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Marlene Dietrich: Films
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At the peak of her career in the 1930s, Marlene Dietrich was the screen's highest-paid actress; ... she was also the very essence of cinematic eroticism, a beguiling creature whose almost supernatural allure established her among film's most enduring icons. While immensely sensual, Dietrich's persona was also strangely androgynous; her fondness for masculine attire -- suits, top hats, and the like -- not only spawned a fashion craze, it also created an added dimension of sexual ambiguity which served to make her even more magnetic. Born Maria Magdalena Dietrich outside of Berlin on December 27, 1901, she was the daughter of a Royal Prussian Police lieutenant. As a child, she studied the violin, and later tenured at the Deutsche Theaterschule. She made her film debut with a brief role in 1923's Der Kleine Napoleon, followed by a more substantial performance in Tragodie der Liebe; she later married the picture's casting director, Rudolf Sieber. After a series of other tiny roles, including an appearance in G.W.
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At the peak of her career in the 1930s, "Marlene Dietrich" was the screen's highest-paid actress; ... she was also the very essence of cinematic eroticism, a beguiling creature whose almost supernatural allure established her among film's most enduring icons. While immensely sensual, Dietrich's persona was also strangely androgynous; her fondness for masculine attire -- suits, top hats, and the like -- not only spawned a fashion craze, it also created an added dimension of sexual ambiguity which served to make her even more magnetic. Born Maria Magdalena Dietrich outside of Berlin on December 27, 1901, she was the daughter of a Royal Prussian Police lieutenant. As a child, she studied the violin, and later tenured at the Deutsche Theaterschule.
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Shrouded in mystery, Marlene Dietrich made an incredibly successful transition from the German cinema to the American studio system. One of the most radiant presences of the silver screen with an unmistakable voice, Dietrich is one of the greatest stars the movies has ever created. This documentary on her life and films is narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis. DVD Features Region 1 Keep Case Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85 Single Side Dual Layer Audio Stereo 2.0 English Closed Captioned. Soundtrack English. English Subtitles
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With the help of legendary director Josef von Sternberg, Marlene Dietrich perfected the art of cinematic beguilement. After von Sternberg discovered her in her native Germany, Dietrich left her husband and daughter behind, and followed him to Hollywood. The director became the dominant force in her life by managing her career and by alchemizing her languorous, androgynous eroticism into screen magic in the six films they made together for Paramount.
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Once the highest paid actress of her time, Marlene Dietrich is today viewed by many movie fans as an icon, while others see her as a curiosity at best. While it's probably true that some of her films and performances haven't held up well (and few are seen very often), no serious film afficionado can deny the impact she had on the world of filmmaking during the 30s and 40s. She finished 9th on the AFI's list of greatest actresses, ahead of Grace Kelly, Claudette Colbert, Barbara Stanwyck, and Joan Crawford.
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In the 50s, Dietrich began a new career as one of the world's most highly paid cabaret artists. With musical direction by Burt Bacharach, Dietrich sang in three languages and performed a wide variety of songs ranging from "Miss Otis Regrets" to the Pete Seeger anti-war composition "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" In translation, this song was a German hit in 1968. In 1963, Dietrich appeared with the Beatles at the Royal Variety Performance. The media had a field day when they posed together for a photo call. She came out of retirement in 1979 for her final film role with David Bowie in Just A Gigolo, in which she sang the title song.
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