Diary of a Lost Girl
Encyclopedia
Diary of a Lost Girl is a 1929
silent film
directed by Georg Wilhelm Pabst
and starring the American silent star Louise Brooks
. It is shot in black and white, and various versions of the film range from 79 minutes to 116 minutes in length. This was Brooks' second and last film with Pabst, and like their prior collaboration (1928's Pandora's Box
), it is considered a classic film. The film was based on the controversial and bestselling novel of the same name, Tagebuch einer Verlorenen
(1905) by Margarete Böhme
. A previous version of the novel, directed in 1918 by Richard Oswald
, is now considered a lost film
.
), is puzzled when their housekeeper, Elizabeth (Sybille Schmitz
), leaves suddenly on the day of Thymian's confirmation. It turns out that her father got Elizabeth pregnant. Elizabeth's body is brought to the pharmacy later that day, an apparent suicide, upsetting Thymian.
Thymian's father's assistant Meinert (Fritz Rasp
), promises to explain it all to her late that night, but instead seduces
her; she gives birth to an illegitimate child. Though Thymian refuses to name the baby's father, the relatives find out from her diary. They decide that the best solution is for her to marry Meinert. When she refuses because she does not love him, they give the baby to a midwife and send her to a strict reformatory
for wayward girls run by a tyrannical woman (Valeska Gert
) and her tall, bald assistant (Andrews Engelmann).
Meanwhile, Thymian's friend, Count Osdorff (André Roanne
), is cast off and left penniless by his rich uncle, also Count Osdorff (Arnold Korff
), after he proves unsuccessful at every school and trade. Thymian begs her friend to persuade her father to take her back, but Thymian's father has married his new housekeeper, Meta (Franziska Kinz), and Meta wants no rivals.
Rebelling against the reformatory's rigid discipline, Thymian and her friend Erika (Edith Meinhard) escape with Osdorff's help. When Thymian goes to see her baby, she is told the child has just died. After despondently wandering the streets, she re-unites with Erika, who is working in a small, upper-class brothel
. With no skills, Thymian also becomes a prostitute.
By chance, Thymian runs into her father, Meta and Meinert in a nightclub. Her father is shocked when he realizes what she has become, but Meta and Meinhert take him away.
Three years later, her father dies. With the expectation of inheriting a large amount of money, she decides to start a new life. The others suggest she obtain a new identity by marrying Osdorff. After thinking about it, he agrees. At the lawyer's office, Meinhert buys Thymian's interest in the pharmacy, making her rich. However, when she learns that Meinhert is throwing the widow and her two children out on the street, Thymian gives Meta the money so that her young half-sister will not suffer her fate.
Osdorff, who had been counting on the money to rebuild a life for himself too, throws himself out the window to his death when she tells him what she has done. The uncle, grief-stricken, decides to make amends by taking care of Thymian. He introduces her to his cousin as his niece, Countess Osdorff.
In a strange twist of fate, she is invited to become a director of the same reformatory where she herself was once held. When an old friend is brought before the directors as an "especially difficult case", Thymian denounces the school and its "blessings" and takes her away. Count Osdorff has the last word as he is leaving: "A little more love and no-one would be lost in this world."
1929 in film
-Events:The days of the silent film are numbered. A mad scramble to provide synchronized sound is on.*January 20 - The movie In Old Arizona is released. The film is the first full-length talking film to be filmed outdoors....
silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
directed by Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
-Biography:Pabst was born in Raudnitz, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary , the son of a railroad employee.Returning from the United States, he was in France when World War I began...
and starring the American silent star Louise Brooks
Louise Brooks
Mary Louise Brooks , generally known by her stage name Louise Brooks, was an American dancer, model, showgirl and silent film actress, noted for popularizing the bobbed haircut. Brooks is best known for her three feature roles including two G. W...
. It is shot in black and white, and various versions of the film range from 79 minutes to 116 minutes in length. This was Brooks' second and last film with Pabst, and like their prior collaboration (1928's Pandora's Box
Pandora's Box (film)
Pandora's Box is a 1929 German silent melodrama film based on Frank Wedekind's plays Erdgeist and Die Büchse der Pandora . Directed by Austrian filmmaker Georg Wilhelm Pabst, the film stars Louise Brooks, Fritz Kortner, and Francis Lederer...
), it is considered a classic film. The film was based on the controversial and bestselling novel of the same name, Tagebuch einer Verlorenen
Tagebuch einer Verlorenen (book)
Tagebuch einer Verlorenen is a book by the German author Margarete Böhme . It purportedly tells the true-life story of Thymian, a young woman forced by circumstance into a life of prostitution...
(1905) by Margarete Böhme
Margarete Böhme
Margarete Böhme was, arguably, one of the most widely read German writers of the early 20th century. Böhme authored 40 novels – as well as short stories, autobiographical sketches, and articles. The Diary of a Lost Girl, first published in 1905 as Tagebuch einer Verlorenen, is her best known and...
. A previous version of the novel, directed in 1918 by Richard Oswald
Richard Oswald
Richard Oswald was an Austrian director, producer, and screenwriter.Richard Oswald, born in Vienna as Richard W. Ornstein, began his career as an actor on the Viennese stage. He made his film directorial debut at age 34 with Das Eiserne Kreuz...
, is now considered a lost film
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
.
Plot
Thymian Henning (Louise Brooks), the innocent, naive daughter of pharmacist Robert Henning (Josef RovenskýJosef Rovenský
Josef Rovenský was a Czechoslovak film actor and director. He appeared in 74 films between 1914 and 1936...
), is puzzled when their housekeeper, Elizabeth (Sybille Schmitz
Sybille Schmitz
Sybille Schmitz was a German actress.-Biography:Schmitz attended an acting school in Cologne and got her first engagement at Max Reinhardt's Deutsches Theater in Berlin in 1927. Only one year later, she made her film debut with Freie Fahrt , which attracted her first attention from the critics...
), leaves suddenly on the day of Thymian's confirmation. It turns out that her father got Elizabeth pregnant. Elizabeth's body is brought to the pharmacy later that day, an apparent suicide, upsetting Thymian.
Thymian's father's assistant Meinert (Fritz Rasp
Fritz Rasp
Fritz Heinrich Rasp was a German film actor who appeared in 104 films between 1916 and 1976.His most notable film roles were "J. J. Peachum" in The Threepenny Opera , as Meinert in Diary of a Lost Girl , and as "Der Schmale" in Fritz Lang's Metropolis...
), promises to explain it all to her late that night, but instead seduces
Seduction
In social science, seduction is the process of deliberately enticing a person to engage. The word seduction stems from Latin and means literally "to lead astray". As a result, the term may have a positive or negative connotation...
her; she gives birth to an illegitimate child. Though Thymian refuses to name the baby's father, the relatives find out from her diary. They decide that the best solution is for her to marry Meinert. When she refuses because she does not love him, they give the baby to a midwife and send her to a strict reformatory
Reformatory
Reformatory is a term that has had varied meanings within the penal system, depending on the jurisdiction and the era. It may refer to a youth detention center, or an adult correctional facility. The term is still in popular use for adult facilities throughout the United States, although most...
for wayward girls run by a tyrannical woman (Valeska Gert
Valeska Gert
Valeska Gert was a German Jewish dancer and cabaret artist. She was also active as an actress and artists' model.-Life and career:...
) and her tall, bald assistant (Andrews Engelmann).
Meanwhile, Thymian's friend, Count Osdorff (André Roanne
André Roanne
André Roanne was a French actor. He began his career playing in short films, and acted in 91 films in total, most notably those of Fernandel. Most of his films were French; he did, however, also appear in German and Italian works, especially co-productions with French companies...
), is cast off and left penniless by his rich uncle, also Count Osdorff (Arnold Korff
Arnold Korff
Arnold Korff was an Austrian-born Hollywood actor and director. He made his first appearance on the American stage in Denver in 1892.-References:...
), after he proves unsuccessful at every school and trade. Thymian begs her friend to persuade her father to take her back, but Thymian's father has married his new housekeeper, Meta (Franziska Kinz), and Meta wants no rivals.
Rebelling against the reformatory's rigid discipline, Thymian and her friend Erika (Edith Meinhard) escape with Osdorff's help. When Thymian goes to see her baby, she is told the child has just died. After despondently wandering the streets, she re-unites with Erika, who is working in a small, upper-class brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. With no skills, Thymian also becomes a prostitute.
By chance, Thymian runs into her father, Meta and Meinert in a nightclub. Her father is shocked when he realizes what she has become, but Meta and Meinhert take him away.
Three years later, her father dies. With the expectation of inheriting a large amount of money, she decides to start a new life. The others suggest she obtain a new identity by marrying Osdorff. After thinking about it, he agrees. At the lawyer's office, Meinhert buys Thymian's interest in the pharmacy, making her rich. However, when she learns that Meinhert is throwing the widow and her two children out on the street, Thymian gives Meta the money so that her young half-sister will not suffer her fate.
Osdorff, who had been counting on the money to rebuild a life for himself too, throws himself out the window to his death when she tells him what she has done. The uncle, grief-stricken, decides to make amends by taking care of Thymian. He introduces her to his cousin as his niece, Countess Osdorff.
In a strange twist of fate, she is invited to become a director of the same reformatory where she herself was once held. When an old friend is brought before the directors as an "especially difficult case", Thymian denounces the school and its "blessings" and takes her away. Count Osdorff has the last word as he is leaving: "A little more love and no-one would be lost in this world."