THE BLUE ANGEL
US, 1959, 107 minutes, Colour.
Curt Jurgens, May Britt, Theodore Bikel, John Banner.
Directed by Edward Dmytryk.
The Blue Angel is a remake of Josef Von Sternberg's classic with Emil Jannings and Marlene Dietrich. The film remains very close to the original in its screenplay by novelist Nigel Balchin. It uses the music and the song, 'Falling in Love Again'. The story is updated to 1956 and the fable and its moral are more universal than the particular focus on Germany of the '20s. The film is a blend of realism and surrealism and critics were very unkind to it. They thought a remake was unnecessary, the updating inappropriate, the change to Cinemascope and colour a betrayal of the contrived intensity of the original. Comparisons were also made with the performances by the leads.
However, in later decades, the film has some impact especially for those who don't know the original. There is still an atmosphere of surrealism about it and the strength of the plot carries the film. Curt Jurgens gives an excellent performance which could well be compared with Jannings. May Britt hasn't the charisma of Dietrich but does her best in the Lola Lola role. An interesting and entertaining fable except for those devoted to the original.
1. The classic status of the original? Its impact in itself, technical qualities? Its dated appearance? An allegory of Germany in the '20s? The stars and their reputations? Music and songs? Its role as an early sound fable?
2. Why a remake in the late '50s? Why not? Comparisons and the ability of a remake to match the original? The technical skill? The atmosphere of realism, surrealism? The updating to 1956? An allegory for Germany or a more universal story? The stars, the music from the original, new songs? The point of the '50s fable?
3. The use of Cinemascope and colour, the presentation of post-war Germany? An atmosphere of realism ? the school, the biology classes? The contrast with The Blue Angel and the cabarets? The cheap atmosphere, the artificially garish colours? The company on tour? The change of atmosphere? The blend of the real and the surreal? The stars, the comparisons with the originals? How does the film stand without comparisons?
4. The strength of the basic fable: the prim bachelor professor, a repressed man, caught up in passion, loosening his grip on his attitudes and principles, his decline and humiliation, loss of self-respect? The contrast with the sensual singer with her needs and domination? A variation on the beauty and the beast them?
5. The establishing of the professor's world - his living alone, strict punctuality, friendship with other teachers? His work in the classroom? the discussion of biology, the flower, the sexual innuendo? The boys and their reaction to him? The card with Lola’s skirt? The professor's curiosity, his attack on the boys? His decision to go to The Blue Angel? His overbearing manner, his shock the impact of Lola Lola? His seeing the boys there and his creating a disturbance? His decision to return and give Lola Lola the pants taken by mistake? The possibility of infatuation? His manner, his looking at the dancing? The clash with the sailor and his assaulting him? Hiding in the cellar and the discovery of the boys? The encounter with the police? His decision to stay, the applause of the audience? His decision to stay the night?
6. Why was the professor so corruptible? The change the next morning, lack of punctuality, the class, his being mocked on the blackboard, the encounter with the teacher, his sacking? His haughtiness and self righteous attitude? His marrying Lola Lola? The celebration, for example his imitation of the rooster?
7. Lola Lola within the context of The Blue Angel - singer, dancer, entertainer? Her familiarity with men, her ability to deal with them? Her songs and the rendition of "Falling In Love Again"? Her pleasant response to the professor, his spending the night with her, the domestic scene the next morning? Her needs for protection and companionship? Her decision to marry, the conditions? Her friendship with her manager?
8. The sketch of the manager, his aggressiveness towards the professor, protection of Lola Lola? His luring her back? His humiliation of the professor especially as regards his being dependent on his wife? His final performance with the professor as the clown?
9. The marriage, living in elegance but the professor not gaining a position? His sense of humiliation? Lola Lola and her decision to return to the stage? The passing of time and the derelict condition of the professor, the flowers in the gardens and the little child? His courtesy towards his wife and love for her? His principles in protecting her? The clashes and the arguments? Lola using him as a servant?
10. The death of the clown and the professor's taking his place? The build up to the return to his home town? The sequence at the railway station and his concealing his presence? His discussion with the teacher and refusal to cone back, His protecting his wife? The performance and the build-up, his being humiliated with the eggs? Lola Lola and the young man tantalising him? The school staff and their being in the audience? His desperation and choking his wife?
11. Lola Lola and her controlling their break-up, her flirting? How deliberately? Her reaction to her husband's leaving her?
12. The pathos of the professor being led away? The possibility of a future? (His death in the classroom in the original)?
13. The impact of the film as drama, as persuasive fable, as telling the truth about people and the shadow side of their personalities?
