One Arabian Night

Today, in the UK at least, the word "pantomime" means songs, dances, dames, villains to be booed, out of work actors, "He's behind you", and generally a good time to be had by all. It has developed out of longstanding traditions of popular theatre common throughout Europe, known at one point as "low opera". Sumurun, a German pantomime with which renowned theatre producer Max Reinhardt had great success in the mid-1910s, is not a familiar story, but the wild and wonderful tone with which it is played bears some similarities to how we understand the genre today.

Funnily enough, in the US the term pantomime is often used as synonym for "mime", in the Marcel Marceau sense, and indeed highly expressive acting in silent cinema is often referred to as "pantomime". Looking at the film version of Sumurun, it seems this is perhaps not entirely coincidental. Like the majority of Ernst Lubitsch pictures from this period, it takes place in a gloriously hammy world where actors grimace and gesticulate with shameless glee. Thank goodness for Lubitsch's sense of humour. By peppering Sumurun with touches of his absurd genius, he prevents it from being over-earnest and unintentionally funny. The Lubitsch style of comedy is nowhere near as pronounced as it was in all-out farces such as The Oyster Princess or The Wildcat, but it serves to soften the silliness of the melodrama with which it coexists. The comedy and melodrama do not interfere with each other, because the situations in themselves are not funny. Instead there is a line drawn between serious characters, and characters who exist purely to be comical. Incidentally, the occasional moments where the line blurs and the comedy figures get swept into the tragedy are among the most poignant I have seen in all of Lubitsch's work.

You see, Lubitsch was not just a master of screen comedy, he was a real craftsman of screen drama. Integral to Sumurun is his use of movement in depth. From the opening shot of a caravan approaching us from out of the desert, virtually all the motion is towards the camera. Often when characters look at each other, we are shown reverse angles in which they are virtually staring into the lens. It's almost a kind of audience participation (think pantomimes again!), in that we are made to feel we share the space of the film's world rather than that we look in on it. Conversely however Lubitsch sometimes frames the more dramatic events deep in the background, giving us a kind of panicky feel of separation. At this moment we should take time to consider the exquisite and elaborate set design of Kurt Richter, which here establishes contrasting tones for the different environments – a stark and barren outdoors, the squalid clutter of the poor district, and the rich opulence of the palace.

This was the last appearance of Lubitsch himself as an actor, and one of the few examples of his acting that is easily available today. His eccentric performance lies at the hammy heart of Sumurun. It is a very Germanic style of theatrical comic acting, exaggerated to the point of being almost grotesque, but something great fun to watch in the right kind of setting, as those familiar with the best of Emil Jannings or Rudolph Klein-Rogge will know. However Lubitsch is outshone by his opposite number, the old hag played by Margarete Kupfer, who is again very overstated but in a manner that is entertaining, especially in her lurching drunk act. Paul Wegener is marvellous as the old sheikh, treading the line between pomposity and genuine menace, and thus very much in tune with the picture as a whole. Finally an honourable mention goes to the handful of black supporting actors, who appear in a number of Lubitsch pictures and whose names I have never been able to find. None of these guys especially stands out, but they are all clearly adept at the Lubitsch comedy form of sudden reactions and surprise expressions.

Sumurun is not without its detractors. True, the complexity of the interwoven subplots, the fast-paced editing and the lack of intertitles make it a little hard to follow. Also I accept that the acting styles may seem a little inappropriate and jarring to some. But I also feel that those who would demand comprehensibility or naturalism from a picture like this are really missing the point. You need to buy into the sweeping melodramatics and theatrical slapstick, and simply let it all wash over you without taking any of it too seriously. In fact, people who don't like Sumurun are probably the same sort of people who would not enjoy shouting "Oh no it isn't!" at a bunch of out-of-work actors in tights. Pantomime: A distinct art form that must be accepted it for what it is.

During the silent film history, there were famous and important pairs who worked together in varying degrees in their film careers: Herr Stiller and Dame Garbo, Herr Pabst and Dame Brooks, Herr Griffith and Dame Gish or Herr Ego and Dame Swanson. One of these remarkable silent open marriages was Herr Ernst Lubitsch and Dame Pola Negri, who worked together in many important silent productions, especially during the German period of the Teutonic director.

"Sumurun" (1920) was one of those early lavish UFA productions, based on a Herr Max Reinhard's 1910 stage pantomime, which gave prestige to Germany's greatest film company and provided the chance to decisively open the world film markets to the German productions, specially in Amerika, a distant and perilous country where afterwards, as many longhaired youngsters know, Herr Lubitsch will continue his successful career, becoming one of the most important directors in film history. In this same country Dame Pola will also make some films but with uneven results; for her, it was a short lapse in her career that she will afterwards resume in old Europe.

This German count mentioned that "Sumurun" was a lavish, opulent major budget film production as can be seen in the superb and astonishing décors and art direction due to the pair of hands, two for each one, of Herr Ernö Metzner und Kurt Richter. Such Teutonic magnificence and exuberance is just what the story demands; a tale involving a tangled love triangle set in an archetypical and fascinating East.

This German count also must mention that in addition to Dame Negri the film also features Herr Paul Wegener, Dame Aud Agede Nissen and Herr Lubitsch himself. Pola has a role that's perfect for her: sensual, adventuresome, defiant and full of untameable spirit. The film's parallel stories sometimes are confusing or digressive although it makes for a comprehensible mess since the various love conflicts in the film include unrequited passion, Eastern vengeance and unrestrained desires, all transpiring in an exotic landscape and making for a delicious extravagant film fantasy where the talent of the German director shines more that the Eastern sun.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count has an exotic appointment in East Germany.

While few of Ernst Lubitsch's very early films (so the German silents) are quintessential Lubitsch, they are still well worth watching. Especially 'The Doll' and 'The Oyster Princess'. For quintessential Lubitsch as an overall whole though, look no further than the likes of 'Trouble in Paradise', 'Heaven Can Wait', 'To Be or Not to Be' and 'The Shop Around the Corner', where his unmistakable "Lubitsch Touch" style had fully emerged and at its best whereas it was not yet properly found in his silent films.

'Sumurun' is no exception to this. It is very well made, entertaining and among the high middle of Lubitsch's early efforts, though also rather odd and do agree that it is a little cold emotionally. It is worth the look if one is a fan of this great director and to see Pola Negri in her prime. But one may want to look elsewhere if they want to see a film easier to invest in, more tonally consistent and more subtle, as well as if one wants to see what the fuss with "the Lubitsch touch" is about.

It certainly looks great. The sets especially are spectacular even and the costumes are wonderfully exotic. The photography is neither too static or overblown, the story is opened up enough while not being swamped. The music is a good fit and that it was scored for few instruments worked in its favour, maybe some may have wanted a grander approach but as for me it was great that it wasn't overscored or too constant.

Furthermore, 'Sumurun' is often very amusing, silly but the humorous elements tend to be well-timed and fun. The story goes at an energetic pace and doesn't feel dull. Lubitsch had not properly found his style yet by this film but one can tell that he was engaged with the material and having fun with it. Negri is a very likeable and sultry lead, and seemed to have fun.

That is not to say that 'Sumurun' is perfect as it isn't. Will agree with those that felt that it was on the bland side, and if it allowed us to care for the characters a lot more (only a couple endear really) and simplified the storytelling a little more that would have made things better.

With the humour, it's always amusing but the more farcical moments felt a touch repetitive and most of the cast overplay their parts with a lot of exaggerated gestures going on.

Overall, good fun but not great. Lubitsch went on to much better things. 7/10

All one can remember from the complex plot of this movie which is yet another "Arabian" fantasy is the presence of Pola Negri. She plays a dancer in a traveling troupe that is forced to get the attention of the local sheik to protect her fellow performers, and allow the troupe to work the streets of the city. She plays the role of the dancer-courtesan to the hilt and her wild and frenzied dance sequence alone is already worth the price of admission. The settings and costumes are clearly influenced by the aesthetics of Diaghelev's Ballet Russes that were still the hot ticket in Paris when this film was made. Particularly it reminded me of "Scheherazade" choreographed by Mikhail Fokine with Ida Rubenstein and Vaslav Nijinski in the title roles, which I have seen produced by the Marinski Ballet and has similar costumes,(Leon Bakst designed the original costumes and his designs have been preserved) particularly for the eunuch, as the ones in the film. The ballet caused a great sensation when it premiered in 1910 as it turned out to have one of Nijinsky's most memorable roles as the slave. In this film Pola Negri is exquisite in her sultry, sensuous persona and one understands her star status from watching her go for it in this film. She is the seductress-gypsy par excellence and it is only when we see her that the movie really comes alive.

In the Orient, a troupe arrives in a village and the hunchback Yeggar (Ernst Lubitsch) is in love with the dancer Yannaia (Pola Negri), who is desired by every men. However, Yannaia has been invited by the slave trader Achmed (Paul Biensfeldt) and is enthusiastic to join the harem of the cruel and tyrannical Old Sheik (Paul Wegener). But when the Young Sheik (Carl Clewing) sees Yannaia, he also desires her and allows the troupe to exhibit in the streets of his village.

Meanwhile, the favorite concubine of the Old Sheik, Sumurun (Jenny Hasseqvist), and the cloth merchant Nur-al Din (Harry Liedtke) are in love with each other. However, the Old Sheik mistakenly believes that the Young Sheik desires her and he decides to punish Sumurun. However, the harem decides to help her to be with her beloved Nur-al Din.

"Sumurun" is one Arabian Night tale divided in six acts with a story of passion, desire, love and jealousy. The story blends drama and romance and fans like me of silent movies will certainly enjoy this film like I did. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sumurun"