The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927)
Summary: The young prince spends much of his youth behind the castle gates. But passing his youthful exams means moving on to secondary school. Here, Karl Heinrich learns much about the ways of love and friendship. But can he give it all up when his destiny calls?
Stars: Ramon Novarro, Norma Shearer, Jean Hersholt, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Philippe De Lacy
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Viewed: TCM/VCR
Current Commercial Availability: Unavailable
1) Philippe De Lacy portrays the young Karl Heinrich. This is my third feature with de Lacy and I have to say that he is, as of now, my favorite silent child actor. Some say that he is the silent Freddie Bartholomew but I find him to be infinitely more engaging and luminous than Bartholomew. For example: Both young men played the same character in separate Garbo versions of Anna Karenina but it is de Lacy who affectively engages with Garbo. Any man who can match acting wits with Garbo is a man I can learn to love
2) And yet that bit of knowledge does not hold with Ramon Novarro. He is terrible with Garbo in Mata Hari. But he is absolute magic in this film. While Novarro may have been a few years too old to play a young man off to college, he exudes a youthful exuberance that fully engages the viewer. He is young enough and the viewer willingly follows Karl Heinrich through the ups and downs of young love.
3) Norma Shearer is great as Kathi. While she, like Novarro, might be too old for the part, she is luminous as Karl Heinrich's love interest and engaging in her own right. I love that she takes so much pride in her work...even if the work might be inn-keeping. Kathi believes that what is good for the common man is good for the prince. And she you feel that she loves the Prince just as much as she would the common man.
4) Choices, choices...I love that there was such a difference between Karl Heinrich's first engaging with the soldiers and his last. At first, the shake off his title because of his easy smile and attitude. But they cannot shake off his title when they meet him after the death of his uncle. It is terrible to watch Karl Heinrich try to engage chums who truly realize that he is their master. The friendship is truly gone. But I am glad that Lubitsch did not gloss it over. Things were truly different.
5) It is a bittersweet love story. Our lovers will go on with their lives because of what society dictates. But you can tell that neither one will truly be happy.
I love this film. The romance is fun and exciting but reality does eventually intrude. But that intrusion only highlights the sacrifices people regularly (if heightened here) make between imagined love and real life. Great performances from the lead actors only bring the final tragedy home to the viewer. This is a magnificent romance and a great starter silent for the uninitiated.
Stars: Ramon Novarro, Norma Shearer, Jean Hersholt, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Philippe De Lacy
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Viewed: TCM/VCR
Current Commercial Availability: Unavailable
1) Philippe De Lacy portrays the young Karl Heinrich. This is my third feature with de Lacy and I have to say that he is, as of now, my favorite silent child actor. Some say that he is the silent Freddie Bartholomew but I find him to be infinitely more engaging and luminous than Bartholomew. For example: Both young men played the same character in separate Garbo versions of Anna Karenina but it is de Lacy who affectively engages with Garbo. Any man who can match acting wits with Garbo is a man I can learn to love
2) And yet that bit of knowledge does not hold with Ramon Novarro. He is terrible with Garbo in Mata Hari. But he is absolute magic in this film. While Novarro may have been a few years too old to play a young man off to college, he exudes a youthful exuberance that fully engages the viewer. He is young enough and the viewer willingly follows Karl Heinrich through the ups and downs of young love.
3) Norma Shearer is great as Kathi. While she, like Novarro, might be too old for the part, she is luminous as Karl Heinrich's love interest and engaging in her own right. I love that she takes so much pride in her work...even if the work might be inn-keeping. Kathi believes that what is good for the common man is good for the prince. And she you feel that she loves the Prince just as much as she would the common man.
4) Choices, choices...I love that there was such a difference between Karl Heinrich's first engaging with the soldiers and his last. At first, the shake off his title because of his easy smile and attitude. But they cannot shake off his title when they meet him after the death of his uncle. It is terrible to watch Karl Heinrich try to engage chums who truly realize that he is their master. The friendship is truly gone. But I am glad that Lubitsch did not gloss it over. Things were truly different.
5) It is a bittersweet love story. Our lovers will go on with their lives because of what society dictates. But you can tell that neither one will truly be happy.
I love this film. The romance is fun and exciting but reality does eventually intrude. But that intrusion only highlights the sacrifices people regularly (if heightened here) make between imagined love and real life. Great performances from the lead actors only bring the final tragedy home to the viewer. This is a magnificent romance and a great starter silent for the uninitiated.