Michael (1924)

Triangle story: painter, his young male model, unscrupulous princess.

Director:

Carl Theodor Dreyer (as Carl-Th. Dreyer)

Writers:

Herman Bang (based on the novel of the same name by), Thea von Harbou (adaptation)

Stars:

Walter Slezak, Max Auzinger, Nora Gregor

Cast

Cast overview:
Walter Slezak	...	Michael
Max Auzinger	...	Jules - Majordomo
Nora Gregor	...	Princess Lucia Zamikoff
Robert Garrison	...	Charles Switt - Journalist
Benjamin Christensen	...	Claude Zoret
Didier Aslan	...	Duc de Monthieu
Alexander Murski	...	Mr. Adelsskjold
Grete Mosheim	...	Mrs. Alice Adelsskjold
Karl Freund	...	LeBlanc - Art Dealer
Wilhelmine Sandrock	...	Widow de Monthieu

Storyline

Mikaël is an artist who rises as his teacher, the aging Zoret, falls. Zoret gives Mikaël his start, and their relationship is sexual as well. Then Mikaël takes up with the Princess Zamikoff, selling gifts from Zoret and even stealing from the master to pay for his carnal and luxurious life with her. He abandons Zoret, whose health begins to fail but who also discovers spirituality in his solitude. In a subplot, Alice Adelsskjold cuckolds her husband and takes a lover, the Duke of Monthieu; their relationship, infused with the eroticism of art, also gives way to religion as the duke becomes ill.

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Plot Keywords:

princess | artist | model | painter | gay | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

Germany

Release Date:

17 November 1924 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Chained

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universum Film (UFA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min (2004 alternate) 90 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When the painter Claude Zoret is talking to Mikael's creditor he switches from standing up to sitting down back to standing up between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Motto (titlecard): Motto: Now I can die in peace for I have known a great love.

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Alternate Versions

In 2004, Kino International Corporation copyrighted a version with a piano score compiled and performed by . It was produced for video by and runs 86 minutes.

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Connections

References The Kid (1921)

User Reviews

Unjustly unknown

Silent drama about gay painter Claude Zoret (Benjamin Christensen) and his model/lover Mikael (Walter Slezak). A beautiful countess (Nora Gregor) commissions Zoret to paint her. He does but Mikael starts to fall in love with her. He drifts farther apart from Zoret and their relationship begins to crumble...

Being a gay man and a film addict I was surprised I had never heard of this film! It just popped up unannounced on TCM and I'm glad I taped it. A 1924 film dealing with gay men was way ahead of its time. Their relationship is not made explicit--it's mostly communicated by looks, gestures, dialogue and (in one instance) hand holding. Still that was groundbreaking for that day. It does have the predictable tragic ending...but that was the way it would have to end. It was refreshing to see that their relationship was portrayed as no big deal and no one makes a fuss over it. Very well done.

The acting is just great. It's astonishing to see Slezak so young and handsome and THIN. Christensen was just great too. Gregor isn't that good--but she's not given much to work with. Also this was beautifully directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer. The version I saw also had a very good music score given to in by Kino International in 2004.

A very good, groundbreaking movie. It really deserves a wider audience. I give it an 8 because it IS a little slow at times.