''An Ideal Husband'' (german: Ein idealer Gatte) is a 1935 German

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Herbert Selpin Herbert Selpin (29 May 1904 – 1 August 1942) was a German film director and screenwriter of light entertainment during the 1930s and 1940s. He is best known for his final film, the partly suppressed ''Titanic (1943 film), Titanic'', during the ...

and starring

Brigitte Helm Brigitte Helm (born Brigitte Gisela Eva Schittenhelm, 17 March 1906 – 11 June 1996) was a German actress, best remembered for her dual role as Maria and her double named Futura, in Fritz Lang's 1927 silent film, '' Metropolis''. Early life ...

Sybille Schmitz Sybille Maria Christina Schmitz (2 December 1909 – 13 April 1955) was a German actress. Biography Schmitz attended an acting school in Cologne and got her first engagement at Max Reinhardt's Deutsches Theater in Berlin in 1927. Only one year ...

and

Karl Ludwig Diehl Karl Ludwig Diehl (14 August 1896 – 8 March 1958) was a German film actor. He appeared in 66 films between 1924 and 1957. His father was Karl Diehl, the German professor of Anarchism. Filmography * ''Die Tragödie der Entehrten'' (1924) ...

. It is based on the 1895 play ''

An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...

'' by

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

, a sensitive and romantic comedy representing the 19th century. The adaptation by

Thea von Harbou Thea Gabriele von Harbou (27 December 1888 – 1 July 1954) was a German screenwriter, novelist, film director, and actress. She is remembered as the screenwriter of the science fiction film classic ''Metropolis'' (1927) and for the 192 ...

is very faithful to the original work.Hull p. 85 The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Artur Günther Artur Günther (1893–1972) was a German art director.Giesen p.202 He designed the sets for more than a hundred films during a lengthy career. Selected filmography * '' When the Dead Speak'' (1917) * '' Ikarus, the Flying Man'' (1918) * ''Alrau ...

and

Benno von Arent Benno von Arent (19 July 1898 – 14 October 1956) was a German film director, artist, architect, designer and a member of the Nazi Party and SS. Early life Arent was born Benno Georg Eduard Wilhelm Joachim von Arent in Görlitz on 19 July 1 ...

. Interiors were shot at

Terra Film Terra Film was a Berlin-based film production company. Founded in 1919, it became one of Germany's largest film production companies in the 1930s under the Nazi regime. Corporate history The company was founded at end of 1919, initially as a li ...

Marienfelde Studios The Terra Studios or Marienfelde Studios were film studios located in the Berlin suburb of Marienfelde. The studios were originally a glasshouse constructed in 1913 by the early company Eiko Film, controlled by the producer Franz Vogel who h ...

, while extensive

location shooting Location shooting is the shooting of a film or television production in a real-world setting rather than a sound stage or backlot. The location may be interior or exterior. The filming location may be the same in which the story is set (for exam ...

took place in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Main cast

as Lady Gertrud Chiltern *

as Gloria Cheveley *

as Lord Robert Chiltern *

Georg Alexander Georg Alexander (born Werner Ludwig Georg Lüddeckens; 3 April 1888 – 30 October 1945) was a German film actor who was a prolific presence in German cinema. He also directed a number of films during the silent era. Personal life He was married ...

as Lord Arthur Goring *

Anni Markart Annie Markart (sometimes credited as Anni Markart; 5 August 1907 – 23 January 1991) was a German film actress, singer and dancer. She appeared in twenty four films during her career, mostly during the Weimar and Nazi eras. Selected filmography ...

as Mabel Chiltern *

Paul Henckels Paul Henckels (9 September 1885 – 27 May 1967) was a German film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1921 and 1965. Paul Henckels had started his acting career on the stage in the 1900s. He was well known for his e ...

as Lord Caversham *

Werner Scharf Werner Scharf (19 September 1905 – 30 April 1945) was a German actor. He appeared in more than 45 films between 1929 and 1945. Personal life Scharf served in the ''Volkssturm'' during the Second World War and was killed in action on 30 A ...

as Vicomte de Nanjac *

Karl Dannemann Karl Dannemann (22 March 1896 – 4 May 1945) was a German actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1934 and 1945. Partial filmography * ''Volldampf voraus!'' (1934) - Kramer, Obermaat * ''Trouble with Jolanthe'' (1934) - Rupf, der ...

as Parker, Oberingenieur * Heinz Förster-Ludwig as Mason, Diener bei Chiltern *

Karl Platen Karl Platen (6 March 1877 – 4 July 1952) was a German actor and cinematographer known for '' Girl in the Moon'' (1929) and '' M'' (1931). Biography Karl Platen was born as Carl Platen on March 6, 1877 in Halle an der Saale, Germany. He died ...

as Phips, Diener bei Goring *

Erich Walter The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

as Montfort, Sekretär bei Chiltern *

Hermann Frick Hermann or Herrmann may refer to: * Hermann (name), list of people with this name * Arminius, chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe in the 1st century, known as Hermann in the German language * Éditions Hermann, French publisher * Hermann, Mis ...

as Vickers, Buchhalter *

Toni Tetzlaff Toni Tetzlaff (born Elisabeth Antonie Pauline Tetzlaff; 13 March 1871 – 16 December 1947) was a German stage and film actress.Chander p. 272 Selected filmography * '' Alkohol'' (1919) * '' Lilli'' (1919) * '' Lilli's Marriage'' (1919) * ''Th ...

as Lady Markby *

Valy Arnheim Valy Arnheim (born Valentin Theodor Woldemar Appel; 8 June 1883 – 11 November 1950) was a German film actor and director. Selected filmography * ''Lightning Command'' (1921) * ''Anne-Liese of Dessau'' (1925) * ''Harry Hill's Deadly Hunt'' (192 ...

as Angestellter im Palladium *

Hilde Maroff Hilde Maroff (5 June 1904 – 15 August 1984) was a German stage and film actress. She was the mother of the child actor Peter Bosse. Selected filmography * ''Kubinke the Barber'' (1926) * ''Love's Joys and Woes'' (1926) * ''Sister Veronika'' (1 ...

as Telefonistin *

Charles Willy Kayser Charles Willy Kayser (28 January 1881 – 10 July 1942) was a German film actor. He was born in Metz, Lorraine, Germany (now, Moselle, France) and died at the age of 61 in 1942. Selected filmography * ''Anita Jo'' (1919) * '' The Clan'' (1920) ...

as Chilterns Gast *

Ludwig Trautmann Ludwig Trautmann (22 November 1885 – 24 January 1957) was a German stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1912 and 1953. He was a member of the jury at the 1st Berlin International Film Festival. Selected filmogra ...

as Chilterns Gast

References

Bibliography

External links

* 1935 films German comedy films 1930s German-language films Films directed by Herbert Selpin Films set in England Films set in London Films shot in London German films based on plays Films based on works by Oscar Wilde Films of Nazi Germany Films with screenplays by Thea von Harbou German black-and-white films Terra Film films 1935 comedy films 1930s German films Films shot at Terra Studios {{1930s-Germany-film-stub