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The Blue Angel

Original title: Der blaue Engel
  • 19301930
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Der blaue Engel (1930)
Trailer 1
Play trailer1:34
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Music

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

IMDb RATING
7.7/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Josef von Sternberg
  • Writers
    • Heinrich Mann(adapted from a novel by)
    • Carl Zuckmayer
    • Karl Vollmöller
  • Stars
    • Emil Jannings
    • Marlene Dietrich
    • Kurt Gerron
Top credits
  • Director
    • Josef von Sternberg
  • Writers
    • Heinrich Mann(adapted from a novel by)
    • Carl Zuckmayer
    • Karl Vollmöller
  • Stars
    • Emil Jannings
    • Marlene Dietrich
    • Kurt Gerron
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 113User reviews
    • 95Critic reviews
    • 88Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Blue Angel
    Trailer 1:34
    The Blue Angel

    Photos154

    Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Wilhelm Diegelmann and Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Marlene Dietrich, Hans Albers, and Rosa Valetti in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Marlene Dietrich in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Kurt Gerron and Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Carl Balhaus, Emil Jannings, and Roland Varno in Der blaue Engel (1930)
    Gerhard Bienert, Wilhelm Diegelmann, and Emil Jannings in Der blaue Engel (1930)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Emil Jannings
    Emil Jannings
    • Professor Immanuel Rathas Professor Immanuel Rath
    Marlene Dietrich
    Marlene Dietrich
    • Lola Lolaas Lola Lola
    Kurt Gerron
    Kurt Gerron
    • Kiepert, Zauberkünstleras Kiepert, Zauberkünstler
    Rosa Valetti
    Rosa Valetti
    • Guste, seine Frauas Guste, seine Frau
    Hans Albers
    Hans Albers
    • Mazeppaas Mazeppa
    Reinhold Bernt
    • Der Clownas Der Clown
    Eduard von Winterstein
    Eduard von Winterstein
    • Der Schuldirektoras Der Schuldirektor
    • (as Eduard V. Winterstein)
    Hans Roth
    • Der Pedellas Der Pedell
    Rolf Müller
    • Angstas Angst
    Roland Varno
    Roland Varno
    • Lohmannas Lohmann
    • (as Rolant Varno)
    Carl Balhaus
    • Ertzumas Ertzum
    • (as Karl Balhaus)
    Robert Klein-Lörk
    • Goldstaubas Goldstaub
    Károly Huszár
    Károly Huszár
    • Der Wirtas Der Wirt
    • (as Karl Huszar-Puffy)
    Wilhelm Diegelmann
    Wilhelm Diegelmann
    • Der Kapitänas Der Kapitän
    Gerhard Bienert
    Gerhard Bienert
    • Der Polizistas Der Polizist
    Ilse Fürstenberg
    • Raths Wirtschafterinas Raths Wirtschafterin
    Die Weintraub Syncopators
    • Group Cast Performersas Group Cast Performers
    • (as The Weintraub Syncopators)
    Friedrich Hollaender
    Friedrich Hollaender
    • Pianistas Pianist
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Josef von Sternberg
    • Writers
      • Heinrich Mann(adapted from a novel by)
      • Carl Zuckmayer
      • Karl Vollmöller
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Germany 1924. Middle aged Dr. Immanuel Rath is a stuffy literature professor at a boys' school. Most of his students don't much like him, often ridiculing him by sending him unflattering anonymous notes and drawings. Dr. Rath learns that many of his boys often frequent a cabaret called the Blue Angel, which he believes is corrupting their impressionable young minds. He heads to the Blue Angel himself to catch the boys in the act, shame them into not going again, but also to ask the headlining performer, anglophone Lola Lola, to cease and desist performing her show. Over several visits, Rath is able to catch the boys, but he himself starts to fall for Lola, and she seemingly with him. His infatuation with her threatens his teaching career. Their relationship ends up not being what either envisioned, the question being how they will both deal with their disintegrating relationship and the reasons behind that disintegration. —Huggo
    • sexual attraction
    • professor
    • cabaret
    • nightclub singer
    • nightclub
    • 62 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Täglich nur noch bis Donnerstag auf tausendfachen Wunsch! Zum letzten Male! (Feiburger Zeitung, ((Freiburg, Baden-Wûrttemburg)) 11 Februar 1931)
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Music
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      There are various accounts of why Marlene Dietrich was cast as Lola Lola, but the one given by director Josef von Sternberg in his autobiography is that Dietrich came to test for the film with a bored, world-weary attitude because she was convinced she wasn't going to get the role and was merely going through the motions - and Sternberg hired her because that world-weary attitude was precisely what he wanted for the character.
    • Goofs
      When the professor returns to his class and the boys burst out in uproar, the drawing on the blackboard shows three lines with Lola's name. The director, drawn by the noise, enters the class and now there are only two lines. After the class is dismissed, the third line has returned.
    • Quotes

      [singing]

      Lola Lola: Falling in love again, never wanted to. What's a girl to do? I can't help it. What choice do I have? That's the way I'm made. Love is all I know, I can't help it. Men swarm around me like moths 'round a flame. And if their wings are singed, surely I can't be blamed.

    • Alternate versions
      Simultaneously shot in two versions (English and German) with the same cast; the German (with English subtitles) version is more popular because of the heavy German accents of the cast in the English language version. English lyrics for the songs were written by Sam Lerner.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Double-Headed Eagle: Hitler's Rise to Power 1918-1933 (1973)
    • Soundtracks
      Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt
      (uncredited)

      Written by Friedrich Hollaender

      Performed by Marlene Dietrich

    User reviews113

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Stick to the German
    Firstly, this version is almost the exact same as the German version, but of course in English. That means it is still wonderful, but with all of the "Unrath" puns removed.

    The only reason to just stick with the German is because most of the language in this film is either still German, or hard to understand due to th actors' thick accents, Marlene, surprisingly, is perfectly accent less despite not knowing any English. Since the DVD release does not have subtitles, or even closed captions, it is hard to follow the film without either knowing German, or rewinding to understand what Jannings and everyone else is saying.

    Fans of the German version should still just check it out as a historical novelty and to hear Marlene (accent less) and see how similar and/or different the film is.
    helpful•25
    5
    • judahben_hur
    • Nov 21, 2009

    FAQ7

    • What is 'The Blue Angel' about?
    • Is 'The Blue Angel' based on a book?
    • Who is 'the blue angel'?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 5, 1930 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • German
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Plavi andjeo
    • Filming locations
      • Berlin, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Universum Film (UFA)
      • UFA Tonfilm
      • Universum Film (UFA)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $4,410
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.20 : 1

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