Nathan the Wise (film)

Nathan the Wise
Nathan the Wise
Directed by	Manfred Noa
Written by	Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (play); Hans Kyser;
Produced by	Erich Wagowski
Starring	Fritz Greiner; Carl de Vogt; Lia Eibenschütz; Werner Krauss;
Cinematography	Hans Karl Gottschalk; Gustave Preiss;
Production; company	Bavaria Film
Distributed by	Bavaria Film
Release date	29 December 1922;
Running time	128 minutes
Country	Germany
Languages	Silent; German intertitles;

The film

Nathan the Wise (German: Nathan der Weise) is a 1922 German silent historical film directed by Manfred Noa and starring Fritz Greiner, Carl de Vogt and Lia Eibenschütz. It is based on the 1779 play Nathan the Wise by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. It was made by Bavaria Film at the Emelka Studios. The film provoked protests in Munich from far-right groups who felt it was too pro-Jewish.^[1]

In 2010 oud player and composer Rabih Abou-Khalil released a soundtrack composed for the film entitled Trouble in Jerusalem.^[2]

Plot

One of the main works of the Age of Enlightenment, it is a powerful plea for tolerance, humanity and freedom of opinion. Set in the age of the crusades, it deals with the relations between the three monotheistic religions. Characters include the historical figure of Sultan Saladin, and the Jewish merchant Nathan; the character of Nathan is based on Lessig’s friend, the renowned philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. When the play was published in 1779, this was considered breaching a taboo.

Cast

Fritz Greiner as Sultan Saladin
Carl de Vogt as Assad von Filneck, sein Bruder / Junger Tempelherr
Lia Eibenschütz as Sittah, seine Schwester
Werner Krauss as Nathan
Bella Muzsnay as Recha
Margarete Kupfer as Daja, die christliche Pflegerin Rechas
Rudolf Lettinger as Klosterbruder Bonafides - früherer Reitknecht Assads
Ferdinand Martini as Al-Hafi, Derwisch
Ernst Schrumpf as Patriarch von Jerusalem
Max Schreck as Grossmeister der Tempelherren
Wolfgang von Schwindt as Emir von Kurdistan
Ernst Matray as Spassmacher des Sultans

References

^ Prawer p. 20
^ Vasan, V.. Rabih Abou-Khalil: Trouble in Jerusalem – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved June 21, 2018.

Bibliography

Prawer, Siegbert Salomon (2007) [2005]. Between Two Worlds: The Jewish Presence in German and Austrian Film, 1910–1933. Berghahn Books. ISBN 978-1-84545-303-9.

External links

Nathan the Wise at IMDb

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[1] Prawer p. 20

[Allmusic-2] Vasan, V.. Rabih Abou-Khalil: Trouble in Jerusalem – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved June 21, 2018.

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