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Ultimatum | |
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Directed by | |
Written by | |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | |
Edited by | Tonka Taldy |
Music by | Adolphe Borchard |
Production company | Films Ultimatum |
Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 83 minutes |
Country | France |
Language | French |
Ultimatum is a 1938 French historical drama film directed by Robert Wiene and Robert Siodmak and starring Dita Parlo, Erich von Stroheim and Abel Jacquin. The film's plot is set in 1914 against the backdrop of the July Crisis between the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the beginning of the First World War. It focuses on the relationship between a Serbian officer and his Austrian-born wife and their involvement in espionage between the countries.
It was the final film of Wiene, who had been a leading director of German cinema particularly noted for his work on expressionist films during the silent era. He died shortly before the film's completion, and it was finished by Siodmak.
Wiene had been forced into exile from Germany following the Nazi rise to power. During the four years since his previous film A Night in Venice (1934) he had been struggling to raise financing in London and Paris for his projects and had not made a single film. [1] The film was based on the novel Days Before the Storm by Ewald Bertram. The film's title refers to the Austrian ultimatum issued to Serbia shortly before the outbreak of war.
Because of the film's casting of Parlo and von Stroheim and its war-theme, it drew comparisons with Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion (1937). [2]
Robert Wiene was a German film director, screenwriter and producer, active during the silent era. He is widely-known for directing the landmark 1920 film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and a succession of other expressionist films. Wiene also directed a variety of other films of varying styles and genres. Following the Nazi rise to power in Germany, Wiene, who was of Jewish descent, fled into exile.
The 10th National Board of Review Awards were announced on 15 December 1938.
André Andrejew was one of the most important art directors of the international cinema of the twentieth century. He had a distinctive, innovative style. His décors were both expressive and realistic. French writer Lucie Derain described Andrejew at the peak of his career as "an artist of the grand style, blessed with a vision of lyrical quality." Edith C. Lee wrote recently: "Believing in creative freedom rather than academic reconstruction, André Andrejew fulfilled the 20th century's notion of the romantic, individualistic artist. The unusual titillated his imagination."
Street of Shadows is a 1937 French spy film directed by G. W. Pabst. An English-language version with exactly the same plot was filmed at the same time under the direction of Edmond T. Gréville, but with some changes in the cast. Dita Parlo remained as Mademoiselle Docteur, but Erich von Stroheim took over the part of the German spy chief. The English-language version was released in the United States under the title Under Secret Orders. It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Robert Hubert and Serge Piménoff.
Edmond T. Gréville was a French film director and screenwriter. He was married to the actress Vanda Gréville.
Gibraltar is a 1938 French spy film directed by Fedor Ozep and starring Viviane Romance, Roger Duchesne, Abel Jacquin and Erich von Stroheim. It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris, with location shooting taking place in Gibraltar itself despite the Spanish Civil War being fought across the border. The film's sets were designed by the art director Georges Wakhévitch. It was later remade in 1964 under the same title.
Under Secret Orders, also known as Mademoiselle Doctor, is a 1937 British spy film directed by Edmond T. Gréville and starring Erich von Stroheim, John Loder, Dita Parlo and Claire Luce. It is an English-language version of the French film Mademoiselle Docteur, also known as Salonique, nid d'espions, and released in the United States as Street of Shadows, which was filmed at the same time under the direction of G. W. Pabst. Both films have exactly the same plot, but there were differences in the cast between the two: in particular, von Stroheim was not in the French version.
The Mistress is a 1927 German silent drama film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Edda Croy, Harry Liedtke and Eugen Burg. It was based on a play by Alexander Brody. It was the first film Wiene made after returning to Germany after two years working in Austria, although the film's location shooting was done in Vienna, where the story is set. The interiors were shot at the Marienfelde Studios of Terra Film in Berlin.
The Guardsman is a 1925 Austrian silent comedy film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Alfred Abel, María Corda and Anton Edthofer. The film was shot at the Schönbrunn Studios in Vienna. It was based on the play Testőr by Ferenc Molnár and in 1931 remade as a movie by Sidney Franklin.
I.N.R.I. is a 1923 German silent religious epic film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Gregori Chmara, Henny Porten, and Asta Nielsen. The film is a retelling of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was based on a 1905 novel by Peter Rosegger. It was reissued in 1933 in the United States with an added music track and narration as Crown of Thorns.
The Queen of Moulin Rouge is a 1926 Austrian silent comedy film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Mady Christians, André Roanne and Livio Pavanelli. The film is based on the 1902 play La Duchesse des Folies-Bergère by Georges Feydeau. It was the final silent film Wiene made in Austria, before returning to Germany. It was made by the Austrian studio Pan Film, with backing from the French Pathé and German Filmhaus Bruckmann companies.
The Prosecutor Hallers is a 1930 French drama film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Jean-Max, Colette Darfeuil and Suzanne Delmas. It was the French-language version of the German film The Other based on the play Der Andere by Paul Lindau. The two films were made at the same studio in Berlin, with Wiene beginning work on the French version immediately after finishing the German film.
The Other is a 1930 German drama film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Fritz Kortner, Käthe von Nagy and Heinrich George. It was based on the 1893 play Der Andere by Paul Lindau. It was shot at the Terra Studios in Berlin. A French-language version The Prosecutor Hallers was shot by Wiene immediately afterwards in the same Berlin studio, but with different actors.
A Night in Venice is a 1934 German-Hungarian operetta film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Tino Pattiera, Tina Eilers and Ludwig Stössel. It is loosely based on the 1883 operetta Eine Nacht in Venedig by Johann Strauss II.
Abel Jacquin (1893–1968) was a French actor who appeared in more than thirty films between 1930 and 1956. Jacquin co-directed the 1933 comedy film Les deux 'Monsieur' de Madame. He was also noted for his narration of the 1933 documentary Land Without Bread.
Personal Column is a 1939 French thriller film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Maurice Chevalier, Pierre Renoir, Marie Déa and Erich von Stroheim. It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Maurice Colasson and Georges Wakhévitch. Lured, an American re-make, directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Lucille Ball, was released in 1947.
Cargaison blanche or Le Chemin de Rio is a 1937 French crime film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Käthe von Nagy, Jules Berry and Suzy Prim. in which two journalists go on the trail of gangsters who are kidnapping women to sell in South America. The film was made by Nero Film, with sets designed by the art director Lucien Aguettand. It was remade in 1958 directed by Georges Lacombe.
Rail Pirates is a 1938 French adventure film directed by Christian-Jaque and starring Charles Vanel, Suzy Prim and Erich von Stroheim. It was shot at the Victorine Studios in Nice and on location in the Camargue. The film's sets were designed by the art director Pierre Schild. It is based on a novel of the same title by the Belgian writer Oscar Paul Gilbert, who also contributed to the screenplay.
Shot at Dawn is a 1950 French spy drama film directed by André Haguet and starring Renée Saint-Cyr, Frank Villard and Nathalie Nattier. It was based on the 1937 novel of the same title by Maurice Dekobra. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Jacques Brizzio and Marcel Magniez.
Marthe Richard is a 1937 French war spy film directed by Raymond Bernard and starring Edwige Feuillère, Erich von Stroheim and Marcel Dalio. It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jean Perrier. It is based on the story of the French First World War spy Marthe Richard. It enjoyed great commercial success in France and was one of the most popular spy films of the decade.