Life #2: Actress

Historical Context - Weimar Culture: 1919-1933

• Golden Age of Cinema - German cinema rivalled Hollywood in terms of output and artistic expression; Innovation and opportunity

• Strong ‘expressionistic influence’ -

• imagery and symbolism to relate stories;

• not realistic or natural;

• revealed deep and intense emotions

• Themes - Crime, Horror, Action/Adventure, ‘Berg’ films -

• hero leaves sin of city and seeks purity in the mountains; battle the elements; appealed to nationalistic sentiments;

Ways to Strength and Beauty (1925)

• Promoting a healthy lifestyle

• Controversial - women shown nude to the waist

• Leni’s view - denied participation; wanted more ‘fateful’ entry to films (i.e. a better story!)

The Holy Mountain (1926)

• ‘Der Heilige Berg’

• Cast in film after ‘fateful’ trip to the doctors

• Arnold Fanck - director

• Developed interests in climbing, skiiing and cinematography

• Good reviews

The Great Leap (1927)

• ‘Der Grosse Sprung’

• Comedy

• Average reviews

The Fate of the House of Habsburgs (1928)

• ‘Das Schicksal derer von Habsburg’

• Tragic tale of Austrian Archduke Rudolf

• Poorly received, quickly forgotten

White Hell of Piz Palu (1929)

• ‘Die weisse Holle vorn Piz Palu’

• Arnold Fanck and Georg Pabst

• Leni’s performance was critically acclaimed; movie judged to be one of the greatest German films of the year

Storm over Mont Blanc (1930)

• ‘Sturme uber dern Mont Blanc’

• Arnold Fanck - director

• Leni gave a good performance; first ‘talkie’

The White Frenzy/Ecstasy (1931)

• ‘Der weisse Rausch/Teufel’; aka The White Ecstacy

• Leni didn’t like the film - poorly dubbed; butt of the jokes - but it gave her funds to pursue directing

The Blue Light (1932)

• ‘Das blaue Licht’

• Starred, directed, co-produced and edited - written by Bela Balazs

• Typical Bergfilm - but remarkable skills demonstrated in directing; use of new film to create eerie night setting

• Won a silver medal at the Venice Biennale Film Festival

• Hitler loved it!

S.O.S. Iceberg (1933)

• ‘S.O.S. Eisberg’

• Leni’s last film as an actress

• Nazi Connection - Meeting with Hitler at Wilhelmshaven prior to filming - used Hitler’s private plane to meet up with crew on location

• At premiere, Leni gave cheering crowds the Nazi salute

Lowlands (1954)

• ‘Tiefland’

• Filmed during WW2

• Controversy - used gypsies from a concentration camp as extras; Leni denied knowledge of the camps but this point is irrefutable

• Plagued with problems; constant delays due to the war

• Confiscated by the French after arrest in 1945

• Recovered in 1949 after being classified as a ‘Nazi sympathiser’ (fellow traveller)

• Released in 1954