Ohm Krüger
| Ohm Krüger | |
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| Directed by | Hans Steinhoff |
| Produced by | Emil Jannings |
| Written by | Harald Bratt Kurt Heuser |
| Starring |
Emil Jannings - Paul Krüger Lucie Höflich - Sanna Krüger Werner Hinz - Jan Krüger Ernst Schröder - Adrian Krüger Elisabeth Flickenschildt - Frau Kock Ferdinand Marian - Cecil John Rhodes |
| Music by | Theo Mackeben |
| Cinematography | Fritz Arno Wagner |
| Edited by | Martha Dübber Hans Heinrich |
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Production
company |
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Release date
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4 April 1941 (Nazi Germany) 1 October 1941 (France) 15 March 1942 (Finland) |
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Running time
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135 min. |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
| Budget | Over 5.5 million RM |
Ohm Krüger (English: Uncle Krüger) is a 1941 German biographical film directed by Hans Steinhoff and starring Emil Jannings, Lucie Höflich and Werner Hinz. It was one of a series of propaganda films produced in Nazi Germany attacking the British. The film depicts the life of the South African politician Paul Kruger and his eventual defeat by the British during the Boer War.
It was the first film to be awarded the 'Film of the Nation' award. It was re-released in 1944.
The film opens with a dying Paul Krüger (Emil Jannings) speaking about his life to his nurse in a Geneva hotel. The rest of the film is told in flashback.
Cecil Rhodes (Ferdinand Marian) has a great desire to acquire land in the region of the Boers for its gold deposits. He sends Dr Jameson (Karl Haubenreißer) there to provoke border disturbances, and secures support from Joseph Chamberlain (Gustaf Gründgens). When Chamberlain seeks the support of Queen Victoria (Hedwig Wangel) and her son Edward, Prince of Wales (Alfred Bernau), she initially refuses but changes her mind when informed of the gold in the region. She invites Paul Krüger to London, and believes she is tricking him into signing a treaty.
Krüger, being suspicious of the British, has his own plans. Krüger signs the treaty which gives the British access to the gold; however, he imposes high taxes and establishes a monopoly over the sale of TNT which forces the British to buy explosives at high prices. Hence, ultimately, Krüger tricks the British by signing the treaty. This impresses some of the British as they find Krüger is their equal in matters of cunning, which is supposed to be the defining characteristic of the British. Having been outmaneuvered, Rhodes tries to buy Krüger's allegiance. Krüger and his wife Sanna (Lucie Höflich), however, are incorruptible. After being rejected, Rhodes shows Krüger a long list of members of the Boer council who work for the British. Krüger then becomes convinced that war is inevitable if the Boers are to keep their land. He declares war.
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Wikipedia