Moviecut—The Oyster Princess

source: The Oyster Princess

Die Austernprinzessin

The Oyster Princess (1919) - 7.0 Some legit mentally good filmmaking going on here with some interesting shots Absurdist humor that doesn't feel completely dated Well put together sets with a solid narrative Impressive film for the time

I watched that movie two months ago and it was so amusing. If you think of the age of the development of the film, you could maintain, that Lubitsch was one of the earliest and best producers of his time! Watch it and persuade yourself!!!

This movie is a crazy-quilt farrago of silliness, with Ossi Oswalda the soiled daughter of oyster magnate Victor Janson. She takes it into her head that she wants to marry a prince, and penniless Harry Liedtke is selected. He sends his friend Julius Falkenstein to look the situation over. Falkenstein is mistake for Liedtke, and so they are wed. Meanwhile.... I suppose you could make the point that there is satire in the script by Hanns Kräly and Lubitsch. However, despite claims to the contrary, there is no sign of the Lubitsch touch, in which plot and character points are subtly indicated by slight things: a transom closed, or a coat buttoned. Instead it is straight, outrageous farce. And very funny.

When one considers the age of this film and Lubitsch's failure as a dramatic director, especially with his ponderous MADAME DU BARRY (PASSION) that same year, it's both a delight and a relief to experience him finding his comic niche and beginning to blossom with his delightful little "touches." It is crude as were most films of 1919, but it is full of invention, delightful absurdities and nonsense. It all adds up to a frothy comedy that is most enjoyable. The fox trot mania sequence is particularly endearing. Seek this one out.

Oyster-king Quaker cannot be impressed anymore. He is so rich that he even has a special butler holding his cigar while he is smoking. The only thing Quaker would be impressed by is if his daughter Ossi were to marry a real prince. He makes an offer to the poor prince Nucki, who sends his friend Josef to get a clear idea of the woman. While this is an excellent comedy, what really shines is its satirical commentary on race and class. Race because of how the Oyster King has black servants, something that was not uncommon at the time (despite slavery officially ending some time earlier). And class because of how extravagant the king lives. Surely he is an exaggeration or caricature -- could anyone be this opulent? The very idea is interesting because today if you want to attack excess wealth on film, you have to be more subtle about it, more clever. Exactly why I am not sure...