Rasputin (1932)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Rasputin |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1932 |
| length | 108 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Adolf Despite |
| script |
Adolf Lantz Conrad Linz based on a manuscript by Ossip Dymow and Adolf Lantz |
| production | Ludwig Gottschalk for Gottschalk-Tonfilm-Produktions GmbH, Berlin |
| music |
Fritz Wenneis Wladimir Metzl |
| camera | Curt Courant |
| cut | Géza Pollatschek |
| occupation | |
| |
Rasputin is a German feature film from 1932 by Adolf Sportwetten with Conrad Veidt in the title role .
action
In the Siberian village of Pokrovskoye, the monk Grigory Rasputin has earned a reputation as a miracle healer, but also as a womanizer and seducer that goes far beyond Siberia's borders. He couldn't even keep his hands off Luscha, the daughter of the local large farmer. But this seduction seems one too many. Luscha's father complains about Rasputin to Bishop Tobolsk, who then visits the Siberian village to investigate Rasputin. But Rasputin's miraculous healing acts seem stronger than his escalating libido - in any case, a pilgrimage of numerous residents convinced of Rasputin's healing hands quickly forms, so that the bishop decides to take the apostate monk with him on his journey to distant St. Petersburg.
Rasputin's magical hands were also heard at the Tsar's court in the Russian capital. When he visits the constantly ailing Tsarevich Alexej, affectionately known as Aljoscha, at his bed, holds him by his hands and speaks gently to him ("It doesn't hurt anymore ... you are healthy! "), Sings a little song and finally plays clapping hands with him the boy, who had just been moribund, suddenly seems to be awake. The tsar's family is impressed, but above all Tsarina Alexandra quickly succumbs to the fama that Rasputin is a true magician of healing. Under their imperial protection, the Siberian monk in Russia's capital can now rule as he likes. His waiting room is filled with the "hopeless" who hope for healing through him. In every spare minute Rasputin seduces women like the beautiful Nina Ivanova, and he hardly skips a feast. His influence on the ruler is viewed with the greatest suspicion by numerous representatives of state power, especially high government officials.
Representatives of high officer circles begin to instigate a conspiracy against him. For very personal reasons, they are joined by the young lieutenant Suschkoff, who at a party that spills over into the evening has to watch his bride Musja leave him standing without batting an eyelid when Rasputin suddenly appears. After only a blink of an eye, the young woman falls into disrepair with skin and hair. Rasputin looks deep into her eyes and only says when they meet her for the first time: " You have a beautiful soul, child ". Then Musja follows him while Rasputin dispatches her fiancé Suschkoff en passant from the side with the words “ And you have bad thoughts ”. A first attempt at assassination by Suschkoff fails. The conspirators decide to proceed more professionally, but they have to be careful that not a single word of the plan gets out to the Tsarina. The Tsar knows only too well that the first attack on Rasputin was covered and promoted by government officials. He advises Rasputin to get himself out of the line of fire and temporarily return to Pokrovskoye.
There Luscha immediately falls under Rasputin's spell again. There is a serious exchange of blows between the monk and Luscha's father, as a result of which the faith healer has to stay in the sick bed for a long time. When the First World War broke out in August 1914 , Rasputin followed the Tsar's call and returned to court. The war situation, which soon worsened dramatically for Russia, led to the monk being blamed for it. Rasputin's influence on the royal family has now reached its peak, and in December 1916 a group of officers led by Prince Yusupov, a close confidante of both the royal family and Rasputin, decided to kill the monk. Yusupov poisons the wine he gives Rasputin. He drinks it, and Yusupov plays and sings melancholy, old Russian tunes. But the monk doesn't seem to mind the poison, he continues to enjoy Yusupov's singing. Even when this wine is poured in, the poison continues to fail. Then the prince shoots Rasputin, but he does not fall over. The monk runs outside, where two other murderers, including the anti-Semitic Duma deputy Purishkevich, are waiting for him. The wrought-iron, locked garden gate is the end of the line for the staggering Rasputin. Here he is finally struck down by Purishkevich with further shots.
Production notes, backgrounds, interesting facts
Rasputin , also known as Rasputin, the Demon of Women , was the first sound film that thematically addressed the Russian monk and faith healer. The outdoor recordings took place in December 1931, the studio recordings began on January 20, 1932. On the same day that Rasputin passed the censorship, the film was premiered in Berlin (Capitol) (February 19, 1932). After the war, the film was shown for the first time on December 16, 1986 in the second program of GDR television . Previously, only the Germans had made a Rasputin film (“ Rasputin's Love Adventure ”), a silent film by and with exiled Russians.
The film structures were designed and executed by Gustav A. Knauer and Walter Reimann . The costumes come from Leopold Verch. Alfred Norkus set the tone. Leo de Laforgue was one of two assistant directors.
For the native Russian Alexandra Sorina , the role of a lady-in-waiting was the only sound film role. For Elza Temáry , the beautiful Nina Iwanowa meant the last role in a full-length feature film. The former Stuart Webbs silent film detective Ernst Reicher played his last (now very small) role in a German production in the film.
Immediately after the end of the shooting, Hollywood also began producing a Rasputin story: Rasputin: The Demon of Russia .
As later with Rasputin: The Demon of Russia Rasputin was also sued by a member of the family of the Rasputin murderer, Prince Jussupoff. The prince himself had the production company and the premiere theater demanded through a lawyer “to make up for an insult done to him because he felt insulted by the portrayal of himself in the film. As a basis for negotiation, he named an amount of fifty thousand Reichsmarks. "
Reviews
In the edition of February 27, 1932, the Austrian Film-Zeitung read: "The role of the Russian wonder monk is portrayed by Conrad Veidt. He understands the inner obsession of this person, the power of his personality and like no other man could succeed to make believable the attraction that emanates from him. A plethora of good actors are grouped around him "
The Lexicon of International Films writes: “An early film portrait of the Russian man of strength and power. The undemanding script presents Rasputin primarily as a seducer of women. At most of interest in film history: The title role is played by Conrad Veidt, who emigrated to England soon after; he tries in vain to present a 'demonic' representation. Karl Ludwig Diehl as Jussupoff doesn't seem very credible either. "
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ulrich J. Klaus: Deutsche Tonfilme, 3rd year 1932, Berlin-Berchtesgaden 1990, p. 184. 108.32
- ↑ "Rasputin". In: Österreichische Film-Zeitung , February 27, 1932, p. 6 (online at ANNO ).
- ↑ Rasputin in the Lexicon of International Films , accessed on May 7, 2014.
Web links
- Rasputin in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Rasputin at filmportal.de