Alraune (1930)

Director:

Richard Oswald

Writers:

Hanns Heinz Ewers (novel)
Charlie Roellinghoff
(more)

Release Date:

4 May 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Cast

Brigitte Helm	...	Alraune ten Brinken / Alma, a bar girl
Albert Bassermann	...	Privy Councillor ten Brinken
Harald Paulsen	...	Frank Braun, his nephew
Adolf E. Licho	...	Attorney-at-law Manasse
Agnes Straub	...	Fuerstin Wolkonski
Bernhard Goetzke	...	Dr. Petersen
Martin Kosleck	...	Wolfgang Petersen
Käthe Haack	...	Frau Raspe, the housekeeper
Ivan Koval-Samborsky	...	Raspe, the chauffeur
Liselotte Schaak	...	Olga Wolkonski
Paul Westermeier	...	Von Walter, Olga's fiancé
Henry Bender	...	The innkeeper
Elsa Bassermann	...	A lady
Wilhelm Bendow

Directed by
Richard Oswald

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hanns Heinz Ewers		novel
Charlie Roellinghoff
Richard Weisbach

Produced by
Richard Oswald	....	producer
Erich Pommer	....	producer

Original Music by
Bronislau Kaper

Cinematography by
Günther Krampf

Art Direction by
Otto Erdmann
Franz Schroedter
Hans Sohnle

Makeup Department
Hermann Rosenthal	....	makeup artist
Oscar Schmidt	....	makeup artist

Sound Department
Erich Leistner	....	sound

Music Department
Felix Günther	....	musical director

Production Companies

• Richard-Oswald-Produktion

Distributors

• Universum Film (UFA) (1930) (Germany) (theatrical)
• International Film (1932) (Denmark) (theatrical) (Danish subtitles)
• Ufa Film Company (1934) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Tobis-Klangfilm)

Company:

Richard-Oswald-Produktion

Movie Connections:

Version of Sacrifice (1918)

Closer to the book

This 1930 version of the German fantasy classic "Alraune" is a more faithful adaptation of the book than its more famous 1928 silent film predecessor and follows very much the story line of its literary source. Brigitte Helm, one of Europe's most intriguing vamps of the 20s and early 30s this time gives a different interpretation of the same part she had in the silent version two years ago. She not only portrays Alraune, the artificially created girl who brings down men by the dozen but also her mother, a prostitute who agrees to take part in an experiment of artificial insemination and even performs as a singer in a bar reminiscent of "The blue angel" (which was produced around the same time). In this film, Alraune, when finding out about her true identity, feels remorse over her deeds and in the end commits suicide. The film, much more than the silent version, is a daring mix of sex and crime and must have been rather scandalous at its time. Oswald does an excellent job in recreating the atmosphere of Wilhelminian Germany in the beginning of the film and then creates sexual tension and suspense in the house of Professor ten Brinken, where Alraune plays around with men like the toys in her bedroom. Great performances by Albert Bassermann as her creator/ stepfather who falls for her and Harald Paulsen, who also starred in Oswalds horror classic "Unheimliche Geschichten". Another classic from the rich period of German cinema before 1933 and a film that could never have been made that way in Hollywood.