Frau Lilian Harvey und Herr Willy Fritsch were a very popular Teutonic artistic couple during the silent and talkie periods; they were for the German screen what Herr Goethe und Herr Faust were for literature or Herr Wagner und the Nibelungen for music or Herr Hitler und Herr Goebbels for politics, fortunately for the sake of the whole wide world, Frau Harvey und Herr Fritsch were nicer than the other ones
"Die Keusche Susanne", a film directed by Herr Richard Eichberg in the silent year of 1926, was the first pairing of this popular German couple. It's an unabashed and light-hearted comedy that was based on a very popular operetta by Herr Jean Gilbert who certainly betrayed his own country by frenchifying his real name, Max Winterfeld.
Herr Richard Eichberg uses wisely and properly the operetta material, keeping the essence of the play ( a love triangle with the city of Paris as background ) but transferring it to the silent film narrative, achieving a different but wonderful and funny comedy, shameless and well paced and depicting a collection of misunderstandings in the midst of a "joie de vivre" atmosphere.
The carefree characters have to deal with the rules of a strict society that frowns on bold conduct by women. Susanne ( Frau Ruth Weyher ), a fraulein of easy virtue is the lover of the Baron of Aubrais ( Herr Hans Junkermann ) whose daughter, Frau Jacqueline ( Frau Lilian Harvey ) has a peculiar relationship with Herr René ( Herr Willy Fritsch ). Such love relationships are bound to meet with disapproval.
This Teutonic love mess comes to the boiling point at the "Moulin Rouge" in what is a grand and mad finale, perfectly directed by Herr Eichberg who knows the basic rules and tricks for farce, and who is helped by an inspired cast and crew. Overall, it is a charming and lovely Teutonic high comedy which exposes the hypocrisy underlying the conservative establishment.
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must try to find a wicked and chaste Teutonic rich heiress.
