Although born in Vienna, Sternberg actually spent much of his youth in the US, and began his career in the States. He worked with Emil Jannings in The Last Command (1928). Jannings brought him to Berlin to make the first major German sound film, The Blue Angel.
There he discovered Dietrich, brought her to Hollywood, and made a series of increasingly sexy films with her.
In Morocco (1930), Dietrich cemented her mannish, androgynous image, and gave us one of the great woman-woman kiss scenes in Hollywood history.
What I'm thinking about right now is how Marlene's androgynous image may have reflected in the German community. How did women respond to this image? I imagine that it encouraged women who had felt their sexuality and true self had been suppressed over the years to break out of their shell and follow their new idol. I also must say, however, that Marlene's position as a famous actress is part of what allowed her to behave and dress in such a manner. That was just how she was-- society could not tell her any different because she floated somewhere above it. To the average woman, however, who may have felt trapped in her middle-class life, it was only a dream.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't gone, either-- the super-famous, who float somewhere above the judgement of society, may still be judged, but they are in some ways impervious to it. They can afford to appear however they want, while the rest of the world looks on at them, half in loathing and half in envy.
In class we were trying to find other movie maker/ actress, muse and artist type of collaboration and it made me think about Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina. She featured in several of his films and they got married. The union did not last but many great movies are there to prove the greatness of this relationship.
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