Willy Schmidt-Gentner
Encyclopedia
Willy Schmidt-Gentner was one of the most successful German composers of film music in the history of German-language cinema. He moved to Vienna
in 1933. At his most productive, he scored up to 10 films a year, including numerous classics and masterpieces of the German and Austrian cinema.
in Thuringia
, Germany. During his childhood he learnt the violin and took lessons in composition from Max Reger
. After World War I
Schmidt-Gentner worked as a civil servant checking that cinema owners were paying their full taxes. Through one of his clients he got a position as a band leader at film theatre performances. This raised his interest in films and as early as 1922 he produced his first composition to accompany a silent film
. He performed many of his new pieces himself on the piano during films. He was also already responsible at this period for the sound tracks of a number of German classic films, for example Alraune
(1928), Die weisse Hölle vom Piz Palü (1929) and Hokuspokus (1930)
With the arrival of sound film
s he quickly became one of the most sought-after filmscore composers in Germany, so that for a time he was scoring up to 10 films a year. He had a preference for light comedies and cheerful musical romances, but occasionally he took on more heavyweight productions with political overtones, for example the National Socialist propaganda film Wien 1910 (1943) or the historical film Spionage (1955) about the k. u. k. spy Colonel Redl.
In 1933 he moved to Vienna, where he directed his only two films, Die Pompadour (1935) and Prater (1936), for the company Mondial-Film. For Sascha-Film
he composed the music for some of the greatest specimens of the Wiener Film
genre, among others Maskerade
and Hohe Schule (both 1934). After the Anschluss
(the annexation of Austria to Germany) he became the "house composer" for the National Socialist-owned Wien-Film
, which had developed out of the former Sascha-Film. For them he scored not only their many escapist romantic comedies, but also some of their few overt propaganda films such as Heimkehr
(1941), Wien 1910 (1942) or Das Herz muß schweigen (1944). He was also repeatedly commissioned by the top directors of wartime Vienna, Willi Forst
and Gustav Ucicky
, whom he already knew from previous work, to write scores for their productions, such as Der Postmeister
(1940), Operette (1940), Wiener Blut
(1942) and Wiener Mädeln (1943/1949).
After the end of the war Schmidt-Gentner remained loyal to Vienna and successfully continued his composing career for many more films, predominantly musicals set in Austria, until he retired in 1955. Altogether he composed the music for about 200 films. He died in Vienna on 12 February 1964.
Silent films:
Sound films:
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1933. At his most productive, he scored up to 10 films a year, including numerous classics and masterpieces of the German and Austrian cinema.
Life
Schmidt-Gentner was born in Neustadt am RennsteigNeustadt am Rennsteig
Neustadt am Rennsteig is a municipality in the district Ilm-Kreis, in Thuringia, Germany. Its history can be traced back to the 15th century. Due to its location at 805 metres above sea level, there is scarcely another thuringian locality located this high....
in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, Germany. During his childhood he learnt the violin and took lessons in composition from Max Reger
Max Reger
Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger was a German composer, conductor, pianist, organist, and academic teacher.-Life:...
. After 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...
Schmidt-Gentner worked as a civil servant checking that cinema owners were paying their full taxes. Through one of his clients he got a position as a band leader at film theatre performances. This raised his interest in films and as early as 1922 he produced his first composition to accompany a 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...
. He performed many of his new pieces himself on the piano during films. He was also already responsible at this period for the sound tracks of a number of German classic films, for example Alraune
Alraune (1928 film)
Alraune is a 1928 silent science fiction horror film directed by Henrik Galeen and starring Brigitte Helm in which a prostitute is artificially inseminated with the semen of a hanged man. The story is based upon the legend of Alraune and the powers of the mandrake root to impregnate women...
(1928), Die weisse Hölle vom Piz Palü (1929) and Hokuspokus (1930)
With the arrival of sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
s he quickly became one of the most sought-after filmscore composers in Germany, so that for a time he was scoring up to 10 films a year. He had a preference for light comedies and cheerful musical romances, but occasionally he took on more heavyweight productions with political overtones, for example the National Socialist propaganda film Wien 1910 (1943) or the historical film Spionage (1955) about the k. u. k. spy Colonel Redl.
In 1933 he moved to Vienna, where he directed his only two films, Die Pompadour (1935) and Prater (1936), for the company Mondial-Film. For Sascha-Film
Sascha-Film
Sascha-Film, in full Sascha-Filmindustrie AG and from 1933 Tobis-Sascha-Filmindustrie AG, was the largest Austrian film production company of the silent film and early sound film period.-History:...
he composed the music for some of the greatest specimens of the Wiener Film
Wiener Film
Wiener Film is an Austrian film genre, consisting of a combination of comedy, romance and melodrama in an historical setting, mostly, and typically, the Vienna of the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
genre, among others Maskerade
Maskerade (film)
Maskerade , is an Austrian operetta film, and a classic of German language cinema. The exceptional script of this, a great example of the genre of the Wiener Film, was by Walter Reisch and Willi Forst, who also directed...
and Hohe Schule (both 1934). After the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
(the annexation of Austria to Germany) he became the "house composer" for the National Socialist-owned Wien-Film
Wien-Film
Wien-Film GmbH was a large Austrian film company, which in 1938 succeeded the Tobis-Sascha-Filmindustrie AG and lasted until 1985...
, which had developed out of the former Sascha-Film. For them he scored not only their many escapist romantic comedies, but also some of their few overt propaganda films such as Heimkehr
Heimkehr
Heimkehr is a 1941 German anti-Polish propaganda film directed by Gustav Ucicky.It received the rare honor "Film of the Nation," bestowed on films considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the national cause...
(1941), Wien 1910 (1942) or Das Herz muß schweigen (1944). He was also repeatedly commissioned by the top directors of wartime Vienna, Willi Forst
Willi Forst
Willi Forst, born Wilhelm Anton Frohs was an Austrian actor, screenwriter, film director, film producer and singer...
and Gustav Ucicky
Gustav Ucicky
Gustav Ucicky was an acclaimed Austrian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. He was one of the more successful and acclaimed directors in Austria and Germany from the 1930s through to the early 1960s...
, whom he already knew from previous work, to write scores for their productions, such as Der Postmeister
Der Postmeister
Der Postmeister was a 1941 German film directed by Gustav Ucicky. Released during the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, it depicts Russians in a sympathetic light, unlike their depiction in such films as Friesennot before or GPU after.At the Venice Film Festival, it won the Mussolini Cup for best foreign...
(1940), Operette (1940), Wiener Blut
Wiener Blut
Wiener Blut may refer to:*Wiener Blut , a waltz by Johann Strauss II*Wiener Blut , an operetta by Johann Strauss II*Wiener Blut , an album by Falco*Wiener Blut , a song by Rammstein...
(1942) and Wiener Mädeln (1943/1949).
After the end of the war Schmidt-Gentner remained loyal to Vienna and successfully continued his composing career for many more films, predominantly musicals set in Austria, until he retired in 1955. Altogether he composed the music for about 200 films. He died in Vienna on 12 February 1964.
Filmography
A selection of films scored by Willy Schmidt-Gentner, with names of directors:Silent films:
- Nathan der Weise (Germany 1922, Manfred Noa)
- An der schönen blauen Donau (Germany 1926, Friedrich Zelnik)
- Der Student von Prag (Germany 1926, Henrik Galeen)
- Das tanzende Wien (Germany 1927, Friedrich Zelnik)
- Mata Hari (Germany 1927, Friedrich Fehér)
- Orientexpress (Germany 1927, Wilhelm ThieleWilhelm Thiele-Selected filmography:* Orient Express * The Road to Paradise * Die Privatsekretärin * Dactylo * Waltz Time * The Lottery Lover * London by Night...
) - AlrauneAlraune (1928 film)Alraune is a 1928 silent science fiction horror film directed by Henrik Galeen and starring Brigitte Helm in which a prostitute is artificially inseminated with the semen of a hanged man. The story is based upon the legend of Alraune and the powers of the mandrake root to impregnate women...
(Germany 1928, Henrik Galeen) - Frau im MondFrau im MondWoman in the Moon is a science fiction silent film that premiered October 15, 1929. It is often considered to be one of the first "serious" science fiction films...
(Germany 1929, Fritz LangFritz LangFriedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
) - Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü (Germany 1929, Arnold FanckArnold FanckArnold Fanck was a pioneer of the German mountain film....
, Georg Wilhelm PabstGeorg 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...
)
Sound films:
- Hokuspokus (Germany 1930, Gustav UcickyGustav UcickyGustav Ucicky was an acclaimed Austrian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. He was one of the more successful and acclaimed directors in Austria and Germany from the 1930s through to the early 1960s...
) - Leise flehen meine Lieder (Germany/Austria 1934, Willi ForstWilli ForstWilli Forst, born Wilhelm Anton Frohs was an Austrian actor, screenwriter, film director, film producer and singer...
) - MaskeradeMaskerade (film)Maskerade , is an Austrian operetta film, and a classic of German language cinema. The exceptional script of this, a great example of the genre of the Wiener Film, was by Walter Reisch and Willi Forst, who also directed...
(Austria 1934, Willi Forst) - G'schichten aus dem Wienerwald (Austria 1934, Georg JacobyGeorg JacobyGeorg Jacoby was a German film director and screenwriter. He was married to Marika Rökk from 1940 until his death; the actress Gabriele Jacoby is their daughter.-Selected filmography:...
) - Hohe Schule (Austria 1934, Erich EngelErich EngelErich Engel was a German film and theatre director.- Biography :Engel was born in Hamburg, where later he studied at the School of Applied Arts...
) - EpisodeEpisode (film)Episode is an Austrian film from 1935. It belongs to the popular Austrian light romantic comedy genre known as the Wiener Film, but also contains, for a film of this genre, unusually serious social comment. It was written and produced by Walter Reisch...
(Austria 1935, Walter ReischWalter ReischWalter Reisch was an Austrian-born director and screenwriter. He also wrote lyrics to several songs featured in his films, one popular title is "Flieger, grüß mir die Sonne".-Selected filmography:...
) - ... nur ein Komödiant... nur ein Komödiant… nur ein Komödiant is the title of an Austrian film of 1935. The director was Erich Engel, temporarily in Vienna as a political emigrant from Germany, who with this film made a statement against fascism and authoritarian government...
(Austria 1935, Erich Engel) - Hotel SacherHotel SacherThe Hotel Sacher is a five-star hotel in the Innenstadt district of Vienna, Austria, next to the Staatsoper. It is famous for the specialty of the house, the Sachertorte, a chocolate cake with apricot filling. There is also an art gallery in the hotel with works from the 19th century...
(Austria 1939, Erich Engel) - Mutterliebe (Germany/Austria 1939, Gustav Ucicky)
- Der PostmeisterDer PostmeisterDer Postmeister was a 1941 German film directed by Gustav Ucicky. Released during the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, it depicts Russians in a sympathetic light, unlike their depiction in such films as Friesennot before or GPU after.At the Venice Film Festival, it won the Mussolini Cup for best foreign...
(Germany/Austria 1940, Gustav Ucicky) - Der liebe Augustin (Germany/Austria 1940, E. W. EmoE. W. EmoE. W. Emo was an Austrian film director, specialising in comedies, 21 of them with the actor Hans Moser. He also worked outside Austria and wrote some screenplays....
) - Operette (Germany/Austria 1940, Willi Forst, Karl HartlKarl HartlKarl Hartl was an Austrian film director.-Life:Born in Vienna, Hartl began his film career at the Austrian Sascha-Film company of Alexander Kolowrat and from 1919 was assistant to the Hungarian director Alexander Korda...
) - HeimkehrHeimkehrHeimkehr is a 1941 German anti-Polish propaganda film directed by Gustav Ucicky.It received the rare honor "Film of the Nation," bestowed on films considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the national cause...
(Germany/Austria 1941, Gustav Ucicky) - Brüderlein Fein (Germany/Austria 1942, Hans ThimigHans ThimigHans Emil Thimig, pseudonym: Hans Werner was an Austrian actor, film director and stage director.- Life :...
) - Wien 1910 (Germany/Austria 1942, E. W. Emo)
- Wiener Blut (Germany/Austria 1942, Willi Forst)
- Späte Liebe (Germany/Austria 1942, Gustav Ucicky)
- SchrammelnSchrammeln- Cast :*Marte Harell as Die Fiakermilli*Hans Holt as Joseph Schrammel*Hans Moser as Anton Strohmayer*Paul Hörbiger as Hans Schrammel*Fritz Imhoff as Georg Dänzer*Paula Pfluger as Theresa Schrammel*Inge Egger as Barbara Strohmeyer*Helli Servi as Franzi...
(Germany/Austria 1943, Géza von BolváryGéza von BolváryGéza von Bolváry was a Hungarian actor, screenwriter and film director, who worked principally in Germany and Austria.- Biography :...
) - Das Herz muß schweigen (Germany/Austria 1944, Gustav Ucicky)
- Wiener Mädeln (Germany/Austria 1944/1949, Willi Forst
- Praterbuben (Austria 1946, Paul MartinPaul MartinPaul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
) - Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt (Austria 1947, J. A. Hübler-Kahla)
- Singende Engel (Austria 1947, Gustav Ucicky)
- Der Engel mit der Posaune (Germany/Austria 1948, Karl Hartl)
- Der Schuß durchs Fenster (Austria 1950, (Siegfried BreuerSiegfried BreuerSiegfried Breuer was an Austrian stage and film actor and occasional film director and screenwriter.- Biography :...
) - Emil und die Detektive (Germany 1954, Robert A. StemmleRobert A. StemmleRobert Adolf Stemmle was a German screenwriter and film director. He wrote for 86 films between 1932 and 1967...
) - Rummelplatz der Liebe (Germany, USA 1954, Kurt Neumann)
- Spionage (Austria 1955, Franz AntelFranz AntelFranz Antel was a veteran Austrian filmmaker.Born in Vienna, Antel worked mainly as a film producer in the interwar years. After World War II, he began writing and directing films on a large scale...
) - Heimatland (Austria 1955, Franz Antel)
- Kronprinz Rudolfs letzte Liebe (his last film; Austria 1955, Rudolf JugertRudolf Jugert-Selected filmography:* Ein Herz spielt falsch * Rosen im Herbst * Ein Stück vom Himmel * Love Now, Pay Later * "" aka "Les amants tourmentés" -External links:...
)