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Descended from a wealthy family of landowners in what was then Austria-Hungary, Franz Planer understood the importance of photography as an art form early in his life. He first stood behind the camera as a portrait photographer, working out of Vienna from 1910. He soon branched out, filming newsreels in Paris and, in 1919, joined the growing German film industry as chief cameraman for Emelka (which became Bavaria Studios in 1932), in Munich. During the 1920s and early 1930's, he acquired a reputation for style, having worked as cinematographer for such distinguished directors as F.W. Murnau and Wilhelm Thiele, most of his films being commercially popular entertainments.

Anticipating the "Anschluss" - the forcible annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler - Planer left Austria in 1937 and, using the pseudonym Frank F. Planer, sought work in Hollywood. He joined the American Society of Cinematorgaphers and was signed under contract at Columbia from 1938-45, and, again, from 1949-50 (in between working at Universal from 1947-49), filming in a variety of different genres. At this stage in his career, he often used real-life locations and shot primarily in black-and-white, in almost semi-documentary style. Like other European cinematographers, he was heavily influenced by German expressionism and used chiaroscuro lighting and stark contrasts between light and shade to achieve thematic mood requirements - particularly for films noir, such as Criss Cross (1949) and 711 Ocean Drive (1950). Planer's creative collaboration with director Max Ophüls is frequently cited as among his best work, notably the melancholic romantic drama Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948).

During the 1950s Planer was much in demand and used by many of Hollywood's top directors, including Robert Siodmak, John Huston, Edward Dmytryk and Stanley Kramer. Increasingly comfortable with color photography from 1954, Planer worked on several A-grade productions. He created a particularly realistic feel for The Caine Mutiny (1954) and The Nun's Story (1959) by utilizing sparse, functional interiors. Unusual camera angles/perspectives, tracking shots and objects inserted between camera and subject contributed to the look of the popular Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). Planer never won an Academy Award, though he was nominated five times: for Champion (1949), Death of a Salesman (1951), Roman Holiday (1953), The Nun's Story (1959) and The Children's Hour (1961).

The Planer Jewish family was very influential, and owned large tracts of farmland, businesses, libraries, and shops in Austria-Hungary, and several properties in and around Vienna, some of which were stolen by certain low ranking officers for their own family&#39;s use in the mid to late 1930s using falsely issued papers, and threats.

Member of the American Society of Cinematographers.

Photographed five of &#39;Audrey Hepburn &#39;s films.

In his mid-60s, he suffered a heatstroke in Spain while working on the
Sermon on the Mount sequence of _King of Kings (1961). It was one of
his final films and he passed away only a few years later.

He shot over 130 movies, including Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) plus the color films The Big Country (1958) and Breakfast at Tiffany&#39;s (1961).

His greatest successes for the German film came in the sound film era of the 30s into being.

The cinematographer Franz Planer got an education as a photographer in Vienna and he worked in this profession from 1910. At the same time he already filmed first reports for the newsreels as a cinematographer which were shown in numerous cinemas.

For &quot;The Children&#39;s Hour&quot; he got his last Oscar nomination. But the Oscar was never awarded to him.

His most popular US movies came in the 50s into being.

Planer had trained as a portrait painter, but realizing that photography was becoming very popular, and would replace the requirement for talented artists changed his career path. He changed direction into films, and thus began his career as a director of photography for films in Germany and later throughout Europe in the early 1900s till 1933,.

After his time by Columbia he went on with his film career successfully and he shot &quot;Her Sister&#39;s Secret&quot; (46), &quot;The Chase&quot; (1946), &quot;Letter from an Unknown Woman&quot; (1948), &quot;Champion&quot; (1949) and &quot;Once More, My Darling&quot; (1949). For &quot;Champion&quot; he got his first Oscar nomination.

Franz Planer left Europe in 1937 and went to the USA where he was engaged by Columbia till 1945.

With the rise of the National Socialsm he returned to his home country Austria where he had no problems to continue his film career.

Trivia

Franz Planer

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