Germany in the 20’s and 30’s was a good time for the arts. The German Expressionistic film movement was in full swing with pictures like “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” “Nosferatu,” and the eerie “M,” were the talk of the town. Little did the people of Germany know that a real life drama was unfolding in their midst. How the rise of Hitler gave new life to Hollywood is the topic of PBS’ “Cinema Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see this documentary which aired on January 3rd, and am now searching for an encore presentation. What I am telling you now, I got from an article written in the LA Times, and from PBS’ web site. What happened to the arts in Germany during the rise of Hitler, and how it brought new talent to Hollywood was an eye opener for me. Over 800 actors, directors, writers, composers, and producers fled Europe to America when they noticed the ominous cloud hovering over their nation.
Many of the émigrés were secular Jews and their contribution to Hollywood was energizing and changed Hollywood forever. Among the many talents which came to America were: directors, Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, Henry Koster, Fred Zinnemann, Robert Sidodmak, actors like Hedy Lamarr, Marlene Dietrich and Peter Lorre to name just a few.
According to the writer of “Exiles,” Karen Thomas, what she found most surprising was that some of the artist that came to America after escaping Germany rarely, if ever, “looked back or appeared to be angry about what happened.” Some did go through changes, but were “too busy having a life.” Was it because they just used that inner protection we all have and blotted it out of their minds? Did they think that anger, bitterness, and resentment would get them nowhere, that if anything it would rob them of “life?” Maybe both. It’s not like they didn’t care about the loved ones they lost in Europe, they mourned the loss, but moved on. An example would be Billy Wilder who lost his mother, stepfather, and grandmother in Auschwitz.
The next time you watch the Oscar winning “Casablanca,” think of this: Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, Peter Lorre, S.Z. Sakall, and Leonid Kinskey, Helmut Dantine, Marcel Dalio, Ludwig Stossel, and Wolfgang Zilzer, all starred in this movie, and all fled Europe’s Nazi rule and came to our shores. I am sure you will never see this film the same again.
The Nazis managed to run the artists out of town, and German Expressionist film all but disappeared, but in Hollywood a new dawn was coming.
