Der blaue Engel (1930)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Josef von Sternberg

Writers:

Heinrich Mann (novel)
Carl Zuckmayer (writer) ...

Release Date:

3 January 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical

Plot:

Immanuel Rath, an old bachelor, is a professor at the town's university. When he discovers that some of his pupils often go into a speakeasy...

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Police | Dead Bird | Cuckold | Lust

Cast

Emil Jannings	...	Prof. Immanuel Rath
Marlene Dietrich	...	Lola Lola
Kurt Gerron	...	Kiepert (the magician)
Rosa Valetti	...	Guste (the magician's wife)
Hans Albers	...	Mazeppa (the strongman)
Reinhold Bernt	...	The clown
Eduard von Winterstein	...	The director of school (as Eduard V. Winterstein)
Hans Roth	...	The caretaker of the secondary school
Rolf Müller	...	Pupil Angst
Roland Varno	...	Pupil Lohmann (as Rolant Varno)
Carl Balhaus	...	Pupil Ertzum (as Karl Balhaus)
Robert Klein-Lörk	...	Pupil Goldstaub
Charles Puffy	...	Innkeeper (as Karl Huszar-Puffy)
Wilhelm Diegelmann	...	Captain
Gerhard Bienert	...	Policeman

Also Known As:

Professor Unrat (Germany) (working title)
The Blue Angel (USA)

Runtime:

124 min | USA:107 min (TCM print) | UK:106 min | 108 min (cut)

Country:

Germany

Language:

German | English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG (video rating) | UK:U | Finland:K-16 (1952) | Finland:K-8 (1993) | Norway:16 | Germany:12 (re-rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:(Banned) (1930) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Universum Film (UFA)

Trivia:

Many actresses from the stage and screen were considered for the role of Lola Lola. Early contenders were Gloria Swanson, Phyllis Haver, Louise Brooks, Brigitte Helm, Lya De Putti, Leni Riefenstahl, Lotte Lenya, and many young German starlets.

Quotes:

[to stuffy Professor Immanuel Rath, who is dressed in a clown suit]
Lola Lola: Your boys should see you now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Dreamers (2003)

Soundtrack:

Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt

Get the German version

Very reminiscent of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen, in which a fine, upstanding and hard-working man is unexpectedly and rapidly corrupted by a woman of questionable reputation. After she sweeps him off his feet, the bloom comes off the rose and he realizes she no longer loves him. His jealousy gets the best of him and he goes berserk.

The transition from the silent screen to talking pictures is very evident, as dialog can be quite sparse at times, and the gestures and facial expressions in abundance. The English version is very much bilingual, with most, if not all agitated expressions and conversations in German without the benefit of subtitles. Still, it's not hard to tell what is going on and the story and acting are great.