Finances of the Grand Duke (1924) User Reviews (8)

F.W. Murnau plays it for laughs.

[F Gwynplaine MacIntyre · 6/10 · 14 September 2004]

Any film directed by F.W. Murnau merits serious attention, but "The Grand Duke's Finances" is especially noteworthy because it's one of Murnau's rare attempts at comedy. Based on this one film (the only Murnau comedy I've seen to date), Murnau's comedic skills were far less developed than his flair for drama and melodrama. However, there are some good points throughout this film.

The plot is not especially credible nor especially funny, and each chapter of the story is prefaced with an introductory title which (except for the climactic one) features a long, long description of who these people are and what they mean to accomplish.

The best performance in the film is given by Alfred Abel. I've seen Abel in a few other comedies, and I usually find him stolid and stiff. Here, surprisingly, he's quite funny as a wealthy eccentric who resorts to various scams and false identities to enrich himself even more. Wearing long sideburns and an unusual makeup, in this film Abel looks remarkably like Eddie Foy Junior! Abel also gets the funniest dialogue in the film, courtesy of the silent intertitles. When beautiful Mady Christians wants to evade her pursuers, Abel deftly makes her look extremely unattractive and then he remarks: "This is how I expect my wife to look." When she faints at Abel's table in a bistro, he suavely asks the waiter for a glass of cognac, apparently to revive her ... and then Abel drinks it himself. I anticipated as much, but then Abel uses the cognac's lingering fumes to revive her.

Although long stretches of this comedy are unfunny, nevertheless "The Grand Duke's Finances" contains the earliest example I've ever encountered of a perennial sight gag that I call "the punctuated stampede". We've all seen this gag in dozens of cartoons: a mob of figures rush across the screen, followed by a pause, and then one last little straggler brings up the rear. In this film, for no discernible reason, a top-hatted Abel contrives to send a pack of wolfhounds racing through his own mansion ... with a little dachshund bringing up the rear to punctuate the stampede.

In the central role of Don Ramon the Twenty-Second, Grand Duke of the Mediterranean nation of Abacco, Harry Liedtke is only vaguely amusing. Fans of "Nosferatu" will be intrigued to see Max Schreck's name in the cast list here. Schreck plays one of a quartet of political agitators. He wears a long straggly beard and looks impressively gaunt but has almost nothing to do, except for one amusing bit of physical business when a maidservant chases him out of the Grand Duke's castle. A far more impressive (and much more physical) performance is given by Hans Schaufuss as Schreck's hunchbacked co-conspirator. Schaufuss leaps, capers, goggles at the camera, swings from a rope, and gives a performance even more athletic than Lon Chaney's Quasimodo.

The exterior photography is excellent, and I felt a nostalgic twinge during a shot of a tram moving through a city's streets at night. Several sequences were shot on shipboard, and I was pleased to see the horizon heaving up and down realistically, unlike in so many Hollywood films which feature stationary cameras in "shipboard" sequences. Near the end, there's a funny shot of a woman chasing a man into the distance ... but Leo McCarey would have done it better. Murnau was a great director of dramas, but his comedic efforts fall very far short of Ernst Lubitsch's comedies. I'll rate "The Grand Duke's Finances" 6 out of 10.

While far from Murnau's best, it's silly and enjoyable.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 4 October 2010]

This is a truly odd little silent film--one you'd never suspect would be directed the same man responsible for "Nosferatu"! Instead of the usual serious film for which F.W. Murnau was known, "Finances of the Grand Duke" is like the blending of a comedy with a movie serial. Though the film is a regular full-length movie of 77 minutes, it play like a serial--with chapters and TONS of action--enough for a 12-part serial! While the overall effect is not great, it is pretty good and watchable.

The film is set in the fictional island kingdom of Abacco. The Grand Duke is so deeply in debt that creditors threaten to seize his kingdom. In addition, a speculator who wants to put in a sulfur mine is willing to finance a revolution since the Grand Duke refuses to have such a blight on his island. With these dark forces conspiring to take his throne, the Grand Duke has a possible solution in the form of a marriage proposal from a rich Russian Princess--who he's never even seen! Can this all be worked out or is the kingdom to be torn from him? Tune in and see.

While the humor in the film is rarely that funny, because so much happens so quickly, the film is breezy and watchable--especially to Murnau fans who want to see everything he made--even his seemingly lesser works. Overall, not bad but not great either--more like a pleasant time-passer.

Herr Murnau's Only Comedy

[FerdinandVonGalitzien · 6/10 · 5 November 2010]

The Grand Duke of Abacco ( Herr Harry Liedtke ) is settled on a Mediterranean island living an altruistic, distracted and careful life. In reality, he's full of debts but that's a situation that could change thanks to an unexpected sulphur deposit found on his small duchy. The Duke, besides his financial problems, is threatened by his villainous principal creditor, who soon stirs up a plot. The dastardly plans count on some of his malicious subjects. Meanwhile other strange characters become involved in what and in will be a peculiar plot full of financial conspiracies and politics concerning the Grand Duke.

Many geniuses in different Arts are also humans. So, due to this, they have virtues and defects. As it happens sometimes with inhuman aristocrats, their major virtues are their defects and minor sins from time to time are revealed. And believed or not, such human weakness was suffered also by the great German film director, Herr Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, who directed in 1924… a comedy!!.

Herr Murnau's only comedy, "Die Finanzen des Großherzogs" it is certainly a rare oeuvre in his magnificent career ( although it is possible to appreciate some slight signs of humour in previous films as "Schloß Vogelöd" - others Herr Murnau's early film are not well remembered by this German count... ) "Die Finanzen des Großherzogs" is a unique and special silent comedy piece stretching Herr Murnau's parameters in what certainly is a bizarre film dealing with idealized and romantic subjects developed in a caricaturized way.

The story of the film is centered around the financial problems of the Grand Duke of Abacco. Together with the different characters involved in such odd story that Herr Murnau describes in a parallel way until little by little everyone comes together in what it is a special comedy of financial intrigue. It's a peculiar "totum revolutum" leading to an over-elaborated story.

After having directed "Phantom" (1922) from a script written by Frau Thea von Harbou ( in turn taken from a dense novel by Herr Gerhard Hauptmann ), this time Frau von Harbou and Herr Murnau considered it necessary to select a completely different literary option than the previous one. The choice was a light novel by Herr Frank Heller that in its adaptation to the silent screen has as a result a mixture of folkloric and stereotyped elements with an air of modern serial.

The film deals with idle and bankrupt aristocrats, a rich duchess, angry servants ( certainly, nothing new under the aristocratic sun ), blackmail, swindlers and even a Revolution. Everything is filmed in beautiful Yugoslavian places that give to the film an aesthetic aspect paralleling the story of the film in itself. That is to say, charming but at the same time irrelevant.., a Herr Murnau "divertimento", certainly.

"Die Finanzen des Großherzogs" is a transitional experiment, an exception in Herr Murnau's superb silent career than in spite of its flaws has interest for any silent fan. It should be watched and considered simply as a weird and peculiar comedy of financial intrigues, a decadent passtime, ja wohl!.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must flee from his debts.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien

Early Murnau Comedy

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 7 July 2011]

A multi-part story of a grand duke who has run out of money. He is being pushed by wealthy to men to sell off certain property, but he fights back through an alliance with a foreign woman.

Some have made something of the homoerotic opening with boys swimming, especially with Murnau being gay. I will not comment on it further than just to mention it here.

The film specifically referenced paintings, which is no surprise -- Murnau was an art historian. It has been said some directors view film as artists and some as cameramen. Murnau was an artist. This works well, and it is added to by the fact the sets were painted with shadows rather than using lights. A similar technique was used in "Caligari" by Weine's set designers... was this a strictly German invention? Allegedly, only half the original film exists today. Yet, the part that does exist still makes complete sense. Odd. Also allegedly, the anti-Semitism is toned down from the book, even though the character of Markovitz remains. The book is not available in English so this would be hard to verify. The inclusion of any anti-Semitism strikes me as odd, though, as I believe there were Jews working on the set.

While the big name here is director Murnau, pay attention to actor Max Schreck (better known from Murnau's "Nosferatu"), and notice this script was adapted by Thea von Harbou, the wife and creative partner of Fritz Lang.

David Kalat's audio commentary is brilliant and he ought to write a book on Murnau, though he does play down the role of Oscar-winning cinematographer Karl Freund, which is a mistake.

Cinematographer Freund's Camerawork Breathtaking

[springfieldrental · 6/10 · 17 January 2022]

In F. W. Murnau's prior movie just before "The Last Laugh," the director exhibited the opposite restraint in his narrative by producing his only comedy, January 1924's "The Grand Duke's Finances." The story consists of a duke, leader of a small European country, who's in dire financial straights. His proliferate ways are creating for his tiny kingdom a situation where his main creditor is on the verge of kicking him out and taking control of the country. A marriage to a rich Russian grand duchess could solve the duke's debt crises. But revolutionaries and the creditor attempt to thwart the union, cascading the movie into a series of chases and conspiracies.

The script, written by Fritz Lang's wife, Thea von Harbou, and filmed by Karl Freund, was shot on location on the Adriatic coast as well as at the UFA Tempelhof Studios. "The Grand Duke's Finances" is a compilation of serial episodes and contains, unusual for Murnau, a series of bizarre gags and a cliffhanger of an ending.

Cinematographer Freund, whose career in film went back to 1916, later teamed up with Fritz Lang and scriptwriter von Harbou to produce the 1927 'Metropolis' before moving to America, where he shot 1931's 'Dracula.' He earned an Oscar for his cinematography in 1937's 'The Good Earth.' Freund's credited in designing flat lighting in the 1950s 'I Love Lucy' television series, allowing for the revolutionary three-camera studio setup that prevails in today's sitcom productions.

Finances of the Grand Duke

[lasttimeisaw · 6/10 · 2 August 2011]

I am not sure silent films are still considered as a pilgrim's treasure among cinephiles, yet the frustrating truth is that one could never ever watch all the masterpieces he/she desires during one lifetime, the more I grow older, the more I cannot endure wasting my insufficient time on films neither harbor awful reviews nor cannot ignite my interest. Thus, I cannot help oscillating whether silent films should fall into the latter category or not. This film actually is my second silent film I have watched since a rather long time, the previous one is SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS (1927), Murnau's work as well, of which actually I am deeply fond.

The major issue I cannot think highly of silent features is that without the voices from the characters, I feel literally detached from the story involved, which eventually will elicit some weariness of my attention on the screen, if it's a comedy, maybe the situation is better as long as all the gags function as expected, otherwise, if the plot is a tad complex, it will lose me quickly. Actually this is exactly what this film has done to me, but in a lesser extent, I failed to distinguish each and every character (no idea which one is the main villain, no idea what's the relationship between the professor and the princess Olga, just strangers or a couple indeed? Also the Chinese subtitle is lousy) and not well acquired what actually happened to the letter (what's its importance on earth?). The accompanying piano score overshadows the narrative outright (I remember taking a short but comfortable nap with it).

The two-faced hue of the film (ochre and blackish green) could be the product after the film being restored, which serves favorably to remind audience be aware of the in-door/out-door milieu (have no idea it's an intentional contrivance or something later-decorated).

Overall, compared with the utterly earnest SUNRISE, the film doesn't impress me too much, the basic proof is that as a comedy, I didn't generate any laughter from A to Z. Maybe the perversive but intriguing score should take the blame, and at least I feel so blessed thanks to the progress of technology, which has allowed the motion picture evolving into a more audience-friendly status as it is now (3D technology is excluded).

A Change of Direction for Morneau!

[bsmith5552 · 7/10 · 8 December 2018]

"The Finances of the Grand Duke" marked a change of direction.for Director F.W. Murneau. Notes for his dark and macabre films such as "Nosferatu" (1922), he chose to make a light hearted comedy for this outing.

The film is presented in six chapters and chronicles the life and times od Ramon XXII the Grand Duke of the small mythical mediterranean island of Abacco. The kingdom it seems, is on the verge of bankruptcy.

Grand Duke Ramon XXII (Harry Liedke)and his Finance Minister Paqueno (Adolph Engers) labor over the overhanging debt. Financier Marcowitz is demanding payment within 3 days or he will take over the island. The sinister Bekker (Hermann Valentin) wants to exploit the island's sulpher deposit using the island's workers which the Grand Duke refuses to do.

Out of the blue (literally) comes a letter from Olga, Crown Princess of Russia, proposing a marriage between herself and Ramon AND assuming the nation's considerable debt in the process. Meanwhile the oily Bekker is plotting a revolution with his conspirators, the dangerous one (Georg August Koch), the sinister one (Max Schreck - yes THAT Max Schreck), the hunchback (Hans Hermann) and the ambitious one (Walter Rilla).

Devil may care Philipp Collin (Alfred Abel) is hired by newly elected parliamentarian Isaacs (Julius Falkenstein) to retrieve some embarrassing letters from Marcowitz. Paqueno meanwhile has stolen Princess Olga's letter and brought it to Marcowitz as security for Abacco's outstanding debt. Marcowitz keeps the letter. Collin sneaks into Marcowitz' office retrieves the incriminating letters and discovers Princess Olga's letter which he copies, in the process.

Isaac loans Collin a large sum in payment which he promptly invests in buying up Abacco's debt which is reported in the press. Princess Olga travelling incognito is fleeing an unknown party. She goes to Bekker in a café for help. Collin decides to help her not knowing her true identity. He disguises her as his "wife" in order to elude her pursuers.

At the hotel the girl pays back Collin but he discovers her real identity in the process. Meanwhile the Grand Duke and Paqueno arrive on the mainland only to learn that the revolution on Abacco has succeeded The Grand Duke deposed and Luis Hernandez, the hunchback conspirator installed as president by Bekker.

All of the principals are anxious to return to the island as soon as possible. Olga, posing as Collin's wife hires a boat and she and Collin as well as, the Grand Duke sail onward. Olga and the Grand Duke not knowing who each other are strike up a friendship en route. Marcowitz at the same time cons his way aboard a military ship chartered by Crown Prince Nikolai and heads foe Abacco as well.

When they all arrive, Bekker captures the Grand Duke and plans to hang him but............................................................................................

Quite a complex plot I must admit but there are some comedic moments as well as the intrigue and mystery to enjoy. What I don't understand why Princess Olga would out of the blue, propose marriage to a total stranger and be willing to pay off his nation's debts. And curiously, the actor playing the Crown Prince Nikolai is not identified either in the movie or it's commentary or on IMDb.

Not Murneau's best but entertaining and a nice change of pace anyway.

Can Murnau be funny?

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 17 June 2016]

Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Plumpe) is one of the most known filmmakers (maybe the number 2 behind Lang) from the glory days of German silent cinema and here we have a film from him that came out in 1924, so it's less than 10 years until this 80-minute movie will have its 100th anniversary. Murnau is mostly known for his take on dramatic films with a large number of scary horror elements. But this one here is a completely different film, be it in terms of story, tone or plot development. Yes there is a scene when some people want to kill somebody else, but this is nonetheless a really light movie with a couple (somewhat) funny moments during its entire runtime. So can Murnau deliver in terms of comedy too? Sadly, I must say no. Even for a film that stays easily under the 90-minute mark i must say that there just weren't enough entertaining moments and the entire story was not particularly interesting either. This is especially disappointing as the Frank Heller novel this film is based on was adapted by Fritz Lang's longtime collaborator Thea von Harbou. I am not saying this is a bad film and it is probably even better than most comedies from that era (not a prolific genre in the 1920s in Germany), but by today's standards "The Grand Duke's Finances" has not aged very well and that's why my final verdict is a thumbs-down. Not recommended.