MovieChat Forums > Die Dreigroschenoper (1968) Discussion > Right/Wrong

Right/Wrong

posted 16 years ago by eli_berry
2 replies | jump to latest

Ten things wrong with this film:

1. Sammy Davis Jr. raped the Ballad of Mack the Knife in this film. It sounded like he yawned through most of it/

2. The editing for the video editions is so choppy it cuts the tempo to shreds on most of the songs

3. The Ballad of Sexual Dependancy has no point in the film, as there's no place to put it.

4. Tiger Brown's part was cut to the point that there's almost no point in having him in the film.

5. Curt Jergens can't sing and brings nothing original to the role of Mack the Knife.

6. Gert Frobe can't sing and should never have attempted the role of Peachum

7. Mrs. Peachum, in this film, is shrill and annoying and brings no meaning to her role. She is the flattest character in this film aside from---

8. Polly, who can actually sing, but should not have had the Barbara Song, and

9. Lucy Brown, who should have had Barbara song, got stuck with a lousy rendition of the Jealousy Duet. She was a much betetr actress than Polly.

10. The inclusion of all but two of the songs from the play slowed the plot, and in addition to the horrible acting and poor cinematography (completely stationary camera, with no change of angle) made me want to shoot myself rather than stomach the rest of the film. Luckily, I'm not suicidal.

THE ONE THING THEY DID RIGHT WITH THIS FILM

1. Embraced Marc Blitstein's genius lyrics for the Ballad of Mack the Knife, instead of dealing with Eric Bentley's emotionless translation/

[–] DryToast 16 years ago

<<Polly, who can actually sing, but should not have had the Barbara Song, and >>

June Ritchie (Polly) is dubbed by Jo Wilder (ex-wife of Joel Grey and mother of Jennifer Grey), at least in the English-language version.

Also, the Barbara Song is always Polly's song (after the wedding and before the Act I finale) except in Marc Blitzstein's English adaptation from the 1950s, which does give it to Lucy.

But I do agree that the film is a mess and for the most part the music is handled quite poorly. The design does look sort of interesting--I'd like to see a decent widescreen print.

"Play with the whip."

[–] eli_berry 14 years ago

I did something rash---and I don't mean rubbing out Louie Miller, either. It is intriguing to watch for curiosity sake and to add, I wonder if it might look better in a restored print. Maybe in both German and English versions?