Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

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DOCUMENTARY FILM NEWS 51 Film in Europe German Feature Films by Basil Wright film makers m Germany are working under conditions of extreme difficulty. There are virtually no studios, apparatus is short. It is, on the whole, remarkable what has been achieved, apart from the French Zone, where it appears that no production has so far been undertaken. In the other three zones would-be producers must obtain a licence to make films from the occupation authorities, and must also obtain approval for each script bcfore,they go into production. The main laboratories (outside the Russian Zone) are in the British and US sectors of Berlin, in the American Zone at Munich, and in the British Zone at Gottingen. Plans for new laboratories in the British Zone are under discussion. Ingenuity In the British Zone, incredible ingenuity has been exercised by German producers in converting all sorts of buildings — such as inns, village halls, barracks, ruined school-buildings — into reasonably efficient studios. But there is a natural tendency to script films for the maximum amount of location shooting, at least until the new stages at Gottingen are ready for use. Ideologically, the eight films I saw during a short visit to the British Zone seemed to me to reflect firstly the confusion of the non-Nazi German mentality today, and secondly, the influence of the respective occupying authorities. Without entering into too dangerous a generalization, it could be said that the mental and psychological attitude behind some of the films is best summed up by those two untranslatable German words — Weltschmertz and Schadenfreude, which, in their post-war German setting, combine into a curious sort of self-pity which non-Germans find it difficult to appreciate or understand. The problem of the German producer today is to find a way of getting something positive out of the prevailing mood of depression, either directly, or by turning their attention elsewhere (escapism). The tendency of the cinema-going public is to prefer the latter method to the former, which they call 'Trummer' — (rubble) — films. Russian Zone The best of the rubble-films is also one of the earliest — Mdrder Sind Unter Uns (Murderers are among us) now showing in London. Not only is it a fine piece of film-making, but it also puts forward a positive viewpoint in terms of the rehabilitation of the principal character, who returns to active community service after a period of disillusionment. This film was made in the Russian Zone, and is very much better — ideologically— than two others from that zone, Irgendwo in Berlin (Everywhere in Merlin) and Ehe im Schatten (Marriage in the Shadows). Irgenwo in Berlin begins well, but relapses into profound sentimentality, the last ten minutes being exclusively devoted to a tear-jerking deathbed scene of a too-too angelic small boy. (There is an interesting comparison here with Rossellini's Germany Year Nought, which however is not eligible for discussion here, since it is not in fact a German film.) Ehe im Schatten deals with the plight of a Jewish-Gentile marriage under the Nazi regime, and is based on the actual story of the famous actor Gottschalk, who was married to a Jewess. It is a well-made and very moving film, but its conclusion, a double-suicide, is hardly encouraging. American Zone Not unexpectedly, films made in the American Zone show a tendency to follow Hollywood patterns, both in story and in production technique. Zwischen Gestern und Morgen (Between Yesterday and Today) is a sort of Grand Hotel subject, ingeniously constructed in double flashbacks, beautifully acted and thoroughly gripping throughout. It deals with the return to Germany of a refugee from the Nazis after the war, and what he finds. Unfortunately, the story is so neat, so contrived, so smooth at the edges, that the emotional and psychological punches are weakened, and what could have been truly dramatic becomes not much more than enjoyable entertainment. Nevertheless, it is something of an achievement, particularly in comparison with another American Zone film — Uber uns Die Himmel (Heaven above us). This stars Germany's most permanently popular star, who survived the Nazi period intact, appearing in films without Fascist implications, Hans Albers. It was directed by von Barcy. (The same team made Baron Munchausen to celebrate the twenty-fifth birthday of UFA in 1943.) But what a shocking story. It's about a man who becomes King of the Black Market in order to get funds to restore the sight of his war-blinded son. Which having been achieved, he considers the error of his ways and returns to honesty. The Californian breezes blow too obviously. British Zone Of all the zones the British has so far achieved the highest output. During 1948 a minimum of 12 new features is expected, as opposed to eight during 1947. Fortunate, too, has been the presence of Helmut Kautner, a really tirst-class film director, several of whose productions were banned by Goebbels. Some may remember his colour film, Grosse Freiheit (also known as La Paloma), which was shown privatelj by the MOI during the war. Kautner has given much help and encouragement to a new group of young film makers under the leadership of Rolf Mayer. This organization is known as the Junge Film Union, and is working in a converted dance-hall in the country near Hamburg. The tendency of producers in the British Zone — if any tendency can be clearly discerned — is to try to combine a positive approach to reconstruction with escapist or semi-escapist techniques. The first film of this type, Menschen im Gottes Hand (People in God's Hands), is a sincere but often too naive study of post-war problems. Nevertheless, its intentions, both in idea and technique, command considerable respect, and it is also notable in depending not on established performers but mainly on a young and comparatively inexperienced cast which acquits itself more than promisingly. The film is also a remarkable example of how enthusiasm and improvisation can surmount the most appalling lack of facilities. Two Others In complete contrast is a film called Denn Finden Wir uns Wieder Derein, which deals inefficiently and mawkishly with the adventures of a group of Hitler Jugend who make their way back to Berlin to defend it against the invaders, but are disillusioned by the cowardice and defection of their leaders. The intention of the film is good, but with the exception of a few brief sequences it is incoherent and rather boring. Film Ohne Titel (Film without a Title I script and supervision by Kautner — is, on the other hand, the liveliest and most enjoyable of all the German films 1 have seen. It takes the shape of a script conference between all the members of a production unit, one of whom is played by Kautner himself and another by Willi Fritsch. Starting from a given boy and girl situation, they discuss the various ways it might have arisen and might be worked out. Each member of the unit describes the story from his own point of v icw . and this gives opportunities for several amusing parodies of film styles. At the end, the boy and girl tell the real story, on which the unit comes to a unanimous decision — its too ordinary, there's certainly no film in it. Film Ohne Titel certainly deserves early distribution in this country. FOR SALE A few copies of the following publication are offered for sale. Some of them will be of much interest to our readers. Offers should be sent to the Editor. ( Ynema Quarterl) Autumn Spring 1933 Spring 1934