Die Buntkarierten
Encyclopedia
The Beaverskin is a 1949 German
drama film
directed by Kurt Maetzig
.
decided to film her script only after he realized he will not be able to create a picture based on a novel by Eduard Claudius.
The work on The Beaverskin was relatively free from censure. It was created at the time before the Tito-Stalin Split
and the founding of the German Democratic Republic
forced strict censure on DEFA; according to Maetzig, the Soviet occupation authorities were determined not to force a USSR-style system on their subjects, but to allow them to develop their own model of Socialism. Although the censors did criticize several points in the plot, like presenting the Proletariate worker Paul as rather passive, Maetzig and Waterstradt refused to make any amendments. The director also told he was influenced by Bertolt Brecht
's disapproval from his last picture, Marriage in the Shadows, which the latter described as "utter kitsch", and wished to avoid making an overly didactic movie. Mark Silbermann claimed that the film was generally made in style reminiscent of Brecht's works during the 1920s.
The Beaverskin was leading actress' Camilla Spira
first role on screen since she was banned from working in cinema at 1935.
's Babylon Cinema, and sold 4,175,228 tickets. For their work on the picture, Maetzig, Waterstradt, Spira and cinematogrpher Friedl Behn-Grund were all awarded the National Prize
, 2nd degree, at 25 August 1949. It was also entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival
.
The Beaverskin received great acclaim in all sectors of Germany. the West German Der Spiegel
praised it as one "made with spirit and wit" by Maetzig, who also "employed good actors". The magazine quoted favourable reviews by the American zone's Die Neue Zeitung, which described the film as "a great epic", as well as by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
's Neues Deutschland, the columnist of which "was absolutely approving of it".
Film scholars Miera and Antonin Liehm considered the ending of The Beaverskin as "schematic", claiming that it foreshadowed the propagandistic style of his next work, The Council of the Gods. Author Nick Hodgin wrote that the film presented one of the earliest examples of a self-assured, female protagonist, which would become a token character in later DEFA films. Sabine Hake noted that while doing so in moderate style, the picture certainly promoted a Socialist message; Michael Geyer argued that it portrayed the Marxist-Leninist interpretation of German history, explaining the great events of the 20th century in this fashion. Still, the SED's cultural establishment later criticized The Beaverskin as lacking sufficient ideological committment.
Cinema of Germany
Cinema in Germany can be traced back to the late 19th century. German cinema has made major technical and artistic contributions to film.Unlike any other national cinemas, which developed in the context of relatively continuous and stable political systems, Germany witnesses major changes to its...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Kurt Maetzig
Kurt Maetzig
Kurt Maetzig is an East German film director who had a significant effect on the film industry in the GDR. He is one of the most respected filmmakers of East Germany. He currently lives in Wildkuhl, Mecklenburg, and has three children....
.
Plot
At 1884, Guste is born as the illegitimate daughter of a maid. She marries a worker named Paul; her mistress gives her a set of common, checkered mattresses as a wedding gift. During the First World War, Paul is called to the front, and she remains alone with their children and works in a munitions factory. When she realizes how the capital of the great industry magnates had caused the war in the first place, Guste resigns and begins cleaning houses for a living. When the Nazis take over, Paul is fired from his job for being a trade-unionist, and dies. At the Second World War, their children are killed in a bombing. Gusta's granddaughter, Christel, is the only family she has now. After the war, as Christel is about to attend university - the first member of the family to have ever done so - her grandmother sews her a new dress from the old mattresses and tells her to always fight for peace and freedom.Cast
- Camilla SpiraCamilla SpiraCamilla Spira was a German film actress. She appeared in 68 films between 1924 and 1986.She was born in Hamburg, Germany and died in Berlin, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Piccadilly Zero Hour 12...
- Guste Schmiedecke - Werner HinzWerner HinzWerner Hinz was a German film actor. He appeared in 70 films between 1935 and 1984.-Selected filmography:* Die Buntkarierten * No Greater Love * The Last Witness...
- Paul Schmiedecke - Liselotte Lieck - Grandmother
- Friedrich GnaßFriedrich GnaßFriedrich Gnaß was a German film actor. He appeared in 53 films between 1929 and 1958.-Selected filmography:* M * Rasputin, Dämon der Frauen * The Star of Valencia...
- Grandfather - Carsta Löck - Emma
- Ursula Diestel - Frieda
- Yvonne Merin - Marie
- Kurt Liebenau - Hans
- Brigitte Krause - Christel
- Hanni Herter - Suse
- Yvonne Sturm - Erika
- Hans Alexander
- Walter Bluhm - Mr. Levin
- Susi Deitz
- Lothar Firmans
Production
The script was adapted by author Berta Waterstradt from her successful radio drama ,During the Blackout, which was broadcast in the Berlin Radio. Waterstradt's screenplay was rejected by DEFA at first. Director Kurt MaetzigKurt Maetzig
Kurt Maetzig is an East German film director who had a significant effect on the film industry in the GDR. He is one of the most respected filmmakers of East Germany. He currently lives in Wildkuhl, Mecklenburg, and has three children....
decided to film her script only after he realized he will not be able to create a picture based on a novel by Eduard Claudius.
The work on The Beaverskin was relatively free from censure. It was created at the time before the Tito-Stalin Split
Tito-Stalin Split
The Tito–Stalin Split was a conflict between the leaders of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which resulted in Yugoslavia's expulsion from the Communist Information Bureau in 1948...
and the founding of the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
forced strict censure on DEFA; according to Maetzig, the Soviet occupation authorities were determined not to force a USSR-style system on their subjects, but to allow them to develop their own model of Socialism. Although the censors did criticize several points in the plot, like presenting the Proletariate worker Paul as rather passive, Maetzig and Waterstradt refused to make any amendments. The director also told he was influenced by Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
's disapproval from his last picture, Marriage in the Shadows, which the latter described as "utter kitsch", and wished to avoid making an overly didactic movie. Mark Silbermann claimed that the film was generally made in style reminiscent of Brecht's works during the 1920s.
The Beaverskin was leading actress' Camilla Spira
Camilla Spira
Camilla Spira was a German film actress. She appeared in 68 films between 1924 and 1986.She was born in Hamburg, Germany and died in Berlin, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Piccadilly Zero Hour 12...
first role on screen since she was banned from working in cinema at 1935.
Reception
The film had its premier in East BerlinEast Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
's Babylon Cinema, and sold 4,175,228 tickets. For their work on the picture, Maetzig, Waterstradt, Spira and cinematogrpher Friedl Behn-Grund were all awarded the National Prize
National Prize of East Germany
The National Prize of the German Democratic Republic was an award of the German Democratic Republic given out in three different classes for scientific, artistic, and other meritorious achievement...
, 2nd degree, at 25 August 1949. It was also entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival
1949 Cannes Film Festival
The 3rd Cannes Film Festival was held on September 2-17, 1949. No festival was held in 1948.- Jury :The entire jury for this festival were French.*Georges Huisman *Jules Romains *Mme...
.
The Beaverskin received great acclaim in all sectors of Germany. the West German Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
praised it as one "made with spirit and wit" by Maetzig, who also "employed good actors". The magazine quoted favourable reviews by the American zone's Die Neue Zeitung, which described the film as "a great epic", as well as by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
's Neues Deutschland, the columnist of which "was absolutely approving of it".
Film scholars Miera and Antonin Liehm considered the ending of The Beaverskin as "schematic", claiming that it foreshadowed the propagandistic style of his next work, The Council of the Gods. Author Nick Hodgin wrote that the film presented one of the earliest examples of a self-assured, female protagonist, which would become a token character in later DEFA films. Sabine Hake noted that while doing so in moderate style, the picture certainly promoted a Socialist message; Michael Geyer argued that it portrayed the Marxist-Leninist interpretation of German history, explaining the great events of the 20th century in this fashion. Still, the SED's cultural establishment later criticized The Beaverskin as lacking sufficient ideological committment.
External links
- Die Buntkarierten original poster on ostfilm.de.
- Die Buntkarierten on PROGRESS' website.
- Die Buntkarierten on film-zeit.de.
- Die Buntkarierten on cinema.de.
- Die Buntkarierten on DEFA' Hall of Fame.
- Die Buntkarierten on filmportal.de.