Die Finanzen des Großherzogs (1924)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

F.W. Murnau

Writers:

Frank Heller (novel)
Thea von Harbou (writer)

Release Date:

13 April 1924 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The likeable and carefree Grand Duke of Abacco is in dire straits. There is no money left to service...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Alfred Abel	...	Philipp Collins
Hugo Block
Mady Christians	...	Großfürstin Olga von Rußland
Adolphe Engers	...	Don Esteban Paqueno
Julius Falkenstein	...	Ernst Isaacs
Ilka Grüning	...	Augustine,die Köchin
Guido Herzfeld	...	Markowitz,ein Wucherer
Georg August Koch	...	Der gefährliche verschwörer
Harry Liedtke	...	Don Roman XX,Großherzog von Abacco
Walter Rilla	...	Luis Hernandez
Hans Hermann Schaufuss	...	Der bucklige verschwörer
Robert Scholtz	...	Bruder der Großfürstin
Max Schreck	...	Der unheimliche verschwörer
Hermann Vallentin	...	Herr Binzer
Balthasar von Campenhausen	...	Adjutant

Also Known As:

Finances of the Grand Duke (USA)
The Grand Duke's Finances

Runtime:

80 min (1995 restored version) | Spain:77 min (DVD edition)

Country:

Germany

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Filming Locations:

Island Rab, Croatia

Company:

Universum Film (UFA)

Movie Connections:

Featured in Le fantôme d'Henri Langlois (2004)

A warm, comfortable comedy

I came across this film in an attempt to find some movies with Max Schreck in them and was able to work out the plot with the aid of my high-school German. Max does appear in the film (as part of a group of comic henchman), but he plays a minor part and only appears to any extent toward the end of the film. As has already been mentioned, Alfred Abel steals the show as a rich, eccentric friend of the Archduke and the most interesting character in the film. I understand that Murnau wasn't particularly happy with this film, but I enjoyed it; it's a nice piece of light entertainment.

The only copy of this film that I've seen so far was made from a VHS tape recorded off TV, but the new DVD version of Murnau's "Nosferatu" contains a high-quality clip of part of this film in the "Extras" section. There may be a much better copy of this film in circulation, but I don't know how to obtain it...