Faces of the success
The same actors and actresses appeared in different genres. An analysis of the film line-up reveals the popularity of a few major figures and the importance of the ‘star system’ in German cinema: Marika Rökk, Zarah Leander, Heinz Rühmann, but also Hans Moser, Theo Lingen and Johannes Heesters. Just as in Hollywood, the success of films also depends on the audience’s loyalty to their stars.
A handful of actors and actresses accounted for a large proportion of the period’s successes and became familiar faces to audiences.
- Marika Rökk, the Hungarian queen of musical films: She was the biggest film star during the annexation. She enjoyed great success in numerous films that topped the charts, including Tanz mit dem Kaiser, Kora Terry, Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten, Hab’ mich Lieb…
- Zarah Leander, the leading lady of melodrama: Through films suchDie grosse Liebe, Der Weg ins Freie, Heimat or Damals, she established an image of a strong woman whose life is thrown into turmoil by fate. Her deep voice and her media image as a ‘femme fatale’ helped make her one of the most popular stars.
- Heinz Rühmann, the hero of German comedy: Although only one of his films features in the list of the most frequently screened films (Quax, der Bruchpilot), he has left a lasting impression on local audiences.
- Hans Moser, Theo Lingen and Paul Hörbiger, the leading figures of Viennese cinema: These three actors were a constant presence in Viennese comedies, operettas and films. Their colourful characters played a major part in the success of this popular cinema. Theo Lingen wasn’t Austrian, yet audiences always associated him with Austrian cinema.
- Kristina Söderbaum, the tragic heroine: also Swedish, and the muse of Veit Harlan – to whom she was married as his second wife – she made a lasting impression in Die goldene Stadt, the biggest hit of his entire filmography, as well as in several other melodramas, almost all of which were highly politically charged, such as Jud Süss.
Photo 65 : Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum – Marika Rökk in Kora Terry (1940, Georg Jacoby)
Photo 66 : Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum – Promotional portrait of the actor Paul Hörbiger for the U.F.A.
Photo 67 : Coll. Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum – René Deltgen, Anneliese Uhlig, Viktor Staal, Jenny Jugo or Wolf Albach-Retty and Luis Trenker were also very popular in Alsace and in Moselle
Photo 68 : Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum – Actors Heinz Rühmann (on the left), Theo Lingen (on the center) and Hans Moser (on the right) in the film Der Mann, von dem man spricht (1937, E.W. Emo).