''My Life for Maria Isabella'' (German: ''Mein Leben für Maria Isabell'') is a 1935 German

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Erich Waschneck Erich John Waschneck (29 April 1887, in Grimma, Kingdom of Saxony – 22 September 1970, in Berlin) was a German cameraman, director, screenwriter, and film producer. Early life Erich was the son of Karl Hermann Waschneck, a blacksmith, and hi ...

and starring

Viktor de Kowa Viktor de Kowa (also spelled Victor de Kowa, born Victor Paul Karl Kowalczyk; 8 March 1904 – 8 April 1973) was a German stage and film actor, chanson singer, director, narrator, and comic poet. Life He was born the son of a farmer and engineer ...

Maria Andergast Maria Andergast (4 June 1912 – 14 February 1995) was a German actress. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1934 and 1974. Selected filmography * '' The Prodigal Son'' (1934) * '' Last Stop'' (1935) * '' My Life for Maria Isabella'' (1 ...

and

Peter Voß Peter Voß (29 June 1891 – 9 January 1979) was a German film actor. Partial filmography * '' Love and Trumpets'' (1925) - Rekrut Dirmoser * '' Struggle for the Matterhorn'' (1928) - Edward Whymper * ''Diane - Die Geschichte einer Pariserin'' ...

. It is a military drama, the Maria Isabella of the title being the name of a regiment. Heavy cuts were imposed by the censors because of fears the film's mutiny scenes were too attractively portrayed. Critics were not impressed by the casting of Viktor de Kowa, known for his light musical comedy roles, as the film's hero.Noack p.76 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 Joha ...

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 ...

. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Otto Erdmann and

Hans Sohnle Hans Sohnle (17 September 1895 – 24 March 1976) was a German art director.Chandler p.270 He frequently collaborated with Otto Erdmann on set designs. Selected filmography * '' The Loves of Käthe Keller'' (1919) * ''The Woman in Doctor's Garb ...

. It was distributed by the Tobis subsidiary Rota-Film.

Synopsis

In Belgrade during the closing days of the

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 ...

, the Austrian regiments are mostly composed of disgruntled minorities who mutiny rather than fight on. A young officer attempts to save the regimental colours from falling into enemy hands, and safely takes them back to Vienna where they are symbolically burnt.

Cast

as Fähnrich Menis *

as Resa Lang *

as Rittmeister Graf Bottenlauben *

Franz Pfaudler Franz Pfaudler (1893–1956) was an Austrian stage and film actor.Giesen p.200 Selected filmography * ''My Life for Maria Isabella'' (1935) * ''Renate in the Quartet'' (1939) * ''Der Postmeister'' (1940) * ''Heimkehr'' (1941) * '' Anuschka'' (194 ...

as Diener Anton * Hans-Joachim Büttner * Hermann Frick *

Julia Serda Julia Serda (6 April 1875 – 3 December 1965) was an Austrian stage and film actress.Grange p.120 She was married to the actor Hans Junkermann. Biography Julia Serda was born on 6 April 1875 in Vienna. She became fascinated by the stage at an ...

Karin Evans Karin Evans (1907–2004) was a South African-born German stage and film actress. Evans was born in Johannesburg to one British and one German parent. In 1923 she moved to Berlin to study theatre, and began performing in the stage productions of M ...

Bernhard Minetti Bernhard Theodor Henry Minetti (26 January 1905 – 12 October 1998) was a German actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1931 and 1996 but is mostly known for his distinguished stage career. Selected filmography *''The Murderer Dimitri Kara ...

as Rittmeister von Hackenberg * Ernst Karchow *

Harry Hardt Harry Hardt (born Hermann Karl Viktor Klimbacher Edler von Reichswahr, Pula, 4 August 1899 – Vienna, 14 November 1980) was an Austrian actor. The son of a military officer, he initially planned a military career for himself, studying at a mil ...

as Oberstleutnant *

Ekkehard Arendt Ekkehard Arendt (10 June 1892 – 10 May 1954) was an Austrian stage and film actor. Arendt served in the Austrian Army during the First World War, before moving to Germany to work in the theatre and film industry. He played the role of Handel Van ...

* Hans Junkermann as Stadtkommandant von Belgrad *

Hans Zesch-Ballot Hans Zesch-Ballot (20 May 1896 – 1 September 1972) was a German film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern ...

as Major Sumerset *

Veit Harlan Veit Harlan (22 September 1899 – 13 April 1964) was a German film director and actor. Harlan reached the highpoint of his career as a director in the Nazi era; most notably his antisemitic film '' Jud Süß'' (1940) makes him controversia ...

as Meuternder Korporal *

Anton Pointner Anton Pointner (8 December 1894 in Salzburg – 8 September 1949 in Hintersee) was an Austrian stage and film actor. Pointner's career began on the stages of Austria and performed in both silent and sound films in his native Austria, as well ...

* Hugo Flink * Albert von Kersten * Gerhard Haselbach * Albert Hugelmann *

Erich Fiedler Erich Fiedler (15 March 1901 – 19 May 1981) was a German film actor. He was the German dubbing voice of Robert Morley. Selected filmography * ''The Escape to Nice'' (1932) * '' Overnight Sensation'' (1932) * '' Marion, That's Not Nice'' (1933 ...

as Lakai im Konak

References

Bibliography

* Noack, Frank. ''Veit Harlan: The Life and Work of a Nazi Filmmaker''. University Press of Kentucky, 2016. * Waldman, Harry. ''Nazi Films in America, 1933–1942''. McFarland, 2008.

External links

* 1935 films 1935 war films German war drama films German World War I films Films of Nazi Germany 1930s German-language films Films directed by Erich Waschneck Films based on Austrian novels Tobis Film films Films set in Belgrade Films set in Vienna Films set in 1918 1935 drama films 1930s German films Films shot at Johannisthal Studios Films based on works by Alexander Lernet-Holenia {{1930s-Germany-film-stub

Synopsis

Cast

See also

References

Bibliography

External links