Der alte und der junge König - Friedrichs des Grossen Jugend

When the distributor Donau-Film re-released 'Der alte und der junge König' in 1958 the firm claimed to show a film that 'today' was 'beyond the pros and cons of contemporary disputes' and that the only aspect of relevance was the conflict between father and son. That was disingeneous. Director Hans Steinhoff's product cannot be turned into something apolitical; it is Nazi-propaganda through and through. It is, however, subtle propaganda by the standards of the Third Reich - propaganda that the fantastic acting makes all the more effective and dangerous.

Steinhoff portrays King Frederick William I of Prussia (played by Emil Jannings) as a bluff, strict but just father figure whom the disobedience of his son, the future Frederick II (Werner Hinz) is driving to despair. From the first scene onward he leaves no doubt that the father is in the right: Frederick William prays at the breakfast table in the company of his wife and younger children while 'Fritz' spends the early morning gambling with shady figures who speak French and cheat at cards. It is only after the Katte-affair, when the king forces his son to watch the execution of his best friend, that 'Fritz' subjects himself to the will of his father. His cathartic experience hardens him and turns him into a young man who will go on to become Prussia's greatest king. The film thus propagates the 'Führerprinzip' of Nazi-ideology, the idea that the only permitted attitude is total subjection to the will of a leader and that the leader has the right to literally walk over dead bodies in order to subject others to his will. Moreover, given that Katte (Claus Clausen) and the future Frederick II were very likely homosexual lovers (something the film obviously does not directly mention), 'Der alte und der junge König' was possibly influenced by the murder of Hitler's homosexual SA-chief Ernst Röhm in 1934: The Nazis were trying to justify the killing in a way that at the same time could be interpreted as a threat.

While script (Thea von Harbou and Rolf Lauckner) and direction are fairly pedestrian, the acting is outstanding. Jannings gives us a nuanced and absolutely convincing portrait of Frederick William I, and Hinz is almost equally convincing as the tortured son who finally finds the strength to do his father's will. All in all, however, it is Janning's performance that made me decide to rate 'Der alte und der junge König' 7 stars. It is really his film.

Had this film been produced in America there can be no doubt that Emil Jannings would have collected the 1935 Oscar as best actor for his role as Frederick William I of Prussia. His performance was simply mesmerizing. Every scene is illuminated by his presence and the impact of his delivery makes one rethink the whole history of this much discussed period.

Known as the 'Soldier King', Frederick William has often been dismissed as an authoritarian ogre; an archetypal Prussian whose absolute rule terrorized his Court and his family. But the truth is certain to be more detailed than such a basic caricature. There was an honorable and well designed purpose to his ruthless authority and this production allows us to learn and experience that wisdom through the eyes of his more famous son, Frederick II (the Great).

Of course the restrictions of 1935 Nazi Germany prevented the clear depiction of young Frederick's homosexuality but allusions to it are clearly made. When standing before his father many years after the execution of his lover, young Federick reminds the old king of his torment. "Every night and every day I see Katte before me Your Majesty" explains the Crown Prince, "in fact he stands between us now." Wonderful stuff. A must see for all students of German history.

This film, written by Thea von Harbou and Rolf Lauckner with a splendid score by Wolfgang Zeller was given its premiere in 1935 at the prestigious UFA Palast-am-Zoo. Subsequently banned by the allies it was eventually reinstated in 1958 as its propoganda element was not considered 'blatant enough' to warrant keeping it on the list of forbidden films.

I consider this not just one of Steinhoff's best films but also one of the finest historical biopics of all.

The film belongs to Emil Jannings who is simply magnificent as Frederick 1st. He succeeds in engaging our sympathy despite his tyrannical, authoritarian nature and his scenes with the excellent Werner Hinz as the future Frederick the Great are stunning.

There are no allusions to the Crown Prince's homosexuality, unsurprisingly, but the willingness of Lieutenant von Katte to sacrifice his life so readily would suggest a devotion beyond that of the platonic. We are left to draw our own conclusions.

Excellent performance also from Georg Alexander as a foppish Prince of Bayreuth and from the always marvellous Friedrich Kayssler as von Katte's father who stoically accepts his son's execution as an expediency.

One would be excused for not connecting the actress playing Queen Sophie with she who played the imperious mother of Claude Rains in Hitchcock's 'Notorious' but for the very singular name of Leopoldine Konstantin.

The final scene of the dying King uttering the words: 'I lay my country in your hands....make Prussia great' and the lengthy close up on his son's face sends a shiver down the spine as we recall how he proceeded to do just that.

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