The Prodigal Son

Although the acting and dialogue are not much, this film does offer an interesting reflection on life in the 1930s. The scenes of Tonio walking around New York give an impressive picture of New York from its good and bad sides. The city has a more realistic feel to it than you can find in many American films of the time. Peculiar too is the fascinating mixture of Christian and pagan ritual in the Dolomite town. The pagan festivities have a rawness to them that one no longer experiences in the processions and celebrations of modern-day German speaking areas. As the film was made in 1934, there is obviously some propaganda involved, but it is nevertheless a unique documentation of the time.