Hamlet

Α free adaptation of Shakespeare’s play. The androgynous persona of Asta Nielsen is a miracle of expressiveness and discipline as Prince Hamlet. She fully evokes the ambivalence of Hamlet and she is rightly recognized as the first international star of cinema. Until recently, the film was only available in black and white with English intertitles. In 2005, a colorized 35mm print turned up in a private film archive in Germany. It is one of the first experiments in color. The negative was shot in black and white and the positive print was then colored by hand. The digital restoration was carried out by the Deutsches Filminstitut (DIF) and the ZDF in collaboration with ARTE. The German intertitles were added based on the censorship archives in the Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv in Berlin.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.
Script: Erwin Gepard, based on the book The Mystery of Hamlet: An Attempt to Solve an Old Problem (1881) by Edward P.Vining
Cinematography: Curt Courant, Axel Graatkjer, Καλλιτεχνική διεύθυνση : Siegfried Wroblewsky, Svend Gade
Actors: Asta Nielsen (Prince Hamlet), Paul Conradi (King Hamlet), Mathilde Brandt (Gertrude), Eduard von Winterstein (Claudius), Heinz Stieda (Horatio)
Production: Art-Film GmbH, Berlin
Producers: Asta Nielsen
Costumes: Hugo Baruch, Leopold Verch
Sets: Svend Gade
Format: 35mm B&W, Tinted, Silent
Production Country: Germany
Production Year: 1920-21
Duration: 110

Svend Gade

He was born in Copenhagen in 1877 and worked initially as an actor for the theatre until 1921 when he began to direct films. In 1921 he settled in Germany. One year later he moved to Hollywood, where he directed films and occasionally designed sets. He remained there until 1928, when he returned to Denmark. The arrival of talking pictures meant the end of his film carrer. He turned once again to theatre until 1955, when he died.

Filmography

1918 Die Liebe der Bajadere
1921 Hamlet
1923 Das Geheimnis von Brinkenhof
1925 Peacock Feathers
1925 Siege
1925 Fifth Avenue Models
1926 The Blonde Saint
1926 Watch Your Life
1926 Into Her Kingdom
1938 Balletten Danser

Heinz Schall

He worked as director, producer, production manager and creative consultant.

Filmography

1916/17   Im Lebenswirbel
1920         Ein Tag auf dem Mars
1921         Die im Schatten gehen-Hamlet-Die Spur im dunkel
1922         Macbeth-Der Lieberoman des Cesare Ubaldi-Das hohe Lied der Liebe
1923         Der Herzog von Aleria
1927         Was weibt Du von der Liebe (Gefahrdete Madchen)
1929         Kameradschaftsehe (co-direction : Josef Medeotti-Bohac)