Meyer from Berlin - A 1919 Silent Film Directed by and Starring Ernst Lubitsch- 57 Minutes

available on YouTube with English Subtitles -

Films by German directors are an essential part of post World War One German Culture. From the groundbreaking silent classics of the Weimar Republic to the movies of Leni Reisenthal in celebration of Nazi rule, beloved by Goebels, to modern Oscar winners, I am pleased to see German Literature Month XIII now welcomes posts on Films by German Directors

German Literature Month is hosted by Lizzy’s Literary Life

https://lizzysiddal2.wordpress.com/2023/09/22/announcing-german-literature-month-xiii/

In this year's German Literature Month is now inviting contributions on writers from Germany writing in another language. I am taking the liberty to expand this to directors born in Germany who produced movies in English, such as Ernst Lubitsch.

Ernst Lubitsch 

Born: January 29, 1892, Berlin, Germany - produces several silent films

1922 Moves to Hollywood- Warner Pictures Signed him to a three year six picture contract

Died: November 30, 1947, Los Angeles, California, United States

Lubitsch directed two of my favourite movies, Ninotchka and To Be or Not to.

Lubitsch both directed and starred in Meyer in Berlin (Meyer aus Berlin).

It was part of the Sally series of films featuring Lubitsch as a sharp young Berliner of Jewish heritage. It was Lubitsch's penultimate film as an actor, after 1920 he devoted himself entirely to screenwriting and directing.

The film tells the story of Sally Meyer, a young Berliner who persuades his doctor to convince his wife that he is ill so that he can take a holiday in the Austrian Alps in order to pursue women. However, he mistakenly travels to the Bavarian Alps instead, and ends up staying in the same hotel as a beautiful woman named Frau Kitty. Meyer and Kitty flirt with each other, but Meyer is careful not to go too far, as he does not want to get caught by his wife.

Meanwhile, Meyer's wife, Martha, becomes suspicious of his absence and hires a detective to follow him. The detective discovers that Meyer is in the Bavarian Alps, and Martha travels there to confront him. However, Meyer is able to convince her that he is innocent, and the two of them reconcile.

Meyer from Berlin is a classic example of Lubitsch's early silent comedies. It is a witty and satirical film that explores the themes of marriage, infidelity, and social class. Lubitsch's direction is sharp and sophisticated, and the performances are excellent, especially from Lubitsch himself as Meyer.

The film is also notable for its beautiful cinematography and its use of location shooting. The Alps provide a stunning backdrop for the story.

Meyer from Berlin was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and it helped to establish Lubitsch as one of the leading filmmakers of his generation. The film is still considered to be one of the best silent comedies ever made.

Lubitsch's silent films are known for their sophistication, wit, and visual elegance. He was a master of visual storytelling, and his films are full of clever camerawork, editing, and mise-en-scène. His silent films also feature some of the greatest stars of the era, including Pola Negri, Emil Jannings, and Ossi Oswalda. I hope to post upon a few more of the silent films he made before he left Germany 

"Meyer, aka Sally, aka Pinkus, has become a complex comic character, something of a cross between Woody Allen (the utter helplessness in any environment but concrete) and Groucho Marx (the sexual aggressiveness, the insulting one-liners). Upbeat, effervescent, for all of his efforts at fomenting extramarital episodes, Meyer remains adamantly unconcerned if his passes don’t get him anywhere. “This is the women’s compartment,” he’s told when he gets on the train." From Ernst Lubitsch- Laughter in Paradise by Scott Eyman