D 1929, R / B: MAURICE TOURNEUR, 109 '

On the piano: Gabriel Thibaudeau · Introduction: Michael Omasta

Preliminary Program

The sea ghost D 1925, R: Hans Fischerkoesen, 7 'x 35mm

A ship full of shady characters on the high seas. The rough-headed captain (Fritz Kortner) is in command of desperados, smugglers and criminals. Only two decent people are on board: an American youth on the run (Robin Irvine) and the Russian cook (Vladimir Sokoloff). In the midst of the Atlantic, they fish a downed American aviator (Marlene Dietrich) out of the water, who now has to hide from the greedy male pack (outstanding Gaston Modot, later one of the favorite actors of Jean Renoir).

The ship of the lost people was a European "million film", for which no expense was spared, because producer Max Glass wanted to compete directly with American major films. As a female star he engaged the young Marlene Dietrich, for the direction of the Frenchman Maurice Tourneur, who had previously been successful in Hollywood for many years. He proves not only an "eminently picturesque eye", but also a sense of excitement and dramaturgy, Hans Sahl noted: "Maurice Tourneur is an artist and a temperament. He has created the atmosphere of the harbor areas and Kaschemmen, the cabin and the aft deck profiles in a series of images whose wonderfully toned, shaded chiaroscuro reminds of the portraiture of French masters. (...) Again and again bellowing, drinking, demonically wandering extras, again and again Marlene Dietrich,The Monday morning , 23.9.1929) (fl)