Amphitryon (1935)

Directed by:  Reinhold Schünzel

Screenplay by:  Reinhold Schünzel

Based on Amphitryon by Plautus Molière; Heinrich von Kleist

Produced by:  Günther Stapenhorst

Edited by: Arnfried Heyne

Music by: Franz Doelle

Production company: UFA

Distributed by: UFA

Release date: 18 July 1935

Running time: 105 minutes

Country: National Socialist Germany

Language: German

 

Starring:

 

Willy Fritsch: Jupiter / Amphitryon

Paul Kemp: Mercury / Sosias

Käthe Gold: Alkmene

Fita Benkhoff: Andria

Adele Sandrock: Juno

Hilde Hildebrand: 1st friend of Alkmene

Vilma Bekendorf: 2nd friend of Alkmene

Annie Ann: 3rd friend of Alkmene

Hilde Boenisch: 4th friend of Alkmene

Ewald Wenck: Dr Aesculapius

Aribert Wäscher: Thebes' Minister of War

Ellen-Ruth Knapp-Güttingen: 1st wife of Thebes

Annemarie Korff: 2nd Thebes wife

Liesl Otto: 3rd Thebes wife

Annemarie Schwindt: 4th Thebes wife

Albert Karchow: Old Greek

 

Amphitryon is a 1935 German musical film. Written and directed by Reinhold Schünzel, it is based on plays by Molière, Plautus, and Heinrich von Kleist, which in turn are based on Greek mythology. On the contrary, Rafael de España, an expert in Greek-themed cinema, points out that it is not a direct adaptation of any of the previous works, but rather a work with multiple humorous anachronisms taken from the American film Roman Scandals (1932).

 

The film is known by a variety of other names: Amphitryon – Happiness from the Clouds, Amphitryon – Aus den Wolken kommt das Glück in Austria, Amfitryon in Greece, Anfitrione in Italy, Det gudomliga äventyret in Sweden.

 

Amphitryon was filmed in Ufa-Atelier, Neubabelsberg, from 2 February 1935 – May 1935. It was one of UFA’s many multiple-language version films: a French version, Les dieux s’ amusent (The gods are having fun), was shot at the same time.

 

Plot summary

 

Amphitryon is a Theban general away at war. The god Jupiter disguises himself as Amphitryon to seduce Amphitryon’s wife, Alkmene.