Berlin-Alexanderplatz (1931 film)

Berlin-Alexanderplatz
Berlin-Alexanderplatz
Directed by	Phil Jutzi
Written by	Alfred Döblin; Karlheinz Martin; Hans Wilhelm;
Based on	Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Döblin
Produced by	Arnold Pressburger; William A. Szekeley;
Starring	Heinrich George; Maria Bard; Margarete Schlegel;
Cinematography	Nicolas Farkas; Erich Giese;
Edited by	Geza Pollatschik
Music by	Allan Gray
Production; company	Cine-Allianz Tonfilm
Distributed by	Süd-Film
Release date	8 October 1931;
Running time	90 minutes
Country	Germany
Language	German

Berlin-Alexanderplatz or The Story of Franz Biberkopf (German: Die Geschichte Franz Biberkopfs) is a 1931 German drama film directed by Phil Jutzi and starring Heinrich George, Maria Bard and Margarete Schlegel. It was adapted from the 1929 novel of the same title by Alfred Döblin, who also co-wrote the screenplay.^[1]

Plot[edit]

George portrays a blue collar Berliner and small-time criminal recently released from prison who finds himself being drawn into the Berlin underworld of the 1920s after his prostitute lover is murdered.

"Yet, despite social upheaval, ...the good among the working class still prove able to live an honest and decent life."^[2]

Production[edit]

It was filmed on various locations around Berlin including the Alexanderplatz. Jutzi cut out much of the novel's complex story, preferring to focus on just one character.^[3]

The Film Review Board released the film on September 30, 1931, but with the restriction that it was forbidden for young people. The premiere took place on October 8, 1931 in the Berlin Capitol am Zoo. The film was distributed by Südfilm AG (Berlin).^[4]

Cast[edit]

Heinrich George as Franz Biberkopf
Maria Bard as Cilly
Margarete Schlegel as Sonja / Mieze
Bernhard Minetti as Reinhold
Gerhard Bienert as Klempner-Karl
Albert Florath as Pums
Paul Westermeier as Henschke
Jakob Tiedtke as Guest at Henschke
Hans Deppe as Guest at Henschke
Käthe Haack as Schwester Paula
Julius Falkenstein as Dieb
Jakob Tiedtke as Gast bei Henschke
Siegfried Berisch
Karel Stepanek
Ernst Behmer
Paul Rehkopf
Anna Müller-Lincke
Heinrich Schroth
Heinrich Gretler
Willi Schur
Walter Werner
Karl Harbacher
Franz Weber
Paul Kemp

References[edit]

^ John C. Tibbetts, and James M. Welsh, eds. The Encyclopedia of Novels Into Film (2nd ed. 2005) pp 12–14.
^ Phillips, Carson. "Berlin Alexanderplatz: the story of Franz Biberkopf" (PDF). holocaustcentre.com. Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
^ Reimer & Reimer p. 167
^ Zhu, Feng (December 2015). "Deutsches Filminstitut – DIF e.V./Deutsches Filmmuseum, Frankfurt am Main (ed.) (2015), Films and Games: Interactions, Berlin: Bertz + Fischer Verlag. 256pp". Film-Philosophy. 19 (1). doi:10.3366/film.2015.0063. ISSN 1466-4615.

Bibliography[edit]

Murray, Bruce Arthur (1990). Film and the German Left in the Weimar Republic: From Caligari to Kuhle Wampe. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-72465-5.
Reimer, Robert C.; Reimer, Carol J. (2010). The A to Z of German Cinema. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7611-8.

External links[edit]

Berlin-Alexanderplatz - Die Geschichte Franz Biberkopfs at IMDb

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[1] John C. Tibbetts, and James M. Welsh, eds. The Encyclopedia of Novels Into Film (2nd ed. 2005) pp 12–14.

[2] Phillips, Carson. "Berlin Alexanderplatz: the story of Franz Biberkopf" (PDF). holocaustcentre.com. Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.

[3] Reimer & Reimer p. 167

[4] Zhu, Feng (December 2015). "Deutsches Filminstitut – DIF e.V./Deutsches Filmmuseum, Frankfurt am Main (ed.) (2015), Films and Games: Interactions, Berlin: Bertz + Fischer Verlag. 256pp". Film-Philosophy. 19 (1). doi:10.3366/film.2015.0063. ISSN 1466-4615.

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