Le golem (1936)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Julien Duvivier

Writers:

André-Paul Antoine (writer)
Julien Duvivier (writer)

Release Date:

21 March 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror

Plot:

The Golem, a giant creature created out of clay by a rabbi, comes to life in a time of trouble to protect the Jews of Prague from persecution. |

Plot Keywords:

Golem | Rabbi | Prague | Genocide | Jewish Ghetto

Cast

Harry Baur	...	Emperor Rudolf II
Charles Dorat	...	Rabbi Jacob
Jany Holt	...	Rachel
Roger Karl	...	Chancellor Lang
Germaine Aussey	...	Countesse Strada
Truda Grosslichtová	...	Mme. Benoit (unconfirmed)
Julien Carette
Marcel Dalio
Walter Schorsch	...	Court Jester
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Raymond Aimos	...	Toussaint
Alfred Bastýr	...	Cardinal
Jan Cerný	...	Keppler
Roger Duchesne	...	Trignac
Ferdinand Hart	...	Golem
Gaston Jacquet	...	Chief of Police
Frantisek Jerhot	...	Pacholek
Antonín Jirsa	...	Kat
F.X. Mlejnek	...	Pacholek
Stanislav Neumann	...	Daniel
Robert Ozanne
Karel Schleichert	...	Alchemist

Also Known As:

The Golem (USA)
The Golem: The Legend of Prague (USA)
The Legend of Prague (UK)
The Man of Stone (USA)

Runtime:

83 min | Czechoslovakia:87 min

Country:

France | Czechoslovakia

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Company:

AB

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster (1999) (V)

Duvivier' s nadir in the thirties.

I'm sincerely sorry not to join the chorus of praises of the other users.I've seen most of Duvivier's talkies and I have always been his fan.But "le golem" is definitely not my cup of tea.Eclecticism was Duvivier's trademark (his precedent movie was "Golgotha" an underrated version of the Passion.)But his metier was film noir ;check his filmography: all his best works belong to the genre.

The main problem with this Golem -which may or may not have inspired Mary Shelley- is that the director does not choose between comedy and drama.Harry Baur's talent is unquestionable,but you'd better see him in "David golder" where he plays a Jew;In the Golem,it seems that the Jewish culture eludes Duvivier (it eludes me too of course),and it is not his use of (beautiful) hymns which will make me change my mind.The ten-minute appearance of Golem is not even impressive ,and when he returns to ashes,well...

Outside "David Golder" ,people interested in Duvivier's work should see "Poil de Carotte" "La Belle Equipe" "Pepe le Moko" "Carnet de Bal" and "La Fin du Jour" all French classics of the thirties.