Finances of the Grand Duke (1924)
"Die Finanzen des Großherzogs" (original title)

The likeable and carefree Grand Duke of Abacco is in dire straits. There is no money left to service the State's debt; the main creditor is looking forward to expropriating the entire Duchy... See full summary »

Director:

F.W. Murnau

Writers:

Frank Heller (novel), Thea von Harbou,

Stars:

Mady Christians, Harry Liedtke, Robert Scholtz

Cast

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

Storyline

The likeable and carefree Grand Duke of Abacco is in dire straits. There is no money left to service the State's debt; the main creditor is looking forward to expropriating the entire Duchy. The marriage with Olga, Grand Duchess of Russia, would solve everything, but a crucial letter of hers about the engagement has been stolen. Besides, a bunch of revolutionaries and a dubious businessman have other plans regarding the Grand Duke. With the intrusion of adventurer Philipp Collins into the Grand Duke's affairs, a series of frantic chases, plots and counter-plots begins...

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

13 April 1924 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Finances of the Grand Duke

Filming Locations:

Island Rab, Croatia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universum Film (UFA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min 80 min (1995 restored) 77 min (DVD edition)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Le fantôme d'Henri Langlois (2004)

User Reviews

Finances of the Grand Duke

I am not sure silent films are still considered as a pilgrim's treasure among cinephiles, yet the frustrating truth is that one could never ever watch all the masterpieces he/she desires during one lifetime, the more I grow older, the more I cannot endure wasting my insufficient time on films neither harbor awful reviews nor cannot ignite my interest. Thus, I cannot help oscillating whether silent films should fall into the latter category or not. This film actually is my second silent film I have watched since a rather long time, the previous one is SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS (1927), Murnau's work as well, of which actually I am deeply fond.

The major issue I cannot think highly of silent features is that without the voices from the characters, I feel literally detached from the story involved, which eventually will elicit some weariness of my attention on the screen, if it's a comedy, maybe the situation is better as long as all the gags function as expected, otherwise, if the plot is a tad complex, it will lose me quickly. Actually this is exactly what this film has done to me, but in a lesser extent, I failed to distinguish each and every character (no idea which one is the main villain, no idea what's the relationship between the professor and the princess Olga, just strangers or a couple indeed? Also the Chinese subtitle is lousy) and not well acquired what actually happened to the letter (what's its importance on earth?). The accompanying piano score overshadows the narrative outright (I remember taking a short but comfortable nap with it).

The two-faced hue of the film (ochre and blackish green) could be the product after the film being restored, which serves favorably to remind audience be aware of the in-door/out-door milieu (have no idea it's an intentional contrivance or something later-decorated).

Overall, compared with the utterly earnest SUNRISE, the film doesn't impress me too much, the basic proof is that as a comedy, I didn't generate any laughter from A to Z. Maybe the perversive but intriguing score should take the blame, and at least I feel so blessed thanks to the progress of technology, which has allowed the motion picture evolving into a more audience-friendly status as it is now (3D technology is excluded).