The 3 Penny Opera (1931)
"Die 3 Groschen-Oper" (original title)

In London at the turn of the century, the bandit Mack the Knife marries Polly without the knowledge of her father, Peachum, the 'king of the beggars'.

Director:

Georg Wilhelm Pabst

Writers:

Bertolt Brecht (text by), Béla Balázs (adaptation),

Stars:

Rudolf Forster, Carola Neher, Reinhold Schünzel

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rudolf Forster	...	Mackie Messer
Carola Neher	...	Polly
Reinhold Schünzel	...	Tiger-Brown
Fritz Rasp	...	Peachum
Valeska Gert	...	Mrs. Peachum
Lotte Lenya	...	Jenny (as Lotte Lenja)
Hermann Thimig	...	The Vicar
Ernst Busch	...	The Street Singer
Vladimir Sokoloff	...	Smith, the Jailer (as Wladimir Sokolow)
Paul Kemp	...	Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Gustav Püttjer	...	Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Oskar Höcker	...	Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Krafft-Raschig	...	Mackie Messer's Gang Member (as Kraft Raschig)
Herbert Grünbaum	...	Filch
Sylvia Torf	...	Whorehouse owner

Storyline

In London at the turn of the century, the bandit Mack the Knife marries Polly without the knowledge of her father, Peachum, the 'king of the beggars'.

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Plot Keywords:

based on stage musical | satire | brechtian | number in title

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

19 October 1956 (East Germany)

Also Known As:

The 3 Penny Opera

Filming Locations:

Halensee, Grunewald, Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tobis Filmkunst, Nero-Film AG, Warner Bros. Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min 104 min (censored) 106 min (DVD edition)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Tobis-Klangfilm)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was banned by the Nazi Party in 1933 and prints of the film were destroyed. The film was restored and reconstructed in the 1960s.

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Connections

Version of CBS Television Workshop: The Beggar's Opera (1952)

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Soundtracks

"Die Dreigroschenoper"
Composed by Kurt Weill
Libretto by Bertolt Brecht

User Reviews

A Classic and A Period Piece

Those who acquired a taste for 1920s Berlin in 'Cabaret' ought to see this film inasmuch as it is the real thing. Lotte Lenya (Weill's wife in real life and the actress who played the evil Rosa Kleb in 'From Russia With Love') and Carola Neher (fled Hitler for the Soviet Union then betrayed by communism -- she died in a communist prison camp in 1942) each offer an unforgettable singing performance. Carola Neher's song alone is worth the price of admission -- she outclasses even Dietrich.