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*****This Review Might Contain Spoilers*****
DIE ROTHSCHILDS AKTIEN AUF WATERLOO or THE ROTHSCHILDS' SHARES IN WATERLOO (1940) was the first anti-Semitic film produced by the Nazis. Unlike their virulent 'documentary' THE ETERNAL JEW, it's propaganda disguised as a historical biography but nowhere as skillfully inflammatory as JEW SUSS, another historical 'biography' that had a stronger impact on audiences than the other two films released the same year. Goebbels produced these three films as a reaction to earlier foreign versions with the same titles that were sympathetic to Jews.
The film begins with Erich Ponto, the most recognized cast member who was a popular character actor seen in DAS MADCHEN JOHANNA (1935) and DIE FEURERZANGENBOWLE (1944) and after WWII in THE THIRD MAN (1949), cast as Mayer Rothschild, the head of the banking family, making a deal to hide the Mayor of Frankfurt's 600,000 pounds in England from Napoleon and with the help of his sons Nathan in England, and James in France, the family uses this money to build their fortune and finance Wellington's army. Nathan is first seen violating the Sabbath to further the deal and later treated with disdain and blackballing by the snobbish members of the British Stock Exchange when he attempts to ingratiate himself into their business and social world because he's 'not one of them', i.e., a Jew and worse, a foreign one. After Nathan seizes the opportunity to give a rival's wife a ride in his carriage, her husband coldly asks he if wants to be reimbursed and a surprised Nathan says politely "You're trying to insult me." The husband replies: "No, Mr. Rothschild. I'm just trying to prevent you from losing." a dry dig about how Jews stereotypically must be making money every minute of the day.
Nathan frets over his risky wheeling & dealing with England and the anti-Napoleon French, and eventually he makes a fortune unlike his brother James's negotiations with the French Chief of Police who must receive high kickbacks for them to do business. Nathan ruins his enemies by spreading the wrong news about the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo to manipulate stock market prices. The Mayor's money is safely returned with a bill for the Rothschild's handling fee and he questions James in how much more they really made off him as "nothing is more disgusting than one pickpocket telling lies to another." The film ends with the Commissioner of the Treasury and a victorious Nathan showing him a map of the world and connects the cities where his family's banks are located by drawing a hexagram then superimposed with a flaming Star of David. The closing title tells us: "By the conclusion of this film, the last of the Rothschilds have left Europe as refugees. The struggle against their English accomplices, the British plutocracy, continues."
Not only is ROTHSCHILDS anti-Semitic, it's equally anti-British as outlined in scattered titles. The film's production history should be noted as the film's original title was lengthened later when the film was re-edited: "Beyond its indictment of "Jewish" intrigue and avarice, THE ROTHSCHILDS aimed to show the 'Judafication' of British society at Rothschild hands, and thus demonstrate why, in Goebbels' words, Britons had become "the Jews among Aryans." Yet the film's dramatic conventions did not always mesh with its racial politics, and when the film was released in July 1940, German audiences were left unclear as to just who they were mainly supposed to hate. Goebbels had it pulled from distribution; a year later, a much-revised version, purged of any conceivable sympathies for its British characters, was released. The revamped movie was renamed THE ROTHSCHILDS' SHARE IN WATERLOO" and this is the only version available.
Even in the film's existing state, it's not as anti-Semitic or anti- English as you would expect, something the filmmakers miscalculated with mixed results. You do feel some sympathy for Nathan who's continuously snubbed by his rivals and when the Commissioner of the Treasury questions their motives in denouncing his actions, he advises them not to be prejudiced because Nathan is Jewish and sends them away. At this meeting the Commissioner seems sympathetic to Nathan's plight which goes against the film's propaganda intent or should audiences think it's a sign of his naivety and a warning for them not to trust Jews but at the film's conclusion we learn he's not naive because he's seen with Nathan who's gloating over his victory, meaning the Commissioner was shrewd in surmising who would be the better moneymaker to help England and most likely himself as the English go hand-in-hand with the Jews as stated in the end title quoted above. However not all the English are portrayed badly. You will probably feel more sympathy for the lower classes who lose their savings when their banks fail. There's also a subplot concerning a decent young man who wants to marry a broker's daughter but is rejected by her father because he isn't wealthy and is hired by Nathan not for altruistic reasons but to acquire favorable military info. The handsome couple is protected by an Irish woman who constantly speaks her mind against English hypocrisy and Nathan's flattery as Nazi films fantasized the Irish as their anti-English 'allies.'
THE ROTHSCHILDS' SHARES IN WATERLOO is a provocative costume picture heavy on plot and dialog so you might have to see it more than once to follow the monetary and political intrigue: There's also a love story nicely fitted into the plot to make it appeal to a wider audience. There were some earlier films with mild bits of anti-Semitic humor like ROBERT AND BERTRAM (1939) but that comedy's emphasis was on the two Aryan leads avoiding working for a living. ROTHSCHILDS was the first of Goebbels's major propaganda weapons and a serious drama where the main character was Jewish and also the villain and not a comic one.
DIE ROTHSCHILDS AKTIEN AUF WATERLOO or THE ROTHSCHILDS' SHARES IN WATERLOO (1940) was the first anti-Semitic film produced by the Nazis. Unlike their virulent 'documentary' THE ETERNAL JEW, it's propaganda disguised as a historical biography but nowhere as skillfully inflammatory as JEW SUSS, another historical 'biography' that had a stronger impact on audiences than the other two films released the same year. Goebbels produced these three films as a reaction to earlier foreign versions with the same titles that were sympathetic to Jews.
The film begins with Erich Ponto, the most recognized cast member who was a popular character actor seen in DAS MADCHEN JOHANNA (1935) and DIE FEURERZANGENBOWLE (1944) and after WWII in THE THIRD MAN (1949), cast as Mayer Rothschild, the head of the banking family, making a deal to hide the Mayor of Frankfurt's 600,000 pounds in England from Napoleon and with the help of his sons Nathan in England, and James in France, the family uses this money to build their fortune and finance Wellington's army. Nathan is first seen violating the Sabbath to further the deal and later treated with disdain and blackballing by the snobbish members of the British Stock Exchange when he attempts to ingratiate himself into their business and social world because he's 'not one of them', i.e., a Jew and worse, a foreign one. After Nathan seizes the opportunity to give a rival's wife a ride in his carriage, her husband coldly asks he if wants to be reimbursed and a surprised Nathan says politely "You're trying to insult me." The husband replies: "No, Mr. Rothschild. I'm just trying to prevent you from losing." a dry dig about how Jews stereotypically must be making money every minute of the day.
Nathan frets over his risky wheeling & dealing with England and the anti-Napoleon French, and eventually he makes a fortune unlike his brother James's negotiations with the French Chief of Police who must receive high kickbacks for them to do business. Nathan ruins his enemies by spreading the wrong news about the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo to manipulate stock market prices. The Mayor's money is safely returned with a bill for the Rothschild's handling fee and he questions James in how much more they really made off him as "nothing is more disgusting than one pickpocket telling lies to another." The film ends with the Commissioner of the Treasury and a victorious Nathan showing him a map of the world and connects the cities where his family's banks are located by drawing a hexagram then superimposed with a flaming Star of David. The closing title tells us: "By the conclusion of this film, the last of the Rothschilds have left Europe as refugees. The struggle against their English accomplices, the British plutocracy, continues."
Not only is ROTHSCHILDS anti-Semitic, it's equally anti-British as outlined in scattered titles. The film's production history should be noted as the film's original title was lengthened later when the film was re-edited: "Beyond its indictment of "Jewish" intrigue and avarice, THE ROTHSCHILDS aimed to show the 'Judafication' of British society at Rothschild hands, and thus demonstrate why, in Goebbels' words, Britons had become "the Jews among Aryans." Yet the film's dramatic conventions did not always mesh with its racial politics, and when the film was released in July 1940, German audiences were left unclear as to just who they were mainly supposed to hate. Goebbels had it pulled from distribution; a year later, a much-revised version, purged of any conceivable sympathies for its British characters, was released. The revamped movie was renamed THE ROTHSCHILDS' SHARE IN WATERLOO" and this is the only version available.
Even in the film's existing state, it's not as anti-Semitic or anti- English as you would expect, something the filmmakers miscalculated with mixed results. You do feel some sympathy for Nathan who's continuously snubbed by his rivals and when the Commissioner of the Treasury questions their motives in denouncing his actions, he advises them not to be prejudiced because Nathan is Jewish and sends them away. At this meeting the Commissioner seems sympathetic to Nathan's plight which goes against the film's propaganda intent or should audiences think it's a sign of his naivety and a warning for them not to trust Jews but at the film's conclusion we learn he's not naive because he's seen with Nathan who's gloating over his victory, meaning the Commissioner was shrewd in surmising who would be the better moneymaker to help England and most likely himself as the English go hand-in-hand with the Jews as stated in the end title quoted above. However not all the English are portrayed badly. You will probably feel more sympathy for the lower classes who lose their savings when their banks fail. There's also a subplot concerning a decent young man who wants to marry a broker's daughter but is rejected by her father because he isn't wealthy and is hired by Nathan not for altruistic reasons but to acquire favorable military info. The handsome couple is protected by an Irish woman who constantly speaks her mind against English hypocrisy and Nathan's flattery as Nazi films fantasized the Irish as their anti-English 'allies.'
THE ROTHSCHILDS' SHARES IN WATERLOO is a provocative costume picture heavy on plot and dialog so you might have to see it more than once to follow the monetary and political intrigue: There's also a love story nicely fitted into the plot to make it appeal to a wider audience. There were some earlier films with mild bits of anti-Semitic humor like ROBERT AND BERTRAM (1939) but that comedy's emphasis was on the two Aryan leads avoiding working for a living. ROTHSCHILDS was the first of Goebbels's major propaganda weapons and a serious drama where the main character was Jewish and also the villain and not a comic one.
This third version of THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE made in 1935 is pretty much faithful to the 1913 and 1926 versions except for some character and plot changes. The original story's premise is simple: A poor student (circa 1800's) named Balduin loves an aristocratic woman named Magrit but she's betrothed to Baron Waldis. Balduin signs a pact with Scapinelli who's interpreted to be the Devil in disguise by offering him 100,000 gold coins to woo the countess in exchange for anything in his room. Since Balduin as nothing of value, he figures what the hell and accepts the pact. Well that's what breaks loose when the stranger releases his reflection from a mirror and it's not too soon before the student's evil double makes his life a living hell by ruining his plans. The 1913 version starred Paul Wegener (1874-1948), best known for his GOLEM films, and you can watch a restored, tinted print on YouTube. The second version made in 1926 starred Conrad Veidt (1893-1943) as Balduin and Werner Krauss (1884-1959) as Scapinelli who has more to do here since Krauss became an important character actor since 1920's THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI. This time Balduin is offered 600,000 florins, probably due to post-WW! inflation. This version has better production values and Veidt is shown more tormented by his mistake as only Veidt could do. Unfortunately there's only a terrible print shown on YouTube but you get the idea how good it would look given a proper restoration.
The 1935 version casts Adolf Wohlbruck (1896-1967), who was soon to become Anton Walbrook after he left Germany before his homosexuality and being half Jewish became a problem with the Nazis, as Balduin who's also a noted fencer as in previous versions. The character of the countess Margit is replaced with an opera singer named Julia played by Dorothea Wieck (1908-1986) best known as the teacher in 1931's MADCHEN IN UNIFORM. Her singing is dubbed by the opera singer Miliza Korjus (1909- 1980). Scapinelli becomes Dr. Carpis played by Theodor Loos (1883-1954), another well-known character actor who seems to be channeling Krauss. It's possible the villain Scapinelli's name was changed to Carpis because Germany didn't want to offend their fellow- Fascist friend Mussolini and his country. Carpis has more to do here than Scapinelli in earlier versions as he's now Julia's former lover who's jealous of the rich Baron, seen more as a fop here, and of Balduin's attention. When he shows up unexpectedly in her room and she asks where he came from, he answers with: "Where you are not... is Hell for me" making his character more figuratively a devil than literally as in the previous versions; later Balduin will call Carpis a "devil" in anger.
Carpis uses the Baron and Balduin to hurt Julia but this time there's no written contract with money and instead Balduin is given the power to make money by gambling. Instead of releasing Balduin's reflection, he imprisons Baldwin's good side, the "sentimental dreamer" inside the mirror by cloaking it to allow Balduin's bad side to take over. As in the earlier versions. both sides come face- to-face using camera tricks as his good side that escaped from the mirror silently pursues him to incense his actions while making him feel guilty with increasing madness. As in previous versions, when a duel prearranged to spare the Baron's life (not shown in other versions but only its aftermath) goes wrong, he's shunned by everyone. Balduin eventually realizes the extent of what he's become, and finally confronts his reflection in the mirror to free himself. Their final meeting is the film's highlight and one of Wohlbruck's best performances, and on a par with Veidt's baroque one.
THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE was the last film directed by Arthur Robison (1883-1935) who also directed 1923's Expressionistic classic WARNING SHADOWS that used no subtitles and let the story unfold through stunning imagery. There's some of that photography by Bruno Mondi (1903-1991) in STUDENT but not a lot because the Nazis mostly frowned on anything connected to the Weimar era when Mondi shot Fritz Lang's DESTINY (1921) also known as DER MUDE TOD and also 11 of Veit Harlan's films after STUDENT. Theo Mackeben's suspenseful Hollywood-style score gives the right menacing mood when needed; Mackeben ((1897-1953) was a versatile composer who also wrote operas. It's difficult to find contemporary reviews in English except for a mixed but mostly negative one from Graham Greene (1904-1991) who thought the film's allegory was "on the right side of imagination in an unimaginative industry" and praised Robison's trademark touches, "his slow decorative methods, the curious ballet-like quality he procured by the constant panning of his camera. But dull the film undoubtedly is: a curiosity, a relic of the classical German film of silent days.... The acting doesn't help" and he preferred Veidt's version. I heartily disagree about this STUDENT being dull and the acting not aiding the story, If you liked the previous versions, you should watch this one especially if you're a fan of Wohlbruck/Walbrook.
The story, photography, and Wohlbruck's performance will remind you of the 1949 English fantasy-horror film THE QUEEN OF SPADES where he plays a poor Russian soldier who sells his soul for financial gain and it's more than likely its director Thorold Dickenson remembered this STUDENT when he cast and made his film. For a Nazi-era film, STUDENT is free of propaganda and you can get a good copy with subtitles at: rarefilmsandmore.com
The 1935 version casts Adolf Wohlbruck (1896-1967), who was soon to become Anton Walbrook after he left Germany before his homosexuality and being half Jewish became a problem with the Nazis, as Balduin who's also a noted fencer as in previous versions. The character of the countess Margit is replaced with an opera singer named Julia played by Dorothea Wieck (1908-1986) best known as the teacher in 1931's MADCHEN IN UNIFORM. Her singing is dubbed by the opera singer Miliza Korjus (1909- 1980). Scapinelli becomes Dr. Carpis played by Theodor Loos (1883-1954), another well-known character actor who seems to be channeling Krauss. It's possible the villain Scapinelli's name was changed to Carpis because Germany didn't want to offend their fellow- Fascist friend Mussolini and his country. Carpis has more to do here than Scapinelli in earlier versions as he's now Julia's former lover who's jealous of the rich Baron, seen more as a fop here, and of Balduin's attention. When he shows up unexpectedly in her room and she asks where he came from, he answers with: "Where you are not... is Hell for me" making his character more figuratively a devil than literally as in the previous versions; later Balduin will call Carpis a "devil" in anger.
Carpis uses the Baron and Balduin to hurt Julia but this time there's no written contract with money and instead Balduin is given the power to make money by gambling. Instead of releasing Balduin's reflection, he imprisons Baldwin's good side, the "sentimental dreamer" inside the mirror by cloaking it to allow Balduin's bad side to take over. As in the earlier versions. both sides come face- to-face using camera tricks as his good side that escaped from the mirror silently pursues him to incense his actions while making him feel guilty with increasing madness. As in previous versions, when a duel prearranged to spare the Baron's life (not shown in other versions but only its aftermath) goes wrong, he's shunned by everyone. Balduin eventually realizes the extent of what he's become, and finally confronts his reflection in the mirror to free himself. Their final meeting is the film's highlight and one of Wohlbruck's best performances, and on a par with Veidt's baroque one.
THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE was the last film directed by Arthur Robison (1883-1935) who also directed 1923's Expressionistic classic WARNING SHADOWS that used no subtitles and let the story unfold through stunning imagery. There's some of that photography by Bruno Mondi (1903-1991) in STUDENT but not a lot because the Nazis mostly frowned on anything connected to the Weimar era when Mondi shot Fritz Lang's DESTINY (1921) also known as DER MUDE TOD and also 11 of Veit Harlan's films after STUDENT. Theo Mackeben's suspenseful Hollywood-style score gives the right menacing mood when needed; Mackeben ((1897-1953) was a versatile composer who also wrote operas. It's difficult to find contemporary reviews in English except for a mixed but mostly negative one from Graham Greene (1904-1991) who thought the film's allegory was "on the right side of imagination in an unimaginative industry" and praised Robison's trademark touches, "his slow decorative methods, the curious ballet-like quality he procured by the constant panning of his camera. But dull the film undoubtedly is: a curiosity, a relic of the classical German film of silent days.... The acting doesn't help" and he preferred Veidt's version. I heartily disagree about this STUDENT being dull and the acting not aiding the story, If you liked the previous versions, you should watch this one especially if you're a fan of Wohlbruck/Walbrook.
The story, photography, and Wohlbruck's performance will remind you of the 1949 English fantasy-horror film THE QUEEN OF SPADES where he plays a poor Russian soldier who sells his soul for financial gain and it's more than likely its director Thorold Dickenson remembered this STUDENT when he cast and made his film. For a Nazi-era film, STUDENT is free of propaganda and you can get a good copy with subtitles at: rarefilmsandmore.com
If you want to see a delightful musical comedy and with Lilian Harvey at her best, look no further than 1938's 'Capriccio.' Imagine a French costume picture reminiscent of a Mozart comic opera about a woman (Harvey) posing as a man to escape an arranged marriage, causing amusing situations a la 'Viktor und Viktoria' while advised by her dead grandfather who also relates the story, and this comes close to describing the film's crammed plot. Besides the operetta-like score there's a bit of anachronistic jazz music that somehow works well to add more laughs to the confusion and commotion. Everything about this film including the humorous songs & dance numbers rival the best of any Hollywood equivalent of that era. We watched this yesterday and were swept away by its inventiveness. Paul Kemp who almost stole 'Amphitryon' from his co-stars is almost as good here. One of several memorable bits edited for maximum comic effect concerns an anxious mother's attempt to marry off her daughters. What's most interesting is that the director, Karl Ritter, was known for making mostly military-propaganda films like 'Stukas' so how he made a musical comedy this entertaining is a mystery. A comprehensive description is presented on the website below where you can see a clip from this very good quality disc: "The film was hated by Hitler and Goebbels, but the director was powerful and it was released to glowing reviews and an enthusiastic public. After a very short time in theatres, it was pulled out of circulation." I can't find their reasons for disliking this film because it makes fun of the French but maybe not enough to suit their propaganda needs. Maybe they disliked the farcical jabs at the institutions of marriage and courts, nuns and convent girls, and almost everything else in society, especially character actor Aribert Wäscher's portrayal of a bloated, boozing government official being duped by everyone. Or as my wife said it simply, Hitler and Goebbels had no sense of humor. I suspect the main reason 'Capriccio' had a short theatrical run was to punish Harvey for her defiant activities a year earlier. According to Wikipedia: "As she was still in touch with her Jewish colleagues, Harvey was placed under close observation by the Gestapo. Nevertheless she pushed the career of her protégé, director Paul Martin, performing in his screwball comedy 'Glückskinder' (1936)... In June 1937 Harvey had helped the choreographer Jens Keith, prosecuted under Paragraph 175 for his homosexuality by posting bail for him. Released from custody, Keith escaped to Paris; this led to a stern interrogation by the Nazi authorities. In 1939, Harvey was forced to leave Germany herself, leaving her real-estate fortune, which was confiscated." Anyway this film is one to watch over & over because you'll miss some of the verbal & visual jokes the first time and maybe second while you're laughing. You can order a good subtitled copy at: rarefilmsandmore.com