MovieChat Forums > Die freudlose Gasse (1927) Discussion > Utterly butchered version?

Utterly butchered version?

posted 13 years ago by hakof
2 replies | jump to latest

The plot summary includes this description:
"In a slum, Lila Leid, the wife of lawyer Leid is murdered, Egon, secretary of one of Leid's clients is arrested. He was with her, and had her necklace, because he needed some money for his own stock exchange deals. The same deal brings poverty to ex-government official Rumfort . . . "

That is NOT what happened in the version that I have on DVD, which is "Triple Feature Drama Classics, Vol. 7: The Kid/Joyless Street/The Extra Girl."
http://www.amazon.com/Triple-Feature-Drama-Classics-Vol/dp/B000065QA4/

Also, Garbo's character sinks to the level of becoming a nightclub dancer (not a prostitute) to support her family in this version.

It seems that this version has been butchered by some editor.

Based on the opening credits, it looks as if this version was a re-release for American audiences in the 1930s or 1940s. It touts Garbo and only Garbo in promoting the film.

[–] Homer-Jay 13 years ago

You may enjoy the restored version:
http://www.amazon.de/Die-freudlose-Gasse-Asta-Nielsen/dp/B002RRKO3M/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

which also offers English subtitles.

[–] jacowium 12 years ago

Yes, that is indeed a severely butchered version - the movie in it's full length (as it premiered) is roughly 3 times longer.

Due to heavy editing, a subplot of the original movie/novel becomes the primary, or only, plot of the 61-minute version. There are 2 reasons for this:
- Studios wanted to avoid any politically sensitive fallout,
- To raise Garbo's profile in America.

The first reason just makes me angry, but for the second reason, well, if Garbo hadn't become the Hollywood icon, many of us today would probably never know about Die freudlose Gasse or George Pabst's fine work.

Having said that, my life will be incomplete until I've seen the full version.

Please click on "reply" at the post you're responding to. Thanks.