Alexis Granowsky (russian: Алексе́й Миха́йлович Грано́вский; 1890–1937) was a Russian theatre director who later became a

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

. Granowsky was born as Abraham Azarkh to a Jewish family in Moscow. After studying in St. Petersburg, he went to Munich where he gained valuable theatre experience working under Max Reinhardt. He served in the

Russian army The Russian Ground Forces (russian: Сухопутные войска �В Sukhoputnyye voyska V, also known as the Russian Army (, ), are the Army, land forces of the Russian Armed Forces. The primary responsibilities of the Russian Gro ...

during the First World War before in 1919 he set up his own Jewish-orientated theatre in St. Petersburg, which under a new director became GOSET. Granowsky's reputation rose quickly over the following years, as he became one of the most celebrated theatre directors in Europe. In 1925 Granowsky directed his first film, a silent, but concentrated his efforts on his stage work. After the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...

, and the

Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

victory in the Russian Civil War, Granowsky continued to live in the country even though he felt himself culturally Western European. Granowsky was initially feted by the Soviet authorities and was awarded a number of honours but he began to find their cultural policies increasingly restrictive, and emigrated to the Weimar Republic in the late 1920s. In Germany Granowsky worked on some theatre productions, but increasingly moved into film. He collaborated with a number of other Russian exiles such as

Léo Lania Leo Lania ( 1896 – 9 November 1961) was a journalist, playwright and screenwriter. He was born Lazar Herrmann to a Jewish family in Kharkov. Although born in Russian Empire, Lania emigrated to Vienna and served in the Austro-Hungarian Army durin ...

who shared his left-wing political views. He directed two German films, before emigrating to Paris where he lived for the rest of his life. He produced and directed expensive prestige films ''

The Adventures of King Pausole ''Les Aventures du roi Pausole'' ('The Adventures of King Pausole') is a French novel with Erotic literature, erotic themes by Pierre Louÿs, first published in Serial (literature), serial form in 1900. The work has been called "a graceful and s ...

'' (1933) and '' Taras Bulba'' (1936). He had married a wealthy German woman, but they separated before his death.Barton p.25 Despite his lavish lifestyle, Granowsky died comparatively poor.

Selected filmography

Director

* ''

Jewish Happiness Jewish Luck (russian: Еврейское счастье) is a 1925 Soviet black and white silent film directed by Alexis Granowsky.J. Hoberman"THE CROOKED ROAD OF JEWISH LUCK"/ref> Plot Menahem-Mendl, with the goal of making money, opens an ins ...

'' (Еврейское счастье; 1925) * '' The Song of Life'' (1931) * ''

The Trunks of Mr. O.F. ''The Trunks of Mr. O.F.'' (German: ''Die Koffer des Herrn O.F.'') is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Alexis Granowsky and starring Alfred Abel, Peter Lorre, and Harald Paulsen. Produced by Tobis Film, it was made at the Johannisthal Studio ...

'' (1931) * ''

'' (1933) * '' Moscow Nights'' (1934) * '' Taras Bulba'' (1936)

References

Bibliography

* Barton, Ruth. ''Hedy Lamarr: The Most Beautiful Woman in Film''. University Press of Kentucky, 2010.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Granowsky, Alexis 1890 births 1937 deaths Writers from Moscow People from Moskovsky Uyezd Russian Jews Russian film directors Russian film producers Russian theatre directors Russian military personnel of World War I Russian exiles People who emigrated to escape Bolshevism Emigrants from the Russian Empire to France Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Germany