On the Heights (German: Auf der Höhe) is a 1916 Austrian silent drama film directed by Jacob Fleck and Luise Fleck and starring Liane Haid, Hermann Benke and Wilhelm Klitsch.[1] The film adapts a play of the same name by Ludwig Ganghofer.[2][3] The film, that is presumed lost (as only 2 films of the directors from their production during the 1910s have survived), was also co-produced by Luise and Jacob Fleck.[4]

Plot

Gregor Stark is a poor man. In order to significantly improve his living conditions, he kidnaps Helene, a forester's daughter.

Gregor gets a position at the Böllmann manufacture and rises in the hierarchy of the company learned a secret about Böllmann that allows him to blackmail his employer. He he forces the manufacturer to give him the hand of his daughter Paula. But the latter is not at all happy with that prospect, because she loves Stephan Günther, her childhood friend.

On the eve of the marriage, Stark wants to free himself from Helene, who has become attached to her kidnarper. During the fierce discussion as a result of the separation sought by Gregor, Helene falls from the balcony into the lake below and drowns. Gregor then falls into madness and smashes a mirror in front of all the guests at his own wedding party, in which he thinks he sees the dead Helene. He then falls down the stairs before he comes to the feet of his bride to lie down dead.

Cast

Release and reception

The film was theatrically released in Vienna on 29 September 1916.[5] A brief assessment in Paimann’s Filmlisten [de] wrote: "Material, acting, photos and especially the final scene: great!"[6]

References

  1. ^ Parish p.245
  2. ^ Thumser, Gerd (2005). Ludwig Ganghofer: Alpenkönig und Kinofreund : Ludwig Ganghofer (1855-1920) zum 150. Geburtstag (in German). Dr. Bachmaier Verlag. ISBN 978-3-931680-46-6.
  3. ^ Pellengahr, Astrid (2005). Kehrseite eines Klischees: der Schriftsteller Ludwig Ganghofer (in German). Bauer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-934509-36-8.
  4. ^ "Louise Kolm-Fleck – Women Film Pioneers Project". wfpp.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  5. ^ Büttner, Elisabeth; Dewald, Christian (2002). Das tägliche Brennen: eine Geschichte des österreichischen Films von den Anfängen bis 1945 (in German). Residenz. ISBN 978-3-7017-1261-8.
  6. ^ Auf der Höhe in Paimann’s Filmlisten (Paimann/1916-1917).

Bibliography

  • Parish, Robert. Film Actors Guide. Scarecrow Press, 1977.


Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Heights
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