
Rod
Director Gerhard Lamprecht
script Thea von Harbou based
on a story from the oriental collection “1001 days”
production Günther Stapenhorst
music Franz Doelle
camera Fritz Arno Wagner
cut Arnfried Heyne
occupation

and Rudolf Biebrach , Gaston Briese , Angelo Ferrari , Alexander Engel , Kurt Getke , Karl Hannemann , Karl Hellmer , Eduard Kandl , Berthold Reissig , Hans Sternberg

Princess Turandot is a German feature film from 1934 by Gerhard Lamprecht with Käthe von Nagy and Willy Fritsch in the leading roles.

action

The Emperor of China wants his daughter, the capricious and headstrong Princess Turandot, to finally marry, especially since his quarrelsome and no less headstrong wife is really heating him up in this regard. But Turandot has no idea of ​​wanting to get married and cites her father's marriage as the best example against the institution of marriage. Quite a few applicants who did not meet their highest standards and could not solve three tasks then went headless: their head was impaled and placed on the palace wall to warn all subsequent marriage candidates. The Prince of Samarkand is supposed to lose his head next, but he is lucky because the young, brazen bird dealer Kalaf, who is very upset about this martial method of species selection, stands in the way of the hangman's cart. The stranger is verbally indignant in front of the crowds of people who have gathered, who do not want to miss the beheading spectacle. Grotesquely, it is precisely the death row inmate who wants to defend Turandot's honor when Kalaf declares that this princess should obviously be properly laid over his knee. In the subsequent boxing match on the hangman's cart, Kalaf's servant and friend Willibald, who gets caught between the two fighters, receives the most beating.

A lackey rushes to the chief justice of China and tells him of the monstrous cheek of this stranger who prevented the execution of the Samarkand prince. Turandot's maid Mian Li cannot tell her boss this news fast enough either, and on top of that she reports that Kalaf would like to spank her, Princess Turandot, most of all. The princess' mouth hero is promptly demonstrated. She expects him to kowtow , but instead the bird dealer washes her head properly, because she decapitates a row of applicants only because of her refusal to marry. On top of that he calls her “heartless” and a “stupid goose”. Turandot is extremely angry because no one in the empire dared to talk to her like that. When the chief judge enters the room, she orders Kalaf to be thrown in prison because she never wants to see him again. Outside the door, the emperor comes by and congratulates Kalaf exuberantly on speaking so clearly to the spoiled daughter.

A little later, Willibald goes to the emperor to ask mercy for his lord and master Kalaf. They both chat like old friends about both bird-hobby. In the meantime, the Chief Justice Kalaf introduces his closely guarded secret: Of course, none of the applicants has yet been beheaded, the impaled heads on the palace wall are just perfect replicas. Turandot hopes that this demonstration will finally leave applicants from all over the world alone. Kalaf decides to put an end to this cruel spook and since he is not in love with the princess and certainly does not want to marry her, he will set about solving the three riddles with a clear conscience. The chief judge quickly set off to convey this message to Turandot. In the evening there is an audience in which Kalaf is supposed to solve the three riddles.

The first riddle, after the question of which of the three trophies in front of him contains a deadly poison, is solved by Kalaf smiling with a trick in which he combines the contents of all trophies in one and refers to the now only filled cup. In the second riddle, he has to turn a heavy statue upside down with two fingers. Kalaf thinks for a moment, takes the mirror of the princess and holds it at the head end against the statue, so that it appears upside down. Turandot calls out desperately "no, no, no!". But then there follows task no. 3, supposedly the hardest riddle: “Mr. Kalaf”, she asks, “what did I dream of last night?”. Desperate, Willibald, who is a bit distant, tries to give him clues, which Kalaf is unable to interpret properly. When the latter runs a small, white piece of cloth up his arm with a sleight of hand, Kalaf replies: “From white mice”. Turandot has to admit that this answer is also true.

Now Turandot has to marry Kalaf, but he has absolutely no desire to take such a spoiled brat as his wife. That, in turn, does not suit the princess again, this strong-willed young man gradually begins to impress her. She starts to howl, while outside the door Kalaf explains to the emperor that he only said this so that Turandot finally begins to run after a man and not always the other way around. The emperor brings Turandot Calaf's condition for a marriage: Turandot has to solve a riddle for him tomorrow. Since she has not the slightest idea what puzzle this could be, Turandot instructs Mian-Li to spy on the solution to the task by tomorrow. Since she is unsuccessful, Turandot disguises herself as her own maid and goes to Calaf himself, her face hidden under a veil. He explains to her that he would only know the riddle if his miracle bird, which he always has with him, would sing. And he only sings, according to Kalaf, who has long since seen through Turandot's charade, when two lovers kiss each other. Turandot in the role of Mian-Li is shy when Kalaf comes closer to her. Finally, however, she gives in in the dark of the night and lets himself be kissed. Then Kalaf reveals his riddle to her. It reads: "How many pearls does the ocean have?"

The next day there is a big audience, and Princess Turandot receives Kalaf in order to have him pose his riddle. She is completely perplexed when Kalaf asks her a completely different question, which she could easily answer, but may not want to answer. It reads: “That night I kissed a woman in my trailer. Who was this woman? ”. She answers “I”, to which Kalaf replies: “You are free, Turandot”. But Princess Turandot has not wanted to be free for a long time, at least not free from Kalaf. The emperor utters another word of power, he really wants Calaf to be his son-in-law. “You are right, Papa,” replies his stubborn daughter, and the two lovers kiss again.

Production notes

Princess Turandot was created from mid-July to mid-September 1934 in the Ufa studio in Neubabelsberg . The first performance took place on November 30, 1934 in Berlin's Gloria Palast . The film also opened in Austria on December 21, 1934. On February 14, 1976, the television was first broadcast on GDR television.

Composer Franz Doelle was also the musical director. Fritz Seidel got the sound. Robert Herlth and Walter Röhrig created the film structures, and Anton Weber helped both . Werner Krien and Igor Oberberg were Fritz Arno Wagner's camera assistant.

At the same time, a French version of the film was made with “Turandot, princesse de Chine”. With Serge Veber, director Lamprecht was assigned a French dialogue director. Käthe von Nagy also played the title character here, all other actors (Pierre Blanchar in the role of Fritsch) were French.

Music track

The following music tracks were played:

  • I would really like to say something dear to you
  • Turandot, adorable Turandot
  • We want to go shopping again

reception

Paimann's film lists stated: “Imaginative film events mixed together from fairy tale motifs, parodies and opera-like are turned into parody through its dialogue in everyday language. Easily lively, playful but devoid of sentiment and devoid of any conflict. The direction directs the masses excellently, does a lot of detailed work and does not allow any exaggerations to arise, but has little speed. Fritsch is carefree and in a good mood, Nagy a bit too rigid, too stylized. Large, visually effective studio buildings, well-used music ”.

In view of the fact that the title "artistically valuable" was withheld from the film, the producing UFA complained to the film inspectorate. The expert appointed by the Propaganda Ministry came to a damning verdict. In a judgment published by the Film Inspectorate on December 1, 1934, it says in reference to the expert's assessment:

“Action and dialogue did not form a unit; they fluctuated between fairy tales, crude realism and flat burlesque. In the picture, the backdrop, which is clearly shown on purpose, is always disturbing, and it fluctuates between film and the photographed stage. Approaches to spirit and wit would be immediately destroyed by banalities, just as the pathos and the inappropriate force of the music disturb. "

- Opinion of the film inspectorate dated December 1, 1934

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Princess Turandot in: Paimann's film lists
  2. ^ Opinion of the film inspection agency dated December 1 , 1934 ; on filmportal.de

Web links