Der Student von Prag (1935)

Director:

Arthur Robison

Writers:

Hanns Heinz Ewers (writer)
Henrik Galeen (book)

Release Date:

10 December 1935 (Germany)

Plot:

Prague in the 1860s: Balduin is a popular, handsome student, the best fencer in town, in amicable rivalry...

Plot Keywords:

Remake

Cast

Anton Walbrook	...	Balduin (as Adolf Wohlbrück)
Theodor Loos	...	Dr. Carpis
Dorothea Wieck	...	Julia
Erich Fiedler	...	Baron Waldis
Edna Greyff	...	Lydia
Karl Hellmer	...	Krebs
Volker von Collande	...	Zavrel
Fritz Genschow	...	Dahl
Elsa Wagner	...	Jarmila
Miliza Korjus	...	Julia (singing voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kurt Getke
Fred Goebel
Kurt Herfuth
Heinz Herkommer
Franz List
Paul Rehkopf
Ferry Reich
Betty Sedlmayr
Siegfried Seefeld
Walter von Allwoerden
Martha von Konssatzki	...	Hotel Wirtin
Victor von Zitzewitz
Franz Zimmermann

Also Known As:

The Student of Prague (UK)

Runtime:

UK:87 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Tobis-Klangfilm)

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Company:

Cine-Allianz Tonfilmproduktions GmbH

Trivia:

The first feature film to be shown on British television by the BBC on 14 August 1938.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Der Student von Prag (1913)

Soundtrack:

Warum?

The desperate need to reflect

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The 1935 version of Der Student von Prag appears to be a remake, though it is nothing of the sort. Whereas in the earlier silent versions the reflection in the mirror is the evil Doppelgänger of Balduin actively performing on its own, in this version the reflection is called "der Andere in uns/ the other one inside of us". Here the reflection appears only to Balduin himself reminding him of the fact that the powers he has been invested with by Dr Carpis have changed him for the worse. It is almost a philosophical discourse- and oddly one becoming prominent and eminent at exactly the time and far beyond- that is pictured, on the one hand there is the successful Balduin, the best swordsman in town and lucky player and lover, who is representing Das Sein in Heidegger's sense of the word, on the other hand there is the lack Balduin almost immediately senses and tries to communicate to Lydia, the need to reflect about one's actions and go beyond the mere being of Das Sein, a metaphysical need. Thus for me the ending is a happy one since Balduin regains his reflection, "der sentimentale Träumer/ the sentimental dreamer", though at a very dear price, and there is hardly any scene in any film that would to my mind exceed the beauty and grace of this final scene, wonderfully performed by Anton Walbrook.