''The Great King'' (german: Der große König) is a 1942 German

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by Veit Harlan and starring Otto Gebühr. It depicts the life of

Frederick the Great Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the S ...

, who ruled

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

from 1740 to 1786. It received the rare "Film of the Nation" distinction. Erwin Leiser, ''Nazi Cinema'' p116 It was part of a popular cycle of " Prussian films". The film is a depiction of the

Führerprinzip The (; German for 'leader principle') prescribed the fundamental basis of political authority in the Government of Nazi Germany. This principle can be most succinctly understood to mean that "the Führer's word is above all written law" and th ...

. The analogy to

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

was so clear that Hitler sent a print to Benito Mussolini, and Joseph Goebbels warned against the drawing of the comparison in print, in particular, because of the pessimistic mood that opens the film. After a sergeant gives an unauthorised order, the king orders him simultaneously promoted and punished. His later decision to desert results in his death because no disobedience is justified. Goebbels declared that the parallels were not a matter of propaganda, but an obvious result of the parallels of history. Goebbels also regarded it as instructive that current sufferings would be a source of strength.Cinzia Romani, ''Tainted Goddesses: Female Film Stars of the Third Reich'' p93 Goebbels had some difficulty with the Army High Command over this film because it depicted the king as being left in the lurch by his general. He complained that the army felt that any depiction, however historical, reflected badly on them.

Cast

* Otto Gebühr as Frederick II. * Kristina Söderbaum as Luise Treskow * Gustav Fröhlich as Treskow * Hans Nielsen as Niehoff * Paul Wegener as General Czernitscheff *

Paul Henckels Paul Henckels (9 September 1885 – 27 May 1967) was a German film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1921 and 1965. Paul Henckels had started his acting career on the stage in the 1900s. He was well known for his e ...

as Grenadier Spiller *

Elisabeth Flickenschildt Elisabeth Ida Marie Flickenschildt (16 March 1905 – 26 October 1977) was a German actress, producer and author. She appeared in dozens of German language films and television productions between 1935–1976. Flickenschildt was born in Hamburg ...

as Spiller's Wife *

Kurt Meisel Kurt Meisel (18 August 1912 – 4 April 1994) was an Austrian actor and film director. He appeared in 65 films between 1934 and 1994. He also directed 21 films between 1949 and 1984. Meisel was married to the actress Ursula Lingen. He was born a ...

as Alfons *

Hilde Körber Hilde Körber (3 July 1906 – 31 May 1969) was an Austrian film actress who worked largely in the German Film Industry. She appeared in 53 films between 1930 and 1964. She was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary and died in West Berlin, West G ...

as Elisabeth Christine * Claus Clausen as Prince Henry the Older * Klaus Detlef Sierck as Prince Henry the Younger * Herbert Hübner as Count Finkenstein * Franz Schafheitlin as Commandant Bernburg * Otto F. Henning as General von Finken * Reginald Pasch as General Manteufel * Otto Graf as General Seydlitz *

Heinrich Schroth Heinrich August Franz Schroth (23 March 1871 – 14 January 1945) was a German stage and film actor. Career Schroth was born in Pirmasens, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He made his acting debut at the Sigmaringen Royal Theatre in 1890. In 1894 h ...

as General Balthasar Rudolf von Schenckendorf *

Leopold von Ledebur Leopold von Ledebur (18 May 1876 – 22 August 1955) was a German stage and film actor. Selected filmography * ''Carmen'' (1918) * ''The Serenyi'' (1918) * ''Midnight'' (1918) * ''The Foolish Heart'' (1919) * '' The Golden Lie'' (1919) * '' T ...

as General von Retzow

Awards

* Director Veit Harlan won the Mussolini Cup for Best Foreign Film at the 1942

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...

Citations

References

External links

* *
''Der große König''
Full film at the Deutsche Filmothek {{DEFAULTSORT:Great King, The 1942 films 1940s historical drama films Films of Nazi Germany Cultural depictions of Frederick the Great German historical drama films 1940s German-language films German black-and-white films Films directed by Veit Harlan Prussian films Films set in the 1750s Films set in the 1760s Seven Years' War films Biographical films about German royalty Tobis Film films 1942 drama films Films set in the Kingdom of Prussia