The Burning Soil (1922)

When farmer Rog dies, his son Peter stays, but Johannes can not be satisfied with such a condition (and servant Maria's love) and finds a job as old Count Rudenberg's secretary. His ... See full summary »

Director:

F.W. Murnau

Writers:

Willy Haas, Arthur Rosen

Stars:

Werner Krauss, Eugen Klöpfer, Vladimir Gajdarov

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Werner Krauss	...	Der alte Rog / Old Rog
Eugen Klöpfer	...	Peter Rog
Vladimir Gajdarov	...	Johannes Rog
Eduard von Winterstein	...	Graf Rudenburg / Count Rudenburg
Lya De Putti	...	Gerda - Rudenburg's Tochter / Gerda - Rudenburg's daughter
Stella Arbenina	...	Helga - Rudenburg's zweite Frau / Helga - Rudenburg's 2nd wife
Alfred Abel	...	Ludwig von Lellewel
Grete Diercks	...	Maria
Elsa Wagner	...	Magda
Emilia Unda	...	Alte Magd / Old maid
Leonie Taliansky	...	Gerdas Zofe / Gerda's maid
Georg John	...	Großknecht / Head farmhand
Emilie Kurz	...	Großmagd
Robert Leffler	...	Diener
Eugen Rex	...	Ackerkäufer

Storyline

When farmer Rog dies, his son Peter stays, but Johannes can not be satisfied with such a condition (and servant Maria's love) and finds a job as old Count Rudenberg's secretary. His ambition leads him to charm Gerda, the Count's unique daughter. But when he discovers that Count's second wife Helga will soon inherit a field that only he knows his underground is full with petroleum, he changes his allegiance... Greed and death.

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Plot Keywords:

love | greed | weather | suicide | money | 

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Taglines:

Das Drama eines Ehrgeizigen

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was considered lost for many years. In 1978, an almost complete print was found in the estate of an Italian priest who had organised screenings in mental hospitals. The same was true of The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928).

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Connections

Featured in Die Sprache der Schatten: Murnau - Die frühen Werke (2008)

User Reviews

Murnau's Version Of The Prodigal Son

Another masterpiece by Murnau, dark and moody, very little romance, mostly the dark side of life reflected in the greed and ambition of a prodigal son who arrives home too late to say goodbye to his dying father. Instead of obeying his father's last wishes, to marry his childhood friend and work the farm, Johannes wants to rise above his station in life, and he doesn't care who he has to walk over to get there. There is positive restoration by the end of the film that is rather jarring, but this seems to be a favorite theme of Murnau's. Instead of restoration with the father, as in the biblical story of the prodigal son, we see the genuine restoration of the two brothers, and forgiveness. We're not quite sure if the two brothers in the bible story ever truly reconcile, but in Murnau's story it is clearly evident.

If you are someone who enjoys Murnau's films definitely see The Burning Soil. Interesting story, good acting, overall good condition of the surviving film.

Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

None

Release Date:

24 April 1922 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

The Burning Soil

Filming Locations:

Bornstedter Feld, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Deulig Film, Goron Film, ARTE

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1