Phil Jutzi
Encyclopedia
Phil Jutzi (July 22, 1896 - May 1, 1946) was a German cameraman and movie director.
Born Philipp Jutzi in Altleiningen
as the son of a tailor, Jutzi was self-educated. (He seems to have been generally known by the Palatinate dialect form of his given name, Piel, but a lawsuit by Harry Piel
forced him to go by "Phil," though many journalists continued to use "Piel.") In 1916 he made posters for a small movie theater in the Black Forest
, having been rejected by the military during World War I
because of a physical disability. In 1919 he was an administrator of the Internationale Film-Industrie company in Heidelberg
, which specialized in detective movies and westerns. In 1923 he married Emmy Philippine Zimmermann, the sister of the actor Holmes Zimmermann (born Johannes Zimmermann, 1900–1957), who acted in seven of his films; in May 1926 a daughter, Gisela, was born.
In 1925 Jutzi moved to Berlin
, where he worked as a documentary cameraman for the Communist film company Welt-Film; in 1928/29 he directed the semidocumentary film Um's tägliche Brot (Hunger in Waldenburg). From 1926 he worked as a director for the leftist Prometheus Film, and on the basis of such films as Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück (Mother Krause's Journey to Happiness) (1929) became known as a leading director of proletarian films. At the beginning of 1928 he became a member of the Communist Party
, but left it at the end of 1929.
After the completion of Berlin–Alexanderplatz (1931), based on the Alfred Döblin
novel
, his political orientation changed drastically. In March 1933 Jutzi joined the Nazi Party, and under the Nazi regime became a prolific director, from 1933 to 1941 directing 49 short films (he was rarely allowed to make feature movies because of his political past). In 1934/35 he directed the German spy film Lockspitzel Asew (Azef the Agent Provocateur
) with Fritz Rasp
and Olga Chekhova
, following it with the Austrian spy drama Der Kosak und die Nachtigall (The Cossack and the Nightingale) with Iván Petrovich
und Jarmila Novotná
. But he was not by any means a renowned director, and continued to have financial difficulties until the end of his life. During the 1940s his health worsened and he became unfit for work; after the end of World War II
he returned to his native Altleiningen
, dying the following year.
Born Philipp Jutzi in Altleiningen
Altleiningen
Altleiningen is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
as the son of a tailor, Jutzi was self-educated. (He seems to have been generally known by the Palatinate dialect form of his given name, Piel, but a lawsuit by Harry Piel
Harry Piel
Born Hubert August Piel, Harry Piel in Munich, Germany was a prolific German actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer who was involved in over 150 films....
forced him to go by "Phil," though many journalists continued to use "Piel.") In 1916 he made posters for a small movie theater in the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
, having been rejected by the military during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
because of a physical disability. In 1919 he was an administrator of the Internationale Film-Industrie company in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, which specialized in detective movies and westerns. In 1923 he married Emmy Philippine Zimmermann, the sister of the actor Holmes Zimmermann (born Johannes Zimmermann, 1900–1957), who acted in seven of his films; in May 1926 a daughter, Gisela, was born.
In 1925 Jutzi moved to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where he worked as a documentary cameraman for the Communist film company Welt-Film; in 1928/29 he directed the semidocumentary film Um's tägliche Brot (Hunger in Waldenburg). From 1926 he worked as a director for the leftist Prometheus Film, and on the basis of such films as Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück (Mother Krause's Journey to Happiness) (1929) became known as a leading director of proletarian films. At the beginning of 1928 he became a member of the Communist Party
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
, but left it at the end of 1929.
After the completion of Berlin–Alexanderplatz (1931), based on the Alfred Döblin
Alfred Döblin
Alfred Döblin was a German expressionist novelist, best known for the novel Berlin Alexanderplatz .- 1878–1918:...
novel
Berlin Alexanderplatz
Berlin Alexanderplatz is a novel by Alfred Döblin, published in 1929. The story concerns a small-time criminal, Franz Biberkopf, fresh from prison, who is drawn into the underworld. When his criminal mentor murders the prostitute whom Biberkopf has been relying on as an anchor, he realizes that...
, his political orientation changed drastically. In March 1933 Jutzi joined the Nazi Party, and under the Nazi regime became a prolific director, from 1933 to 1941 directing 49 short films (he was rarely allowed to make feature movies because of his political past). In 1934/35 he directed the German spy film Lockspitzel Asew (Azef the Agent Provocateur
Agent provocateur
Traditionally, an agent provocateur is a person employed by the police or other entity to act undercover to entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act...
) with 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...
and Olga Chekhova
Olga Chekhova
Olga Konstantinovna Chekhova, née Knipper — 9 March 1980, Berlin, Germany) was a Russian-German actress. Her film roles include the female lead in Alfred Hitchcock's Mary .- Biography :...
, following it with the Austrian spy drama Der Kosak und die Nachtigall (The Cossack and the Nightingale) with Iván Petrovich
Iván Petrovich
Iván Petrovich was a silent-and-sound motion picture Serbian actor....
und Jarmila Novotná
Jarmila Novotná
Jarmila Novotná was a celebrated Czech soprano and actress and, from 1940 to 1956, a star of the Metropolitan Opera.-Early career:...
. But he was not by any means a renowned director, and continued to have financial difficulties until the end of his life. During the 1940s his health worsened and he became unfit for work; after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he returned to his native Altleiningen
Altleiningen
Altleiningen is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
, dying the following year.
Selected filmography
- Um's tägliche Brot (Hunger in Waldenburg) (1928/29)
- Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück (1929)
- Die Todeszeche (1930)
- Berlin–Alexanderplatz (1931)
- Eine wie Du (1932/33)
- Lockspitzel Asew (1935) (as Piel Jutzi)
- Der Kosak und die Nachtigall (1935)