The Blue Angel (1930) Der blaue Engel (original title)

Director:

Josef von Sternberg

Writers:

Heinrich Mann (novel)
Carl Zuckmayer ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 January 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

An elderly professor's ordered life spins dangerously out of control when he falls for a nightclub singer.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Obsession | Marriage Proposal | Unrequited Love | Cuckold

Cast

Emil Jannings	...	Prof. Immanuel Rath
Marlene Dietrich	...	Lola Lola
Kurt Gerron	...	Zauberkünstler Kiepert / The Magician
Rosa Valetti	...	Guste Kiepert / The Magician's Wife
Hans Albers	...	Mazeppa / The Strongman
Reinhold Bernt	...	Der Clown / The Clown
Eduard von Winterstein	...	Schuldirektor / The Director of School (as Eduard V. Winterstein)
Hans Roth	...	Hausmeister / The Caretaker of the Secondary School
Rolf Müller	...	Gymnasiast Angst / Pupil
Roland Varno	...	Gymnasiast Lohmann / Pupil (as Rolant Varno)
Carl Balhaus	...	Gymnasiast Ertzum / Pupil (as Karl Balhaus)
Robert Klein-Lörk	...	Gymnasiast Goldstaub / Pupil
Charles Puffy	...	Wirt / Innkeeper (as Karl Huszar-Puffy)
Wilhelm Diegelmann	...	Kapitän / Captain
Gerhard Bienert	...	Polizist / Policeman
Ilse Fürstenberg	...	Raths Wirtschafterin / Maid
Die Weintraub Syncopators	...	Orchester / Orchestra
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Friedrich Hollaender	...	Pianist (uncredited)
Wolfgang Staudte	...	Gymnasiast / Pupil (uncredited)

Directed by
Josef von Sternberg

Writing credits
Heinrich Mann		(novel "Professor Unrat")
Carl Zuckmayer		&
Karl Vollmöller		and
Robert Liebmann
Josef von Sternberg		uncredited

Produced by
Erich Pommer	....	producer

Cinematography by
Günther Rittau

Film Editing by
Walter Klee		(English version)
Sam Winston		(as S.K. Winston)

Art Direction by
Otto Hunte

Costume Design by
Tihamer Varady

Makeup Department
Waldemar Jabs	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Oscar Schmidt	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Viktor Eisenbach	....	unit manager

Art Department
Emil Hasler	....	assistant production designer

Sound Department
Fritz Thiery	....	sound

Stunts
Harry Froboess	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Hans Schneeberger	....	assistant camera

Music Department
Franz Waxman	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Tassilo Schneider	....	english subtitler: German version

Production Companies

• Universum Film (UFA)

Distributors

• Universum Film (UFA) (1930) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1930) (USA) (theatrical) (English version)
• Wardour Films (1930) (UK) (theatrical)
• Classic Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Suomi-Filmi (1966) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1972) (USA) (TV)
• Tralag (1978) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Daiei International Films (1981) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Castle Communications (1993) (Finland) (VHS)
• Kino Video (1993) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Madacy Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Take 2 Video (1995) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Hollywood Classics (1998) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Kino Video (2001) (USA) (DVD) (subtitled)
• Kino Video (2001) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Eureka Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Koch Vision (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2006) (Germany) (DVD) (Focus Edition)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2008) (New Zealand) (DVD)
• Vivarto (2008) (Poland) (all media)
• New Star (2011) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Eureka Entertainment (2013) (UK) (DVD)
• Eureka Entertainment (2013) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Budget Video (video)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• LS Video (video)
• Manbeck Pictures (????) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Der blaue Engel" - Germany (original title)

Runtime:

124 min | USA:107 min (TCM print) | UK:106 min | 108 min (cut) | USA:94 min (English version)

Country:

Germany

Language:

German | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:(Banned) (1930) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:U | Finland:K-16 (1952) | Finland:K-8 (1993) | Norway:16 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) (re-rating) | West Germany:16 (f) | USA:Not Rated | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Universum Film (UFA)

Trivia:

Many actresses from the stage and screen were considered for the role of Lola Lola. Early contenders were Gloria Swanson, Phyllis Haver, Louise Brooks, Brigitte Helm, Lya De Putti, Lucie Mannheim, Trude Hesterberg, 'Kathe Haack' and Lotte Lenya. Leni Riefenstahl later claimed to have been considered for the role, but her claim is dubious. Director Josef von Sternberg chose Marlene Dietrich, with whom he was by then having a love affair.

Quotes:

Kiepert:You must drink. I'm not paying for your art.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Go West Young Man (1936)

Soundtrack:

Kinder, heut' abend, da such' ich mir was aus

Descent Into Hell

I think this is more a commentary on the human condition than it is a movie review. von Sternberg presents Professor Rath as pompous, rather inflexible and naive, and then reduces him gradually to a pitiful, self-debasing wretch - much like Tyrone Power's character in "Nightmare Alley". Rath, appears to me, not so much the victim as a drunken jaywalker who wanders out into traffic and is totally shocked when he is hit by a truck. Emil Jannings, without doubt, delivers everything that von Sternberg could have asked for.

I have never been a big Marlene Dietrich fan, but I have to admit that, in this early effort, her utter sexuality and the casual way she dispenses it is hypnotic. Her character is also complex. Between her first encounter with Rath and those final scenes, her attitude toward him changes from amusement and ridicule to concern, pity, and even affection. His return to his home town and his descent into total degradation is painful to watch, yet she chooses this opportunity to humiliate him even further by offering herself to Mazeppa while he watches. I'm baffled.

The corruption and hopelessness of the German cafe circuit is a perfect backdrop for this study of the human condition. When one reaches their absolute nadir - like Rath - there are few choices left. Suicide, violent hostility, or if you are lucky - the determination and will to climb out of the cesspool. Rath was a day late and a reichsmark short. I would like to think that if he had more time he would have made it.