Carmen (1918)

Director:

Ernst Lubitsch

Writers:

Grete Diercks (writer)
Norbert Falk (writer)

Release Date:

8 May 1921 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A stirring love tale of Old Spain. Based on the original French version of Prosper Merimee's "Carmen" (1921 Gypsy Blood poster)

Plot:

The tragic story of Don Jose, a Spanish cavalryman, who falls under the spell of a gypsy girl, Carmen...

Plot Keywords:

Gypsy | Love | Stabbed To Death | Dishonor | Bullfighting

Cast

Harry Liedtke	...	Don José Novarro
Pola Negri	...	Carmen
Leopold von Ledebur	...	Escamillo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Biensfeldt	...	Garcia
Paul Conradi	...	Don Cairo
Wilhelm Diegelmann	...	Gefängniswärter
Grete Diercks	...	Dolores
Victor Janson
Max Kronert	...	Remendato
Margarete Kupfer	...	Carmens Wirtin
Sophie Pagay	...	Don Josés Mutter
Heinrich Peer	...	Englischer Offizier
Magnus Stifter	...	Leutnant Esteban

Runtime:

70 min | USA:80 min

Country:

Germany

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent | Silent

Company:

Projektions-AG Union (PAGU)

Movie Connections:

Featured in Ernst Lubitsch in Berlin - Von der Schönhauser Allee nach Hollywood (2006) (V)

Seeing an opera made into a silent film is like going on a honeymoon where you aren't allowed to touch the bride!

It seems funny now, but back in the silent days, musicals and operas were often made into movies. But, without the beautiful music, you wonder what the point must have been. Well, Bizet's opera, "Carmen" was apparently very popular fodder during the silents, as I've seen two versions (plus Chaplin's "Burlesque of Carmen") and according to the excellent review already posted on IMDb, there is yet another version but it does not appear to exist any longer (starred Theda Bara). To me, not having the music is a fatal problem--so no matter how good the story is, too much of the play is missing for it to be all that great. Seeing "Carmen" without music is like going on a honeymoon and being told not to touch!! It loses a lot in the deal.

This German version has the distinction of being directed by a very young and inexperienced Ernst Lubitsch and starring the vampish Pola Negri (who was famous for her supposed adoration of Valentino...after he died). While it's pretty good and has relatively restrained acting and decent sets, the overall effect is just okay. It's not really bad...just what you'd expect from a butchered opera made into a silent film.

So is it worth seeing? Well, it all depends. If you are a total nut-job like me who adores silents, then by all means--though the ending seems all but missing. If you are a novice to silents, there are many, many, many silents out there that are simply more entertaining and interesting. Worth a look, but hardly a must-see.

By the way, I saw the version that was shortened slightly and renamed "Gypsy Blood". It came in at 64 minutes and I have no idea if the original and slightly longer version exists. Perhaps this shortening of the film could explain why it seemed to end so abruptly.