''The Governor'' (German: ''Der Gouverneur'') is a 1939 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-g ...

directed by

Viktor Tourjansky The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * Victor (1951 film), ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * Victor (1993 film), ...

and starring

Brigitte Horney Brigitte Horney (, 29 March 1911 – 27 July 1988) was a German theatre and film actress. Best remembered was her role as Empress Katherine the Great in the 1943 version of the UFA film version of '' Baron Münchhausen'', directed by Josef von ...

Willy Birgel Willy Birgel (19 September 1891 – 29 December 1973), born Wilhelm Maria Birgel, was a German theatre and film actor. Career Birgel began his acting career before World War I on the stage in his native city of Cologne, and came to movies rath ...

and

Hannelore Schroth Hannelore Emilie Käte Grete Schroth (; 10 January 1922 – 7 July 1987) was a German film, stage, and television actress whose career spanned over five decades. Career Born in Berlin in 1922, she was the daughter of popular stage and film actor ...

.Waldman p.282 It is based on the play ''Die Fahne'' by Emmerich Groh. It was shot at the

Babelsberg Babelsberg () is the largest quarter (''Stadtteil'') of Potsdam, the capital city of the German state of Brandenburg. The affluent neighbourhood named after a small hill on the Havel river is famous for Babelsberg Palace and Park, part of the Palac ...

and

Tempelhof Studios The Tempelhof Studios are a film studio located in Tempelhof in the German capital of Berlin. They were founded in 1912, during the silent era, by German film pioneer Alfred Duskes, who built a glass-roofed studio on the site with financial back ...

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 ...

and on location in

East Prussia East Prussia ; german: Ostpreißen, label=Low Prussian; pl, Prusy Wschodnie; lt, Rytų Prūsija was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 187 ...

. 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 ...

Max Mellin Max Mellin (1904–1977) was a German art director.Jacobsen & Prinzler p.275 Selected filmography * ''Happy Days in Aranjuez'' (1933) * ''The Girlfriend of a Big Man'' (1934) * '' Playing with Fire'' (1934) * '' Marriage Strike'' (1935) * ''Fresh ...

. It was produced on a budget of 715,000

Reichsmarks The (; sign: ℛℳ; abbreviation: RM) was the currency of Germany from 1924 until 20 June 1948 in West Germany, where it was replaced with the , and until 23 June 1948 in East Germany, where it was replaced by the East German mark. The Reichs ...

Synopsis

In a fictional

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

n country, a high-ranking military officer decides to overthrow Parliament. Salvation in the party turmoil is the military dictatorship under the resolute governor General Werkonen. The new deputy ensures that an assassination attempt is carried out on them. However, the general is only slightly injured when it is executed. The hired assassin now feels abandoned by his employer and takes revenge by killing him. The suspicion of murder falls on the young guards officer, Lieutenant Robert Runeberg, the son of the former landowner, who probably had a motive because of the alleged forgery of his father's bills. And that very officer cannot reveal his alibi; because said alibi is a simultaneous conversation with his childhood friend Maria, the current wife of the military governor, and he doesn't want to compromise her. While everyone involved is still struggling with questions of conscience, the guards officer is about to grab his pistol and the governor is about to resign, the real murderer turns up in good time. With that, all honor and especially the honor of the body regiment is saved.

Cast

as Maria *

as General Werkonen *

as Ebba *

Ernst von Klipstein Ernst von Klipstein (3 February 1908 – 22 November 1993) was a German film and television actor. von Klipstein became a prominent actor during the Nazi era, appearing in a large number of action films. Partial filmography * '' Uproar in Dama ...

as Leutnant Robert Runeberg *

Rolf Weih Rolf Weih (1906–1969) was a German film actor. Selected filmography * ''Flachsmann the Educator'' (1930) * ''Comrades at Sea'' (1938) * ''Alarm at Station III'' (1939) * '' In the Name of the People'' (1939) * '' The Governor'' (1939) * ''Alarm' ...

as Leutnant Kalminen *

Walter Franck Walter Franck (16 April 1896 – 10 August 1961) was a German film actor. He appeared in 32 films between 1926 and 1952. Selected filmography * '' Master of the World'' (1934) * '' The Island'' (1934) * '' Escapade'' (1936) * ''Stronger Tha ...

as Dr. Erko *

Paul Bildt Paul Hermann Bildt (19 May 1885 – 13 March 1957) was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1910 and 1956. He was born and died in Berlin, Germany. Selected filmography * ''Devil in Silk'' (1956) * ''Ich suche Di ...

as Gutsbesitzer Runeberg *

Lotte Spira Lotte Spira (; 24 April 1883 – 17 December 1943) was a German stage and film actress. She appeared in supporting roles in around seventy films. She was married to the Austrian actor Fritz Spira in 1905. In 1934 she divorced her Jewish husband ...

as Frau Runeberg *

Werner Pledath Werner Pledath (26 April 1898 – 6 December 1965) was a German actor who appeared in many films during a lengthy career. He generally played supporting roles such as in '' Five from the Jazz Band'' (1932).Youngkin p.465 Pledath specialized in pla ...

as Oberst Wantua *

Albert Florath Albert Peter Adam Florath (7 December 1888, Bielefeld – 11 March 1957, Gaildorf) was a German stage and film actor. Early life and education Born to Joseph Florath, a locksmith, and his wife Matilda, née Burkart, he attended school in Brak ...

as Oberst Perkaulen *

Paul Otto Paul Otto Schlesinger (8 February 1878 – 25 or 30 November 1943) was a German film actor and director. Born in Berlin, he began a qualification as a retail merchant and made his actor's debut at the age of 17. Otto worked at Theaters in ...

as Ministerpräsident Lönnrot *

Ingolf Kuntze Ingolf Kuntze (1890–1952) was a German stage and film actor.Giesen p.217 He was active as a character actor, appearing in supporting roles in a number of films during the Nazi era. Selected filmography * ''A Woman Branded'' (1931) * '' And Who ...

as Gutsbesitzer Maris *

Karl-Heinz Peters Karl-Heinz Peters (1903–1990) was a German film actor. Selected filmography * ''Alarm at Station III'' (1939) * ''Men Are That Way'' (1939) * '' The Governor'' (1939) * ''Enemies'' (1940) * '' Mein Leben für Irland'' (1940) * ''Between Hamburg ...

as Tom Lynge * F.W. Schröder-Schrom as General Borgas *

Karl Meixner Karl Meixner (13 February 1903 – 29 December 1976) was an Austrian film actor. Partial filmography * '' Frederica'' (1932) * ''The Testament of Dr. Mabuse'' (1933) - Hofmeister * '' Hitlerjunge Quex'' (1933) - Wilde * '' Refugees'' (1933) - Pa ...

as Diener bei Dr. Erko *

Nicolas Koline Nicolas Koline (1878–1973) was a Russian stage and film actor. He established himself in Russia as a stage performer with the Moscow Art Theatre. He emigrated from Russia after the October Revolution of 1917 and came to France with La Chauve-Sou ...

as Jan, Koch in Marias Elternhaus *

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 Diener bei General Werkonen *

Franz Arzdorf Franz Arzdorf (5 May 1904 – 24 April 1974) was a German stage, film and television actor.Jacobsen & Prinzler p.276 Selected filmography * ''Love Can Lie'' (1937) * '' Dangerous Game'' (1937) * ''Talking About Jacqueline'' (1937) * '' A Night in ...

as Zivilist im Gefolge des Staatspräsidenten * Charly Berger as Offizier im Gefolge *

Reinhold Bernt Reinhold Bernt (19 December 1902 – 26 October 1981) was a German film actor. Bernt was born Reinhold Bienert in Berlin and died in West Berlin. Career Bernt's acting career began in Stuttgart with a theater debut. Soon after, he traveled to B ...

as Mitglied der Radikalen Partei *

Theo Brandt Theo is a given name and a hypocorism. Greek origin Many names beginning with the root "Theo-" derive from the Ancient Greek word ''theos'' (''θεός''), which means god, for example: *Feminine names: Thea, Theodora, Theodosia, Theophania, ...

as Junger Offizier *

Fritz Eckert Fritz Herman Vilhelm Eckert, (25 April 1852 - 6 March 1920) was a Swedish architect. Biography Fritz Herman Vilhelm Eckert was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He attended the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts from 1871-1878 and spent 1879 travelling ab ...

as Ein weiterer Offizier *

Max Harry Ernst Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) (1 ...

as Parlamentsmitglied * Charles Francois as Parlamentsmitglied *

Fred Goebel Fred Goebel (3 April 1891 – 16 May 1964) was a German film actor. He was born as Walter Goebel and was sometimes credited as Fred Selva-Goebel. Selected filmography * '' Child on the Open Road'' (1919) * '' The Dance of Death'' (1919) * '' Bett ...

as Offizier der Polizeiwache * Otto F. Henning as Stabsarzt *

Alfred Karen Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

as Parlamentsmitglied *

Hans Kettler Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi a ...

as Polizeikommissar am Tatort * Otto Klopsch as Polizeikommissar *

Ida Krill Ida or IDA may refer to: Astronomy *Ida Facula, a mountain on Amalthea, a moon of Jupiter *243 Ida, an asteroid *International Docking Adapter, a docking adapter for the International Space Station Computing *Intel Dynamic Acceleration, a techno ...

as Küchenhilfe bei Maria *

Heinrich Marlow Heinrich may refer to: People * Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...

as Staatspräsident * Max Mensing as Regierungsmitglied * Klaus Pohl as Mann am Bahnhof, der sich eine Zigarette anzündet * Georg A. Profé as Offizier *

Arthur Reinhardt Arthur Reinhardt (17 April 1893 – 16 December 1973) was a German actor.Kay Weniger Kay Weniger (born in Berlin in 1966) is an Austrian writer of books on media issues. He published an eight-volume encyclopaedia on international film people ...

as Limonadenverkäufer am Bahnsteig *

Ferdinand Robert Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

as Gast beim Empfang des Gouverneurs *

Walter Schramm-Duncker Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...

as Gast auf Gut Marias *

Otz Tollen Otz Tollen (9 April 1882 – 19 July 1965) was a German actor and film director. Born in Berlin, he made his film debut in the 1912 Joe May directed film ''In der Tiefe des Schachtes''. His last film role was an appearance in the 1960 Nadja Tille ...

as Stabsoffizier des Fahnenregiments *

Elisabeth von Ruets Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

as Gast beim Empfang des Gouverneurs *

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 Polizeipräfekt * Borwin Walth as Diener beim Empfang *

Eduard Wenck Eduard Model Accessories is a Czech manufacturer of plastic models and finescale model accessories. Formed in 1989 in the city of Most, Eduard began in a rented cellar as a manufacturer of photoetched brass model components. Following the succ ...

as Zeitschriftenverkäufer am Bahnsteig * Kurt Wieschala as Regierungsmitglied

References

Bibliography

* Waldman, Harry. ''Nazi Films in America, 1933–1942''. McFarland, 2008.

External links

* 1939 films 1939 drama films German drama films Films of Nazi Germany 1930s German-language films Films directed by Victor Tourjansky Terra Film films German black-and-white films Films shot at Babelsberg Studios Films shot at Tempelhof Studios Films set in Europe 1930s German films Films scored by Wolfgang Zeller {{1930s-Germany-film-stub