Der schwarze Husar (1932) User Reviews (3)

Patriotism in a Tight Black Uniform and High Peaked Cap

[Zurdta · 8/10 · 31 July 2006]

The story is light and flimsy as Captain Hansgeorg von Hochsberg (Conrad Veidt) and his sidekick Leiut. Aribert von Blome, nicknamed Bubi (Wolf Albrech-Retty), ride through the beautiful German countryside, romancing Marie-Luise (Maddy Christians) and Brigitte (Ursula Grabley) and engaging in friendly banter, whilst outwitting and comically foiling the Russians and the French. The Russians are portrayed as loud, hot-tempered and arrogant, whilst the French are reduced to buffoons and sinister types. The comedy is played broadly without too much subtlety as pomposity is lampooned in a variety of ways – from the Russian Prince Petrovsky (Gregori Chmara) being deprived of his trousers, to the fat, food obsessed French Governor Darmont (Otto Wallburg) attempting to ingratiate himself with Petrovsky – who is actually Hochsberg in disguise! The Germans, of course, are portrayed as hearty, duty bound and heroic.

Conny cuts a dashing and handsome figure on his black horse in his tight black uniform and high peaked cap despite the bizarre hair beneath. He throws himself into the role of Hansgeorg von Hochberg with gusto as he romps through the comedy and roughly romances Marie-Luise whilst projecting an air of cultured authority and loyalty to his duty. He handles his horse with necessary firmness and displays his riding ability, although a double is used for the chase sequence at the beginning (and Conny is clearly saddle sore as he dismounts and greets Potrovsky!) He thoroughly enjoys the comedic moments and mercilessly scene steals at every opportunity – particularly the scene with Darmont where he uses his white gloves and monocle to great effect. His romancing of Marie-Luise is abrupt as he passionately grabs the lady and presses his firm kisses upon her, she naturally objects before laughing and melting into his arms. A Germanic cliché perhaps, but heartfluttering for certain ladies. There is no great acting involved – he is dashing and handsome, charming and authoritative, a little roguish but ultimately heroic

Journeys End In Lovers Meeting

[boblipton · 7/10 · 29 August 2019]

Captain Conrad Veidt and his faithful companion, Lieutenant Wolf Albach-Retty, officers of the Black Hussars, are on a secret mission to rescue the local Princess from the French forces -- this is Napoleonic era stuff -- and return her to her proper fiancee, Count Bernhard Goetzke. While the French forces are looking for them, they hide out at a local inn and make love to the innkeeper's nieces. They don't realize that the one Veidt has set his cap at is the princess they seek: Mady Christians. The French arrive and drive them out, so they set out to where the French governor is keeping Princess Mady so she can be married to a Polish prince of Napoleon's choice. Along the way, they decide that Veidt will impersonate the prince.

It's a little bit of this and that: some roguish behavior, Otto Wallburg in a Herman-Bing role as the the French governor, several songs, Conrad Veidt at his most roguish and dashing best, and Mady Christians at her loveliest. It's a lot of fun, if nothing out of the ordinary, with its mixture of THE CAPTAIN FROM KOPENICK and THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, it's all clearly a well calculated bit of nonsense. While parts of it haven't aged well -- particularly the operetta songs -- it still has its charms, particularly the leads.

Disappointing early sound Conrad Veidt.

[Mozjoukine · 4 December 2016]

This turns out to be a bland historical romance with a few songs but no duel, no ball and no battle - disappointing in the line of (second billed under Christians) Veidt's work.

Disbanded by Napoleon, Conrad's black Hussars, with their skull and cross bones caps, are still given the mission of rescuing the princess, who the Emperor is trying to marry off with Polish nobleman Chmara, and take her back to their duke, Lamprecht regular Goetzke, who just manages to beat the end title onto the screen. Lots of would be comic impersonations.

The film is handsomely mounted on a small scale by the great Rohrig & Herlth team and was probably nicely filmed by Franz Planer, even if the U-Tube copy is fuzzy and wobbles as if it was copied off a projection on a bed sheet.