The Song of Songs

Ruben Mamoulian surprised me with this film. It's a melodramatic story, but very well edited, both image and sound. Therefore the film looks amazingly modern. There is good rythm in the scenes. Marlene Dietrich is rather natural compared with her later films. She is not the sexgoddess as we know her. It is a gift Mamoulian has over the 1930 divas. I never thought he was a great director, but since Becky Sharp I find his films interesting and great works of art.

If Song of Songs were Marlene Dietrich's first movie, it would be a shoe-in that she rise to instant stardom. This movie would make a star out of anyone and have everyone in the country talking about her. As it was, Marlene had already rocked Hollywood in The Blue Angel and shocked audiences with her tuxedo-clad, lady-kissing song in Morocco, so there was little higher to rise. She managed to top herself...and un-top herself in this movie where she models nude for sculptor Brian Aherne. This is one of the most explicit pre-Code movies I've ever seen, and that's saying quite a bit! It also shows quite a bit, so put the kiddies to bed before pressing play.

Marlene starts off the movie as an innocent, devoutly religious, young girl. She's an orphan sent to live with her aunt and work in a library, but when she sees the handsome, tortured artist working across the way from her bedroom window, her life changes. Brian spots her, too, and he comes to her at the library to ask her to pose for him. He uses the old line, "You mustn't think of me as a man," to get her to disrobe, and when she finally does, he falls in love with her body. Another man, Lionel Atwill, falls for the sculpture as well. He marvels at Brian's creation and vows to have the model for himself.

As much of a visual sensation as this movie is, it's also quite sad. Marlene is so sweet and innocent at the start of the movie, and she even raises the pitch of her normally low voice. She's adorable! It's heartbreaking to see her get corrupted, but she certainly is beautiful from start to finish.

This is such a nasty movie! In one scene, Lionel looks at Brian's initial sketches of Marlene's naked body as he's getting ready for bed. In another, Brian watches Marlene undress and fondles his clay statue. You can practically see him drooling! I was never a Marlene Dietrich fan, but it's no mystery why she was popular after this movie. As handsome as Brian is, it's a waste for him to be in the film. No one's looking at him!

Marlene Dietrich stars as young German peasant girl Lily. After her father dies, leaving her an orphan, she travels from her old home in the country to the big city of Berlin where she works for her harridan of an aunt (Alison Skipworth). It's not long before she draws the attention of handsome sculptor Richard (Brian Aherne) who convinces her to nude model for him. She also attracts the attention of creepy older Baron von Merxbach (Lionel Atwill) who wants her for his own.

From the "scandalous" nude modeling scenes to the resulting statue, from the seamy dialogue to the ultimate fate of Lily, this classy film features more than its share of pre-code attributes. Director Mamoulian brings his usual attention to set design, lighting and camera placement. Dietrich is very good here, transitioning believably from the naive waif of the film's start to the jaded, world-wise woman of the finale.

"The Song of Songs" could never have been made once the new and MUCH tougher Production Code went into force in July, 1934. Up until then, believe it or not, films often had a lot of content that might shock folks today! A few films had nudit, such as in 1925's "Ben Hur". A few featured cursing or people flipping 'the bird' as in 1933's "Parachute Jumper". And, a few had practically EVERY sin known to mankind in them, such as with 1932's "The Sign of the Cross"...which depicted lesbianism, bestiality and more! This was because although there was a production code before 1934, studios routinely ignored it because they realized that sex sells! But by 1934, ticket sales waned and various conservative groups were pushing for boycotts...hence the tough new code.

When the story begins, the country girl, Lily (Marlene Dietrich) leaves her home and heads to the big city, Berlin. Soon she meets Richard (Brian Aherne) and he asks her to model for him, as he's a sculptor. Well, she quickly agrees...not realizing it means NUDE modeling! And, despite her misgivings, she goes through with it and the statue is exquisite*. Soon the pair fall in love, though Richard is a putz and isn't willing to marry her. However, his friend, Baron von Merzbach (Lionel Atwill), sees the statue and adores it...and is determined to meet and marry Lily! She doesn't love the Baron, but she is now alone and helpless. What's next? Well, quite a bit! See the film and find out for yourself what happens to sweet Lily.

This is an odd film, as it tries to be a wicked AND a nice film at the same time. You don't see any nudity...just the beautiful naked statue of Dietrich. And, although her character poses nude, she is no libertine but a nice and likable young lady.

So is it any good? Well, considering it has a lot of slick Paramount touches, it's obvious the studio wanted to make a prestige film. The director isn't her usual Josef von Sternberg but they instead assigned the film to Rouben Mamoulian (a very fine director) and it features an excellent supporting cast, lovely sets and period costumes. It simply looks great. As far as the story goes, it's quite good...though the resolution at the end did seem a bit abrupt. Still, this is one of the actress' better films...well worth seeing and very well made.

*To promote the film, apparently Paramount made many copies of the statue and set them to theaters around the country. I would LOVE to find and purchase one of the statues....though I've not been able to find anything more about it on the internet.

Interesting to see Dietrich, early in her Hollywood career, working with a director other than her Pygmalion, Josef von Sternberg. The latter director provided beautiful but often-static set-ups for framing her, while Mamoulian's musicality and fluid camera release her. (Think also of his direction of Garbo in "Queen Christina," and that film's famous scene in which she moves lovingly and rhythmically--it was timed to a metronome-- around the bedroom, watched by her lover. )

I think this is one of Dietrich's best performances. She passes through many phases, from naive young girl to earthy woman. Her song "Johnny" is sublime--and moving, when she angrily tears into the second chorus after spotting in the audience the lover who had abandoned and disillusioned her.