The Great King (1942)
March 2, 1942Release Date
Plot.
Where to Watch.
This Movie Is About.
Cast & Crew.
Otto Gebühr
King Frederick II
Kristina Söderbaum
Luise Treskow
Gustav Fröhlich
Sgt. Treskow
Hilde Körber
Elisabeth
Hans Nielsen
Niehoff
Paul Wegener
Gen. Czernitscheff
Veit Harlan
Director
Gerhard Menzel
Writer
Otto Wernicke
Oberst Rochow
Hans Rehberg
Writer
Harry Hardt
Adjutant von Dessau
Hans Hermann Schaufuß
Gen. Zieten
Hans-Otto Borgmann
Composer
Bruno Mondi
Cinematographer
Claus Clausen
Prince Heinrich (older)
Karl Machus
ProductionDesigner
Media.
Details.
Release DateMarch 2, 1942
Original NameDer große König
StatusReleased
Running Time1h 58m
Genres
Wiki.
The Great King (German: Der große König) is a 1942 German drama film directed by Veit Harlan and starring Otto Gebühr. It depicts the life of Frederick the Great, who ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786. It received the rare "Film of the Nation" distinction. It was part of a popular cycle of "Prussian films".
The film is a depiction of the Führerprinzip. The analogy to Adolf Hitler was so clear that Hitler sent a print to Benito Mussolini, and Joseph Goebbels warned against the drawing of the comparison in print, in particular, because of the pessimistic mood that opens the film. After a sergeant gives an unauthorised order, the king orders him simultaneously promoted and punished. His later decision to desert results in his death because no disobedience is justified. Goebbels declared that the parallels were not a matter of propaganda, but an obvious result of the parallels of history.Goebbels also regarded it as instructive that current sufferings would be a source of strength. Goebbels had some difficulty with the Army High Command over this film because it depicted the king as being left in the lurch by his general. He complained that the army felt that any depiction, however historical, reflected badly on them.