(The Broken Jug)
Directed by: Gustav Ucicky
Produced by:
Karl Julius Fritzsche
Fritz Klotsch
Written by:
Heinrich von Kleist (play)
Thea von Harbou
Music by:
Wolfgang Zeller
Cinematography: Fritz
Arno Wagner
Edited by: Arnfried
Heyne
Production
company: Tobis Film
Distributed
by: Tobis Film
Release
dates: 19 October 1937
Running
time: 86 minutes
Country:
Germany
Language:
German
Starring:
Emil
Jannings: Adam, the village judge
Friedrich
Kayßler: Walter, Judiciary
Max Gülstorff: Licht,
Schreiber
Lina
Carstens: Marthe Rull
Angela
Salloker: Eva Rull, her daughter
Bruno
Hübner: Veit ponds, farmers'
Paul Dahlke:
Ruprecht pond, his son
Elisabeth
Flickenschildt: Brigitte
Walter Werner: A
servant
Erich Dunskus: Büttel
Gisela von
Collande: Grethe, maid
Lotte
Rausch: Liese, maid
Käthe
Kamossa: Villager
Plot:
The Broken Jug (German:Der zerbrochene Krug) is a 1937
German historical comedy film directed by Gustav Ucicky and starring Emil
Jannings, Friedrich Kayßler and Max Gülstorff. It is an adaptation of the play
The Broken Jug by Heinrich von Kleist. The film was popular with Adolf Hitler.
The
Broken Jug mocks the failings of human nature and the judicial system in a
forgiving way. It is similar to Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus the King (c. 429
BCE), in that in both plays the judge is guilty, but different insofar as Adam
knows from the start who is guilty, as does the audience, and is trying his
hardest to conceal the truth.
The
play follows the story of "Adam" and "Eve". Adam is covered
in various injuries and talking with his secretary Licht. The jug is not
mentioned in these first five scenes although the audience is made aware that
Adam is a highly suspicious character. The trial lasting from scene seven
through to scene eleven, shows the characters on stage trying to piece together
the events which led to the breaking of the jug. At the end of scene eleven Eve
states that Adam broke the jug and Adam escapes in the confusion.
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