The Devil's General
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| Des Teufels General | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Helmut Käutner |
| Written by | Carl Zuckmayer Gyula Trebitsch Helmut Käutner George Hurdalek |
| Produced by | Walter Koppel Richard Gordon |
| Starring | Curd Jürgens Marianne Koch Viktor de Kowa Karl John Eva Ingeborg Scholz Harry Meyen |
| Cinematography | Albert Benitz |
| Edited by | Klaus Dudenhöfer |
| Distributed by | Europa-Filmverleih AG |
Release date | 23 February 1955 |
Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | West Germany |
| Language | German |
Des Teufels General is a 1955 black and white film based on the play by Carl Zuckmayer. The film features Curd Jürgens as Harras, Marianne Koch as Dorothea 'Diddo' Geiss, Viktor de Kowa as SS-Gruppenführer Schmidt-Lausitz, Eva Ingeborg Scholz as Waltraut 'Pützchen' Mohrungen, and Harry Meyen as Leutnant Hartmann. At the German Film Awards of 1955 Marianne Koch won the Film Award in Silver for Outstanding Individual Achievement: Supporting Actress for her performance in the film.
Plot
The title character is one Luftwaffe General Harras, who is critical of the Third Reich and the wartime attempt to conquer Europe: the story is set in 1941. As he continually attacks the leadership, he is slowly suspect of what may be treason. It leads to friends turning into enemies and suspicion from the SS and Gestapo.
Characters
Harras, whose character is based upon actual German Luftwaffe General Ernst Udet.
Lüttjohann, Harras' adjutant.
Korrianke, Harras' Chauffeur.
Friedrich Eilers, Colonel & leader of the war front and military.
Hartmann, aviation officer.
Writzky, aviation officer.
Hastenteuffel, aviation officer.
Pfundtmayer, aviation officer.
Sigbert von Mohrungen, President of purchasing for crude metals.
Baron Pflungk, Attaché for the ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Schmidt-Lausitz, cultural leader.
Der Maler Schlick, the painter Schlick.
Oberbruch, Engineer in the Air-Travel Ministry.
Anne Eilers, wife of Friedrich Eilers.
Waltraut von Mohrungen, who goes by the alias Pützchen. Anne's sister.
Olivia Geiss, diva.
Diddo Geiss, Olivia's niece; love interest of General Harras, despite how much younger than him she is.
Lyra Schoeppke, named "die Tankstelle," which means "The Gas Station."
Otto, restaurant manager.
Francois, French speaking restaurant waiter.
Herr Detlev, restaurant waiter.
Buddy Lawrence, an American journalist.
Zwei Arbeiter, two workers.
Ein Polizeikomissar, a police commissionar.[1]
References
- ^ Zuckmayer, Carl. "Des Teufels General." ISBN 978-3-596-27019-4