|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 4, 2021 3:38:58 GMT
Ohm Krüger , Uncle Krüger is a 1941 German biographical film directed by Hans Steinhoff and starring with a commanding performance, looking remarkedly like Kruger himself, Emil Jannings. The dramatic epic was one of a series of propaganda films produced in Nazi Germany attacking the British. The film depicts the life and times of the South African politician Paul Kruger and his eventual defeat during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902. Paul Kruger was one of the dominant political and military figures in 19th-century South Africa, and President of the South African Republic (Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. Nicknamed Ohm Paul, he came to international prominence as the face of the Boer cause. The film uses the background of the Boer War to present the British as violent, exploitative, and an enemy to civilisation. Filmed late in 1940 it was an extraordinary accomplishment of cinematic art considering the times. It was one of a number of films intended to prepare Germany for a planned invasion of Britain. With very high production costs the film used 4000 horses, 180 ox wagons, 25,000 soldiers and 9000 women and children and was overseen by Joseph Goebbels who apparently wrote some of Kruger’s lines. The compelling story is filmed with remarkable skill and intense dramatic energy. Ohm Kruger gives a fascinating historical insight to the politics and characters shaping the destiny of South Africa at the turn of the 20th century. It is an outstanding example of Nazi propaganda cinema, also of great historical interest to classic film cinephiles… Director Hans Steinhoff a Nazi himself directed many propaganda films, his film Ohm Krüger won the Mussolini Cup at the 1941 Venice Film Festival. As the war closed in around him and his comrades in April 1945, Steinhoff tried to escape from Berlin by boarding the last flight to Madrid, however his plane was shot down by the Soviet Red Army… Do you have any recommendations for films depicting the Boer War or other propaganda films made by Nazi Germany ? Ferdinand Marian : Cecil Rhodes and Emil Jannings : Paul Krüger  
|
|
spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,523
Likes: 9,325
|
Post by spiderwort on Jun 4, 2021 18:14:24 GMT
Thanks for the wonderful write-up, planet. Haven't see this (of course), but it sounds fascinating, Hans Steinhoff's Nazism notwithstanding. And I love Emil Jannings, though I'm surprised at his involvement with so many Nazi propaganda films (learn something new from you every time you post!). Might be a hard one to watch, but probably needs to be seen, like Leni Riefenstahl's truly great propagandist films, Triumph of the Will and Olympia. The only film about the Boer War I remember seeing is Breaker Morant, but it's definitely not a Nazi propaganda film. That category, however, if a wonderful subject for exploration. Siegfried Kracauer's book, "From Caligari to Hitler," explores it to some extent in interesting and meaningful ways. Worth a read, if you haven't read it already.
EDIT: Upon further research, I learned that Billy Wilder wrote some screenplays for Steinhoff in the 1930s and didn't think too highly of him, though he did appreciate Riefenstahl. Interesting to pair him up with Steinhoff, who was, as Wilder put it, a 100% Nazi.
|
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 5, 2021 0:14:58 GMT
Thanks for the wonderful write-up, planet. Haven't see this (of course), but it sounds fascinating, Hans Steinhoff's Nazism notwithstanding. And I love Emil Jannings, though I'm surprised at his involvement with so many Nazi propaganda films (learn something new from you every time you post!). Might be a hard one to watch, but probably needs to be seen, like Leni Riefenstahl's truly great propagandist films, Triumph of the Will and Olympia. The only film about the Boer War I remember seeing is Breaker Morant, but it's definitely not a Nazi propaganda film. That category, however, if a wonderful subject for exploration. Siegfried Kracauer's book, "From Caligari to Hitler," explores it to some extent in interesting and meaningful ways. Worth a read, if you haven't read it already.
EDIT: Upon further research, I learned that Billy Wilder wrote some screenplays for Steinhoff in the 1930s and didn't think too highly of him, though he did appreciate Riefenstahl. Interesting to pair him up with Steinhoff, who was, as Wilder put it, a 100% Nazi.
Thanks so much spiderwort I had forgotten all about our own Breaker Morant , and have spent some time this morning following on with some interesting background research, and will catch up with the film again this week. Both the films are set in the same era and under the British "scorched earth policy" , concentration camp command of Lord Kitchener... Ohm Kruger is certainly an anomaly in that the anti British propaganda is actually based in historical fact, for the majority of the Boers the British were "violent, exploitative, and an enemy to civilisation". I found the film to be an interesting incite to the Boer War, giving an angle to the conflict we never learnt about at school. Wilder said a man without talent of director Steinhoff, while not having seen any other of his films, when considering the scale and scope of award winning Ohm Kruger I think that is a bit of an overstatement. Thanks also for the mention of Leni Riefenstahl and her spectacular pre-war propaganda films, I will be searching the shelves this week Happy Classic Viewing to you...
|
|
|
|
Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 5, 2021 0:37:33 GMT
Always wanted to see this but could never find a good copy with English subtitles. I'm kind of leery of watching Nazi films. Out of curiosity, I watched Jud Suss once. Disturbing. But I think Jannings historical German films aren't that bad, from what I've read.
|
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 6, 2021 23:15:57 GMT
The controversial German film Jud Süss (1940) Directed by Veit Harlan is justly regarded as their most notorious and the most successful of the Nazi propaganda films. Using a melodramatic story with popular appeal it was Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels who insisted on a more subtle approach for integrating the Third Reich’s antisemitism ideology. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 8 September 1940 and received rave reviews, it was a huge box-office success in Germany, previous anti Jewish film efforts had been heavy handed and not popular with audiences. Heinrich Himmler ordered that the film be mandatory viewing for SS units, to non-Jewish populations of areas where Jews were about to be deported, and to concentration camp guards. Widely reported was a wave of anti-Jewish violence after audiences viewed the film, Hitler Youth seemed particularly influenced to carry out violent racially motivated reprisals after stepping out of cinemas… Jud Süss was loosely inspired from a relatively obscure but interesting episode in German history. The film tells of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer who was an 18th-century court Jew in the employ of Duke Karl Alexander of Württemberg in Stuttgart. As a financial advisor for the Duke, Oppenheimer also gained a prominent position at the court and held the reins of the finances in his duchy. He introduces ballets, parties and gambling, and has an eye for young girls, the debauchery causes much concern. When Karl Alexander died in 1737, Oppenheimer was seized and arrested, accused of fraud, embezzlement, treason, lecherous relations with the court ladies, accepting bribes, and trying to re-establish Catholicism. If one were to delete the explicit not-so-subtle negative Jewish references, an outcome with the all-star cast and high production values could simply have been an entertaining historical costume drama. But with an underlying oppressive somewhat sinister tone throughout, the film presents a disturbing theme of racial prejudice and denigration, under the guise of entertainment. Notable nevertheless is the films artistic quality, the striking finale is an intense and chilling cinematic scene of gothic horror… An extreme example of propaganda cinema. The film may be uncomfortable viewing, distasteful and offensive, revealingly however, Jud Süß expresses and records a history perilous to disregard… The majority of the cast and crew worked under immense pressure, feeling threatened and intimidated, fearing reprisals should they refuse to cooperate. Ferdinand Marian (pic) died in a traffic accident in 1946, he had slid into alcoholism and depression, a popular matinee idol he was deeply troubled by his involvement. Following the war Director Veit Harlan was twice charged with crimes against humanity, but he was acquitted after claiming that he had just followed orders...  Kristina Söderbaum; Dorothea Sturm and Ferdinand Marian; Joseph Süß Oppenheimer    |
|
|
|
Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 7, 2021 22:42:21 GMT
The controversial German film Jud Süss (1940) Directed by Veit Harlan is justly regarded as their most notorious and the most successful of the Nazi propaganda films. Using a melodramatic story with popular appeal it was Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels who insisted on a more subtle approach for integrating the Third Reich’s antisemitism ideology. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 8 September 1940 and received rave reviews, it was a huge box-office success in Germany, previous anti Jewish film efforts had been heavy handed and not popular with audiences. Heinrich Himmler ordered that the film be mandatory viewing for SS units, to non-Jewish populations of areas where Jews were about to be deported, and to concentration camp guards. Widely reported was a wave of anti-Jewish violence after audiences viewed the film, Hitler Youth seemed particularly influenced to carry out violent racially motivated reprisals after stepping out of cinemas… Jud Süss was loosely inspired from a relatively obscure but interesting episode in German history. The film tells of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer who was an 18th-century court Jew in the employ of Duke Karl Alexander of Württemberg in Stuttgart. As a financial advisor for the Duke, Oppenheimer also gained a prominent position at the court and held the reins of the finances in his duchy. He introduces ballets, parties and gambling, and has an eye for young girls, the debauchery causes much concern. When Karl Alexander died in 1737, Oppenheimer was seized and arrested, accused of fraud, embezzlement, treason, lecherous relations with the court ladies, accepting bribes, and trying to re-establish Catholicism. If one were to delete the explicit not-so-subtle negative Jewish references, an outcome with the all-star cast and high production values could simply have been an entertaining historical costume drama. But with an underlying oppressive somewhat sinister tone throughout, the film presents a disturbing theme of racial prejudice and denigration, under the guise of entertainment. Notable nevertheless is the films artistic quality, the striking finale is an intense and chilling cinematic scene of gothic horror… An extreme example of propaganda cinema. The film may be uncomfortable viewing, distasteful and offensive, revealingly however, Jud Süß expresses and records a history perilous to disregard… The majority of the cast and crew worked under immense pressure, feeling threatened and intimidated, fearing reprisals should they refuse to cooperate. Ferdinand Marian (pic) died in a traffic accident in 1946, he had slid into alcoholism and depression, a popular matinee idol he was deeply troubled by his involvement. Following the war Director Veit Harlan was twice charged with crimes against humanity, but he was acquitted after claiming that he had just followed orders... Kristina Söderbaum; Dorothea Sturm and Ferdinand Marian; Joseph Süß Oppenheimer I did see Jud Suss. hate to say it, but the cinematography was good, vile as the movie is.
I read that Der ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew) is much worse but I'm going to take a pass
|
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Jun 8, 2021 23:48:12 GMT
The controversial German film .. I did see Jud Suss. hate to say it, but the cinematography was good, vile as the movie is.
I read that Der ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew) is much worse but I'm going to take a pass
Thanks for sharing your interest GoodMan19 I also passed on viewing Der ewige Jude, two other propaganda films from the era however are of great interest to me. Mein Leben für Irland , My Life for Ireland (1941) Dir. Max W. Kimmich, With a distinct anti British vibe, a family affair tells of Irish nationalists and their struggle for independence... Die Rothschilds (1940) Dir. Erich Waschneck. With elements of Anti-Semitic and anti-British propaganda the very interesting historical drama tells of the Jewish banker family Rothschild and their rise to power at the beginning of the 19th Century...
|
|
|
|
Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 9, 2021 0:17:56 GMT
I did see Jud Suss. hate to say it, but the cinematography was good, vile as the movie is.
I read that Der ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew) is much worse but I'm going to take a pass
Thanks for sharing your interest GoodMan19 I also passed on viewing Der ewige Jude, two other propaganda films from the era however are of great interest to me. Mein Leben für Irland , My Life for Ireland (1941) Dir. Max W. Kimmich, With a distinct anti British vibe, a family affair tells of Irish nationalists and their struggle for independence... Die Rothschilds (1940) Dir. Erich Waschneck. With elements of Anti-Semitic and anti-British propaganda the very interesting historical drama tells of the Jewish banker family Rothschild and their rise to power at the beginning of the 19th Century... You can admire the filmmaking and still abhor the message. You can't watch Triumph of the Will and not be gobsmacked by the cinematography. The first half of Birth of a Nation is a hell of a movie, despite the skewed message and the dreck of the second half. And, those who forget history, blah blah blah. Stuff like Triumph des Willens, Jud Suss, Birth of a Nation did make some people into racists. I'm sure many Germans, who never had an axe to grind against the Jews, were turned by Goebbels propaganda machine. There were very few true monsters in the Death Camps and the Einsatzgruppen, people who were cruel before 1933. Many were quite normal guys, until ...
I've wanted to check out The Rothchilds too, Never got around to it yet
|
|
|
|
Post by manfromplanetx on Nov 21, 2023 21:55:24 GMT
Thanks for sharing your interest GoodMan19 I also passed on viewing Der ewige Jude, two other propaganda films from the era however are of great interest to me.
I've wanted to check out The Rothchilds too, Never got around to it yet
Hi there TheGoodMan19... Last night we had another look at Die Rothschilds aka The Rothschilds' Shares in Waterloo (1940) The German historical propaganda film was directed by Erich Waschneck. A topical subject, this Third Reich Anti-Semitic, anti-British film presents a fascinating and enlightening historical account of the rise to power of the Jewish Rothschild family at the beginning of the 19th Century, leading to their eventual complete takeover of the English plutocracy. The classic drama ends with supreme capitalist Nathan Rothchild drawing out the star, each point assigned to a family member and the financial capital they intend to conquer next... "Blood means money"....
|
|
