''At Your Orders, Sergeant'' (german: Zu Befehl, Herr Unteroffizier) is a 1932 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

Erich Schönfelder Erich Schönfelder (1885–1933) was a German screenwriter, actor, and film director of the silent film, silent and early sound film, sound eras. Early in his career he worked frequently with Ernst Lubitsch. Selected filmography Writer * ''Shoe ...

and starring

Ralph Arthur Roberts Ralph Arthur Roberts (born Robert Arthur Schönherr; 2 October 1884 – 12 March 1940)Ida Wüst Ida Wüst (; 10 October 1884 – 4 October 1958) was a German stage and film actress whose career was prominent in the 1920s and 1930s with Universum Film AG (UFA). Life and career Little is known about Ida Wüst's early childhood. She discovere ...

and

Margot Landa Margot Walter, also known as Margot Landa (4 October 1903 in Potsdam, Germany – April 1994 in Camden Town, London, England), was a German actress. Life and career Born in Potsdam near Berlin Walter became a regular member of the cast at the ...

. It was shot at the

Johannisthal Studios The Johannisthal Studios were film studios located in the Berlin area of Johannisthal. Founded in 1920 on the site of a former airfield, they were a centre of production during the Weimar and Nazi eras. Nearly four hundred films were made at Johan ...

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

. 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 ...

Willi Herrmann Willi Herrmann (1893–1968) was a German art director. Selected filmography * '' Madness'' (1919) * '' Child on the Open Road'' (1919) * '' Jettatore'' (1919) * ''Humanity Unleashed'' (1920) * '' The Secrets of Berlin'' (1921) * ''The Maharaja ...

and

Herbert Lippschitz Herbert Lippschitz (1904–1972) was a German art director. He rose to prominence during the Weimar Republic in the early sound era. The Jewish Lippschitz was forced to leave Germany following the rise of the Nazi Party to power in 1933. This la ...

. It is a military

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...

set in the pre-

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

-era

German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...

Cast

Margot Walter Margot Walter, also known as Margot Landa (4 October 1903 in Potsdam, Germany – April 1994 in Camden Town, London, England), was a German actress. Life and career Born in Potsdam near Berlin Walter became a regular member of the cast at the Ha ...

*Emmy Sturm *

Henry Bender Henry Bender (born Harry Bandheimer; 1867–1933) was a German stage and film actor.Chandler p. 272 He appeared in more than a hundred films during his career. Selected filmography * ''The Devil'' (1918) * '' Madeleine'' (1919) * ''Whitechapel'' ...

Albert Paulig Albert Paulig (14 January 1873 – 19 March 1933) was a German film actor who was popular during the silent era. Paulig made his first film in 1914. The following year he appeared in one of Ernst Lubitsch's first directorial attempts, '' A Trip on ...

Harry Halm Harry Halm (born Harry Hermann Hahn; 17 January 1901 – 22 November 1980) was a German film actor. He was the son of director Alfred Halm and took acting lessons with Eduard von Winterstein and Hermann Vallentin. He began his stage career in 19 ...

Paul Westermeier Paul Westermeier (9 July 1892 – 17 October 1972) was a German film actor. Selected filmography * '' Wedding in the Eccentric Club'' (1917) * ''Agnes Arnau and Her Three Suitors'' (1918) * ''About the Son'' (1921) * '' Memoirs of a Film Actre ...

Hermann Speelmans Hermann Speelmans (14 August 1906 – 9 February 1960) was a German stage and film actor.Capua p. 120 Selected filmography * ''Her Dark Secret'' (1929) - Emil * ''Diana'' (1930) * ''There Is a Woman Who Never Forgets You'' (1930) * ''Danton'' (1 ...

*Lotte Werkmeister

References

Bibliography

* Klaus, Ulrich J. ''Deutsche Tonfilme: Jahrgang 1932''. Klaus-Archiv, 1988.

External links

* 1930s historical comedy films German historical comedy films Films of the Weimar Republic Films directed by Erich Schönfelder Military humor in film Films set in the 1900s German black-and-white films 1932 comedy films 1930s German films Films shot at Johannisthal Studios 1930s German-language films {{1930s-Germany-film-stub