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IMDbPro

Bismarck

  • 19401940
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
211
YOUR RATING
Paul Hartmann and Rolf Lauckner in Bismarck (1940)
BiographyDrama
A biographical film of Otto von Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Prussia, and how he and his policies - including aggressive war - helped to unite Germany.A biographical film of Otto von Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Prussia, and how he and his policies - including aggressive war - helped to unite Germany.A biographical film of Otto von Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Prussia, and how he and his policies - including aggressive war - helped to unite Germany.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
211
YOUR RATING
    • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
    • Rolf Lauckner
    • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
  • Stars
    • Paul Hartmann
    • Friedrich Kayßler
    • Lil Dagover
    • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
    • Rolf Lauckner
    • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
  • Stars
    • Paul Hartmann
    • Friedrich Kayßler
    • Lil Dagover
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 4User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Günther Hadank and Friedrich Kayßler in Bismarck (1940)
    Ruth Hellberg, Werner Hinz, Friedrich Kayßler, and Maria Koppenhöfer in Bismarck (1940)
    Bismarck (1940)
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    Top cast

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    Paul Hartmann
    Paul Hartmann
    • Otto von Bismarck
    Friedrich Kayßler
    • King Wilhelm I.
    Lil Dagover
    Lil Dagover
    • Queen Eugénie
    Käthe Haack
    Käthe Haack
    • Johanna von Bismarck
    Maria Koppenhöfer
    Maria Koppenhöfer
    • Königin Augusta
    Walter Franck
    • Kaiser Napoleon III
    Ruth Hellberg
    Ruth Hellberg
    • Crown Princess Victoria
    Werner Hinz
    Werner Hinz
    • Kronprinz Friedrich
    Margret Militzer
    • Komtess Marie von Bismarck
    Karl Schönböck
    Karl Schönböck
    • Kaiser Franz Joseph
    Günther Hadank
    • Minister Moltke
    Hellmuth Bergmann
    • Minister von Roon
    Karl Haubenreißer
    • Dr. Rudolf Virchow
    Otto Gebühr
    Otto Gebühr
    • König von Sachsen
    Jaspar von Oertzen
    • Prinz Friedrich Karl
    Harald Paulsen
    Harald Paulsen
    • Benedetti
    Karl Meixner
    Karl Meixner
    • Loewe
    Hans Junkermann
    Hans Junkermann
    • Generalfeldmarschall Wrangel
      • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
      • Rolf Lauckner
      • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The last scene of the movie, the signing of the foundation of the German Empire in Versailles 1871, is a recreation of the painting "Die Proklamierung des Deutschen Kaiserreiches (18. Januar 1871)" (The proclamation of the German Empire (18th January 1871)) by Anton von Werner from the same year.
    • Goofs
      The attack on Otto von Bismarck in 1866 by the Jewish Engishman Ferdinand Cohen-Blind is an actual fact. However while in the movie he was forced to kill him by the British government in real life he did it on his own will to avoid a possible war and to save Germany. It was added to this movie to add antisemitic tones to the movie.
    • Quotes

      King Wilhelm I.: [about Bismarck] He is brave. He has a conviction. He never pretended to anyone.

    • Connections
      Edited into Deutschland, erwache! (1968)

    User reviews4

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    2/10
    Sink this 'Bismarck'!
    The 1940 film 'Bismarck' was one of the Staatsauftragsfilme: the 'state-produced films' of the Third Reich which were clearly meant as Nazi propaganda. Rather than blatantly extolling Hitler, these films typically chose a powerful figure from German history and depicted him favourably, careful to stress similarities (real or invented) between this protagonist and Adolf Hitler, the founder of the Third Reich. In this particular film, the similarities are more obvious than elsewhere ... as the protagonist of 'Bismarck' is the diplomat who founded the Second Reich.

    'Bismarck' is a selective recounting of the life story of Otto von Bismarck, the prime minister of Prussia who achieved military victory over Austria, humiliated the French government, and proclaimed Kaiser Wilhelm the First as the Emperor of Germany. Early on in this long movie, we get a feeling of what we're in for as Bismarck addresses the Landtag. Speaking directly into the camera, actor Paul Hartmann (as Bismarck) tells us: "The great questions of the present will not be solved by speeches and parliaments, but by iron and blood." He doesn't say "Sieg heil!", but you get the message, ja?

    This film carefully sets up parallels between Bismarck and Hitler. As soon as Bismarck becomes prime minister, the next scene shows him building up the army that will create a German empire. (Hitler did much the same as soon as he became chancellor.) Figures in Bismarck's life are presented as equivalents of figures in Hitler's career. Although Bismarck installed Wilhelm as emperor, this movie shows Bismarck challenging the Kaiser's authority and urging him to form a military non-aggression pact with Russia to strengthen Prussia's eastern flank. Wilhelm is depicted as a man who has outlived his usefulness, who should step aside for a stronger and greater leader: in other words, he's the equivalent of Paul von Hindenburg, the president of the Weimar Republic who was displaced by the ambitious Hitler.

    The period detail in 'Bismarck' is excellent, and the production values are impressive ... but then, Germany's UFA film studio was able to use cheap labour in wartime. In the central role, Paul Hartmann gives a lacklustre performance. Not much better is Friedrich Kayssler as Kaiser Wilhelm. (Kayßler was murdered for political reasons less than a week before Hitler committed suicide.) In the role of the Empress, Lil Dagover is darkly beautiful ... still looking remarkably like the pale heroine she depicted in 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari' and 'Destiny'.

    Many of Nazi Germany's propaganda films had some genuine artistic merit and interesting scripts, notwithstanding their political agenda. But 'Bismarck' is long on Nazi agitprop and short on redeeming features. The most interesting thing about this movie is its sequel: 'Bismarck' was a huge hit at the Third Reich's box office, reaping a profit of nearly two million reichsmarks. The propaganda office straight away commissioned a sequel: 'Die Entlassung'. This is a much better film than 'Bismarck', with the same director but with a much better actor taking over the role of Otto von Bismarck: the great Emil Jannings. I'll rate 'Bismarck' 2 points out of 10.
    helpful•16
    26
    • F Gwynplaine MacIntyre
    • Mar 8, 2003

    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 6, 1940 (Germany)
      • Germany
      • German
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Babelsberg Castle, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
    • Production company
      • Tobis Filmkunst
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 58 minutes
      • Black and White
      • Mono

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