E. W. Emo (Emerich Walter Emo, born Emerich Josef Wojtek, 11 July 1898; died 2 December 1975) was an
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n film director.
Emo specialized in comedies, 21 of them with the actor
Hans Moser. He also worked outside Austria and wrote screenplays.
Life
Emerich Josef Wojtek, born in
Seebarn near
Grafenwörth
Grafenwörth is a municipality in the district of Tulln in the Austrian state of Lower Austria
Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in th ...
in Austria, was the son of a teacher. He attended the Provincial Secondary School (''Landesrealschule'') in
Krems an der Donau
Krems an der Donau () is a town of 23,992 inhabitants in Austria, in the federal state of Lower Austria. It is the fifth-largest city of Lower Austria and is approximately west of Vienna. Krems is a city with its own statute (or ''Statutarst ...
and did military service during
World War I
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 ...
. In 1919 he worked at first as a bit-part actor, then as a director's assistant and production manager, and finally as an assistant film director. In that capacity in 1927 he moved to
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
, where he also worked as a cutter and dramaturgist with a number of different directors.
In 1928 he directed his first film drama, called ''Flitterwochen'' ("Honeymoon"). After that he made many light entertainment films, and with the advent of sound films, also filmed several musicals and operettas. As a director Emo contributed much to the popularity of actors such as
Paul Hörbiger
Paul Hörbiger (29 April 1894 – 5 March 1981) was an Austrian theatre and film actor.
Life and work
Paul Hörbiger was born in the Hungarian capital Budapest, then part of Austria-Hungary, the son of engineer Hanns Hörbiger, founder of the ...
,
Theo Lingen
Theo Lingen (; 10 June 1903 – 10 November 1978), born Franz Theodor Schmitz, was a German actor, film director and screenwriter. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1929 and 1978, and directed 21 films between 1936 and 1960.
Life and c ...
and above all
Hans Moser, who appeared in 21 of his films altogether. In 1936 Emo founded in Berlin, with Paul Hörbiger and the Austrian consul Karl Künzel, the Algefa-Film company. In the same year he officially changed his name to his business name, Emerich Walter Emo. He later ran the film company Emo-Film.
During the time of
National Socialist
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
government, he was reckoned one the principal directors of
Wien-Film
Wien-Film GmbH ("Vienna Film Limited") was a large Austrian film company, which in 1938 succeeded the Tobis-Sascha-Filmindustrie AG (Sascha Film Company) and lasted until 1985. Until 1945 the business was owned by the Cautio Trust Company (''Cauti ...
, where he continued to make light comedies, often with Hans Moser, to whom he allowed a great deal of latitude for improvisation. In many of his films Emo also criticised the clichés of the ''
Wiener Film
Wiener Film (German; plural: ''Wiener Filme''; literally, "Viennese film") is an Austrian film genre, consisting of a combination of comedy, romance and melodrama in a historical setting, mostly, and typically, the Vienna of the late 19th and early ...
'' (the standard popular, sentimental and nostalgic "Viennese film"), for example in ''Anton der letzte'' ("Anton the Last") (1939), where he exaggerated Hans Moser's usual screen persona into petulance and querulence, and in ''Liebe ist zollfrei'' ("Love is Duty-free") (1941), where he represented the high society of Vienna not as vulgar, but as snobbish and malicious.
Emo's only expressly propagandist film was ''
Wien 1910'' (1943), which was made with the intention, through its distorted representation of the politics of Vienna around the
anti-Semitic Karl Lueger
Karl Lueger (; 24 October 1844 – 10 March 1910) was an Austrian politician, mayor of Vienna, and leader and founder of the Austrian Christian Social Party. He is credited with the transformation of the city of Vienna into a modern city. The pop ...
and the German nationalist
Georg Ritter von Schönerer
Georg Ritter von Schönerer (17 July 1842 – 14 August 1921) was an Austrian landowner and politician of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A major exponent of pan-Germanism and German nationalism in ...
, of legitimizing the
Anschluss
The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich on 13 March 1938.
The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany ...
of Austria by Germany. The attempt failed, however, as the film was still too "Austrian" for the National Socialists and was forbidden to be shown in the
Ostmark
Ostmark is a German term meaning either Eastern march when applied to territories or Eastern Mark when applied to currencies.
Ostmark may refer to:
*the medieval March of Austria and its predecessors ''Bavarian Eastern March'' and ''March of Pann ...
, as Austria was known under National Socialist rule; in Germany it attracted little interest.
Emo made a few more films after the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
He married the German actress
Anita Dorris
Anita Dorris (1903–1993) was a German actress of the Silent era. She played the role of Trilby in the 1927 film ''Svengali''. She was the mother of Maria Emo who also became an actress.
Selected filmography
* '' Frau Sopherl vom Naschmarkt'' ...
in 1930; their daughter was the actress
Maria Emo (b. 1936).
E. W. Emo died on 2 December 1975 in Vienna of
arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis is the thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. This process gradually restricts the blood flow to one's organs and tissues and can lead to severe health risks brought on by atherosclerosis, which ...
.
Selected filmography
* ''
Honeymoon'' (1928)
* ''
What Price Love?
''What Price Love?'' (german: Was kostet Liebe?) is a 1929 German silent film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Igo Sym.
The film's art direction was by .
Cast
In alphabetical order
* as Celestine
*Max Freiburg as a servant
*Mizzi Griebl
* L ...
'' (1929)
* ''Im Prater blühen wieder die Bäume'' (1929)
* ''
Twice Married
''Twice Married'' (german: Zweimal Hochzeit) is a 1930 German comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Liane Haid, Ralph Arthur Roberts, and Lucie Englisch.
The film's sets were designed by the art director Emil Hasler
Emil Hasler ( ...
'' (1930)
* ''Heute nacht - eventuell'' (1930)
* ''
The Unknown Guest'' (1931)
* ''Ich heirate meinen Mann'' (1931)
* ''
One Night with You'' (1932)
* ''
The Testament of Cornelius Gulden
''The Testament of Cornelius Gulden'' (german: Das Testament des Cornelius Gulden) is a 1932 German drama film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Magda Schneider, Georg Alexander, and Theo Lingen. It is based on the 1930 novel of the same title ...
'' (1932)
* ''
Wrong Number, Miss'' (1932)
* ''
The Ladies Diplomat
''The Ladies Diplomat'' (german: Der Frauendiplomat) is a 1932 German comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Mártha Eggerth, Max Hansen, and Leo Slezak. It was remade in Britain in 1934 as '' The Diplomatic Lover''.
Synopsis
When a w ...
'' (1932)
* ''
Modern Dowry'' (1932)
* ''
Model Wanted
''Model Wanted'' ( it, Cercasi modella) is a 1933 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Elsa Merlini, Nino Besozzi
Nino Besozzi (6 February 1901 – 2 February 1971) was an Italian film actor. He appe ...
'' (1933)
* ''
The Girl with the Bruise'' (1933)
* ''
Little Girl, Great Fortune
''Little Girl, Great Fortune'' (german: Kleines Mädel – großes Glück) is a 1933 German comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Dolly Haas, Carl Esmond, and Adele Sandrock. It was shot at the Johannisthal Studios in Berlin.Klaus p.10 ...
'' (1933)
* ''
Marion, That's Not Nice'' (1933)
* ''
And Who Is Kissing Me?'' (1933)
* ''
Paganini'' (1934)
* ''
The Double'' (1934)
* ''
The Gentleman Without a Residence'' (1934)
* ' (1935)
* ''
The Bird Seller'' (1935)
* ''
Circus Saran'' (1935)
* ''
The Schimeck Family'' (1935)
* ''
Last Stop'' (1935)
* ''
Heaven on Earth'' (1935)
* ''
Three Girls for Schubert
''Three Girls for Schubert'' (german: Drei Mäderl um Schubert) is a 1936 German historical romance film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Paul Hörbiger, Gretl Theimer, and Maria Andergast. It was shot at the Johannisthal Studios of Tobis Fil ...
'' (1936) (also wrote the screenplay)
* ''
Ungeküsst soll man nicht schlafen gehn
''Ungeküsst soll man nicht schlafen gehn'' ( en, You Should Not Go to Sleep Unkissed, italic=yes, link=yes) is a 1936 Austrian comedy film. The screenplay was written by Fritz Koselka, the title song was composed by Robert Stolz, and the film ...
'' (1936)
* ''
The Cabbie's Song
''The Cabbie's Song'' (german: Fiakerlied) is a 1936 German romantic drama film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Paul Hörbiger, Gusti Huber, and Franz Schafheitlin. The film offers a nostalgic view of Vienna during the old Imperial Era. It ...
'' (1936)
* ''
A Hoax'' (1936)
* ' (1937)
* ''
Thirteen Chairs'' (1938)
* ''
Anton the Last
''Anton the Last'' (german: Anton, der Letzte) is a 1939 comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Elfriede Datzig, Hans Moser, and O. W. Fischer. The film was made by Wien-Film, a Vienna-based company set up after Austria had been incor ...
'' (1939)
* ''
Immortal Waltz
''Immortal Waltz'' () is a 1939 historical drama film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Paul Hörbiger, Dagny Servaes, and Maria Andergast.
It was shot at the Rosenhügel Studios in Vienna. The film's art direction was by Julius von Borsody. ...
'' (1939)
* ''
Beloved Augustin'' (1940)
* ''
My Daughter Lives in Vienna'' (1940)
* ''
Love Is Duty Free'' (1941)
* ''
Black on White'' (1943)
* ''
Two Happy People'' (1943)
* ''
Vienna 1910'' (Karl Lueger, Bürgermeister von Wien) (1943)
* ''
Nothing But Coincidence
''Nothing But Coincidence'' (german: Nichts als Zufälle) is a 1949 West German comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Theo Lingen, Sonja Ziemann, and Josef Meinrad. It was shot at the Göttingen Studios
The Göttingen Studios were f ...
'' (1949)
* ''
Theodore the Goalkeeper
''Theodore the Goalkeeper'' (german: Der Theodor im Fußballtor) is a 1950 Austrian-German sports film, sports comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Theo Lingen, Hans Moser (actor), Hans Moser, and Josef Meinrad.
It was shot at the Bava ...
'' (1950)
* ''Hilfe, ich bin unsichtbar'' (1951)
* ''
Shame on You, Brigitte!
''Shame on You, Brigitte!'' (German: ''Schäm' dich, Brigitte!'') is a 1952 Austrian comedy film directed by E.W. Emo and starring Heinz Rühmann, Hans Moser and Theo Lingen.Fritsche p.182 It was later released in West Germany under the alterna ...
'' (1952)
* ''
Irene in Trouble
''Irene in Trouble'' (german: Wirbel um Irene) is a 1953 Austrian-Yugoslav romantic comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Bruni Löbel, Friedl Czepa, and Walter Giller
Walter Giller (23 August 1927 – 15 December 2011) was a Germ ...
'' (1953)
* ''
Lady's Choice
Lady's Choice is a spread and salad dressing condiment brand owned by Unilever. The brand was introduced in the Philippines in 1955 by California Manufacturing Company, Inc. (CMC). In 2000, Unilever Philippines, Inc. acquired CMC as a result of ...
'' (1953)
* ''
Her Corporal'' (1956)
* ''
Imperial and Royal Field Marshal'' (1956)
* ' (1957)
* ' (1958)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emo, E. W.
1898 births
1975 deaths
Austrian film directors
Austrian male screenwriters
German-language film directors
20th-century Austrian screenwriters
20th-century Austrian male writers