Michael (1924)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Carl Theodor Dreyer

Writers:

Herman Bang (novel)
Thea von Harbou (adaptation) ...
(more)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Triangle story: painter, his young male model, unscrupulous princess.

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Artist | Model | Painter | Art Dealer

Cast

Walter Slezak	...	Michael
Max Auzinger	...	Jules - Majordomo
Nora Gregor	...	Princess Lucia Zamikoff
Robert Garrison	...	Charles Switt - Journalist
Benjamin Christensen	...	Claude Zoret
Didier Aslan	...	Duc de Monthieu
Alexander Murski	...	Mr. Adelsskjold
Grete Mosheim	...	Mrs. Alice Adelsskjold
Karl Freund	...	LeBlanc - Art Dealer
Wilhelmine Sandrock	...	Widow de Monthieu
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mady Christians	...	Woman (uncredited)

Directed by
Carl Theodor Dreyer

Writing credits
Herman Bang		(novel "Mikaël")
Thea von Harbou		(adaptation and screenplay) &
Carl Theodor Dreyer		(adaptation and screenplay)

Produced by
Erich Pommer	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans Joseph Vieth

Cinematography by
Karl Freund
Rudolph Maté

Costume Design by
Hugo Häring

Art Department
Hugo Häring	....	sets

Music Department
Neal Kurz	....	music compiler (2004 alternate version)
Neal Kurz	....	musician (2004 alternate version)

Other crew
David H. Shepard	....	video producer (2004 alternate version) (as David Shepard)

Thanks
Bret Hampton	....	with appreciation to (2004 alternate version)
Monica Paulsen	....	with appreciation to (2004 alternate version)
Ulrich Ruedel	....	with appreciation to (2004 alternate version)
Bret Wood	....	with appreciation to (2004 alternate version)

Production Companies

• Universum Film (UFA)

Distributors

• Universum Film (UFA) (1924) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (1926) (USA) (theatrical)
• Divisa Home Video (2009) (Spain) (DVD)
• Kino Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Anthology Film Archives  with appreciation to (2004 alternate version) (as Anthology Film Archive)

Also Known As:

Chained (USA)
Chained: The Story of the Third Sex (USA)
Heart's Desire (UK)

Runtime:

Canada:93 min | USA:86 min (2004 alternate version) | 90 min (20 fps, 2006 restored version)

Country:

Germany

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | Finland:S

Company:

Universum Film (UFA)

Goofs:

Continuity: When the painter Claude Zoret is talking to Mikael's creditor he switches from standing up to sitting down back to standing up between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Motto (titlecard): Motto: Now I can die in peace for I have known a great love.

Movie Connections:

References The Kid (1921)

Walter Slezak In His Salad Days

It is sometimes fascinating the subject matter for films before the infamous Code was put in Hollywood. Of course this is a German silent film and in those days when movies didn't talk all one had to do was change the subtitles and film was really universal. Such is the case with Michael, a romantic triangle the apex of which was Walter Slezak in his salad days. He was beloved by both an aristocratic artist and one carnal princess.

In less than a decade when the Nazis took over and made the UFA Studio their personal propaganda reserve such homoerotic work like Michael would not see the light of day for years. I'm really surprised that a print existed and that TCM obtained one. I would have thought Josef Goebbels would have burned all he could find.

Without a kiss, without an embrace, but with a look of love that tells all, we know exactly what the relationship Benjamin Christiansen has with Slezak. Slezak plays the title role, a callow youth a willing user of the affections of all in the same manner Murray Head was in Sunday Bloody Sunday. Slezak was quite the hunk in his youth to those of us who remember him from Hollywood in the Forties.

Nora Gregor plays the princess who eyes Slezak like a side of beef on the meat rack at the Playgirl Club. He's getting tired of Christiansen anyway so he's hot to trot as his she.

Christiansen is a sad and lonely old man and his performance really drives the film. His and Slezak's relationship also reminds me a bit of the famous relationship played out in the tabloids of Scott Thorson and Liberace. Another young cutie who was showered with everything, but just wanted his own space.

It's a good thing this gay themed story did survive and is available now for home viewing on DVD. A great piece of gay cinematic history.