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Post by Aj_June on Apr 6, 2019 15:21:36 GMT
I wanted to see what was the extent of crazy propaganda Nazis created and all I have to say is that this is hideous and disgusting stuff. I saw it today but can't even rate it. I do usually agree that cinema should be judged independently of your feelings for the people involved in the cinema but this work was no art. Jud Süß (1940) is vile nonsense and makes a disgusting portrayal of a particular community. Many actors involved in it simply ruined their later careers. While I have developed a dislike for the actors involved, I have just a minute amount of sympathy for some as it seems that Nazi minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels pressurized some of the actors to get involved in the movie. Although, many of them were simply antisemitic by their own will. Such as Werner Krauss who is often acclaimed as one of the greatest actors of all time. I just read that Ferdinand Marian, the lead villain of the film, was earlier married to a Jewish lady and had a daughter with her. His second wife's former husband was also Jewish and they had allegedly hid him in their home to save him from the Nazis. Marian later died in a car crash after he got his denazification papers which would have allowed him to work in films again. Some sources say that it was not an accident but a suicide. In any case, it is sad that Nazi misused cinema for their ill motives. There is a British version of the same film ( Jew Süss (1934 film)) which is not antisemitic and is, in fact, a condemnation of antisemitism. It's believed to be a faithful adaptation of Feuchtwanger's novel. I might watch the British version in the coming days to see how much Nazis distorted the story.
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Post by Aj_June on Apr 6, 2019 17:14:19 GMT
Have not seen this and, after your unsettling comments about, I doubt that I could stand it. What a heartbreaking story about Ferdinand Marian. I looked up the 1934 version, and it looks much more inviting. And the 1925 novel by Lion Feuchtwanger upon which it is based seems even more intriguing and not at all anti-semitic, though it deals with those conflicts. It's based upon a real character, Joseph Süß Oppenheimer. According to wikipedia, the novel was twice adapted into plays, one of which featured the debut performance of Orson Welles as an actor in 1931. If only Joseph Goebbels hadn't gotten a hold of it and demanded that the virulent anti-semitic propaganda production be made. Would love to know your thoughts if you watch the 1934 version. It seems to be much more faithful to the novel. Yeah, Joseph Süß Oppenheimer's life seems to be very tragic. He wasn't even offered a dignified burial. The British version is based on Lion Feuchtwanger's novel. Feuchtwanger was one of the earliest Nazi party critics and for that reason, he was harassed by Nazis even before they reached their worst state. Fortunately, Feuchtwanger managed to escape Europe and found refuge in America.
Yeah, I will not advise you to see the German version, Spiderwort. It will only disturb you and there is no need to get disturbed by watching vile garbage. I will sure update the thread after I get to see the British version. That movie is available on youtube (via BFI National Archive Channel) so I can watch it soon.
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Post by Pangolin on Apr 6, 2019 17:27:12 GMT
Another weird fact is that a niece of the director Veit Harlan (he made other Nazi propaganda movies, too) became the wife of Stanley Kubrick in the following decade. Her brother Jan Harlan worked as an executive producer for Kubrick.
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on Apr 6, 2019 18:36:46 GMT
I remember the old Leonard Maltin guides (how I loved them) had Jud Suss listed but was the only movie that didn't have a rating. I was so curious. When I finally got to see it, I could only take about 15 minutes of it. I've heard The Eternal Jew is even worse. www.imdb.com/title/tt0156524/ |
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Post by teleadm on Apr 6, 2019 21:31:04 GMT
I've certainly heard of this movie over the years. Then I suddenly watched a movie called Jud Süss - Film ohne Gewissen 2010, about the rise and fall of actor Ferdinand Marian, who I had never heard of. Obviously not made on a big budget, but interesting just the same. With speculations about his death, and some sex scenes that woul'd have been all-right in another movie. But, and here comes the point, edited into this movie was many scenes that looked very big budget, that must have come from the 1940 movie.  |
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Post by Aj_June on Apr 7, 2019 2:24:25 GMT
I've certainly heard of this movie over the years. Then I suddenly watched a movie called Jud Süss - Film ohne Gewissen 2010, about the rise and fall of actor Ferdinand Marian, who I had never heard of. Obviously not made on a big budget, but interesting just the same. With speculations about his death, and some sex scenes that woul'd have been all-right in another movie. But, and here comes the point, edited into this movie was many scenes that looked very big budget, that must have come from the 1940 movie. Didn't know about this one. The movie in my OP was indeed made on a pretty good budget and had a look of a blockbuster.
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