Friedrich Schiller, la jeunesse d'un poète

There was considerable interest in the prospect of seeing an unknown 1923 German film, staring Theodor Loos, the conspicuous character player in the Lang films - secretary Josephat in METROPOLIS, the doctor left standing at the traffic light in TESTAMENT OF MABUSE and co-star with Conrad Veidt in couple of intriguing German early sound films.

There is little hint of the imposing work the German cinema was doing around it in this piece, which follows the familiar pattern of placing the young writer in opposition to his tyrannical duke, after he sees the injustices meted out to conscripts and artists.

Not helped by a washed out DVD transfer, which made it hard to tell who was who, this tedious production drags along, played largely in full length shots of characters in wigs and cocked hats. Loos makes little impression in the lead. It's nice to see Ilka Grunning in a minor part.