The Song of Songs (1933 film)

The Song of Songs is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Rouben Mamoulian, starring Marlene Dietrich as a naive German peasant named Lily who moves to Berlin and suffers a considerable amount of heartache. This particular version of the film was based on the 1908 novel The Song of Songs (Das hohe Lied) by Hermann Sudermann. The novel's original title, which translates to English as "The High Song", does indeed refer to the Song of Solomon, which is often described in German as "Das Hohe Lied der Liebe". However, that is not the only possible inference. "HoheLied" has been translated as "ode" "hosannas" "praises" and used in purely secular as well as religious contexts.[1] Most telling in this case is the use in German of the entire phrase to describe the "great song of love" or "ode to love" in Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians. This creates a double layer of meaning to the title of the novel in German, one that could not be duplicated in an English rendition.

The Song of Songs
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRouben Mamoulian
Screenplay by
Based onfrom the novel by Hermann Sudermann
and the play by
Edward Sheldon
Starring
CinematographyVictor Milner
Music by
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • July 19, 1933 (1933-07-19) (United States)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The 1914 play, The Song of Songs by Edward Sheldon, also contributed to this version. It is a remake of the 1918 silent film The Song of Songs starring Elsie Ferguson and the 1924 silent film Lily of the Dust with Pola Negri.[2]

Plot

Once in Berlin, Lily meets and poses for Richard, the sculptor who lives across the street. Despite the eventual romance between the two lovers, Lily marries one of Richard's wealthy clients, Baron von Merzbach. By the end of the story, Lily and Richard are reunited after Lily struggles on a personal journey.[3]

Cast
Uncredited (in order of appearance)
James Marcuscleric at cemetery who says, "Don't you worry, I'll take care of your father's grave", as Lily kneels with flowers at the grave
Hans Schummpassenger who walks in front of Lily as she arrives at Berlin train station
Paul Panzercarriage driver who brings Lily to her aunt's book lending library and says, "Thank you, miss", when she pays him
Richard Bennettoriginally cast as Baron von Merzbach but, due to illness, was replaced by Lionel Atwill. Seen from the back and in some longshots
Adrienne D'AmbricourtFrench teacher who is tasked by the Baron to provide Lily with culture
Wilson BengeBaron von Merzbach's servant who informs him that there is a fire at the lodge
Florence Robertscustomer at Lily's aunt's library who argues over how many days she kept a book, "I pay you ten and no more"
Rita La RoyOne of the women who dances with men at the upperclass cafe where Lily has become an escort
Morgan WallaceLily's admirer at the upperclass cafe where she is an escort, "What's the matter with you? You go along laughing and singing like everybody else and suddenly you freeze up like this, for no reason"

Reviews and criticism

The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that the film was "dismissed by a number of critics as 'a trite melodrama'.[4] However, it is difficult to either verify the proportion of negative to positive reviews or to substantiate the disdain the professional critic community might have held for the film due to lack of preservation of the actual reviews.

Box office

The film was a box office disappointment for Paramount.[5]

References
  1. "Linguee". Linguee.
  2. The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1931–40 by The American Film Institute, c. 1993
  3. "The Song of Songs (1933)". NYMag.com. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  4. "The Song of Songs | film by Mamoulian [1933]". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  5. D. W. (November 25, 1934). "TAKING A LOOK AT THE RECORD". The New York Times. ProQuest 101193306.
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