"The Wandering Jew", or "The Life Story of Theodore Herzl", is a propagandized biography of the Austrian who is considered the founder of Zionism -- the political movement which resulted in the creation of the country Israel in what was Palestine. Mr. Herzl's movement was successful, of course; in 1948, following World War II, the nation of Israel was returned to existence.
This film clearly considers the movement to be God's will.
If the restoration of Israel was divinely inspired, the film certainly isn't -- it's relatively unexciting. More interesting is the history of discrimination and persecution of the Jewish people; countered by their determination, and vision. There are many remarkable intertitles, which seem as if they could have been written decades later. For example, one reads: "The holocaust of persecution. An era of gruesome carnage and massacre of Jews unparalleled since the persecution of the Christians by the Romans. Christendom, appalled at the fanatical barbarity
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Father Rudolph Schildkraut (as "The Wandering Jew") and son Joseph Schildkraut appear intermittently; the younger Schildkraut went from this appearance to US stardom in "Orphans of the Storm" (1921), and beyond. "The Wandering Jew" seems to be differ from the title character, perhaps he is a Moses type; it's a confusing, and possibly unflattering, character.
Ernst Bath staidly plays Herzl.
Camera movement is minimal.
**** Theodor Herzl (2/11/21) Otto Kreisler ~ Ernst Bath, Rudolph Schildkraut, Joseph Schildkraut
