Don't Promise Me Anything

Don't Promise Me Anything
Don't Promise Me Anything
Directed by	Wolfgang Liebeneiner
Written by	Bernd Hofmann; Thea von Harbou;
Based on	Don't Promise Me Anything by Charlotte Rissmann
Produced by	Herbert Engelsing; Heinrich Jonen;
Starring	Luise Ullrich; Viktor de Kowa; Heinrich George; Hubert von Meyerinck;
Cinematography	Friedl Behn-Grund; Georg Bruckbauer;
Edited by	Walter von Bonhorst
Music by	Georg Haentzschel
Production; company	Terra Film
Distributed by	Terra Film
Release date	20 August 1937;
Running time	104 minutes
Country	Nazi Germany
Language	German

Don't Promise Me Anything (German: Versprich mir nichts!) is a 1937 German comedy film directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner and starring Luise Ullrich, Viktor de Kowa and Heinrich George.^[1] It was partly shot at the Grunewald Studios in Berlin.^[2] The film's sets were designed by the art directors Karl Weber and Erich Zander. The Berlin premiere took place at the Gloria-Palast. In 1950 Liebeneiner remade the film as When a Woman Loves with Hilde Krahl and Johannes Heesters in the lead roles.

Synopsis

A perfectionist but talented artist is reluctant to sell his paintings, but because they need the money his wife sells them without his knowledge and claims to be the artist herself. However, when she is commissioned to paint a mural she turns to her husband for help.

Cast

Luise Ullrich as Monika
Viktor de Kowa as Maler Martin Pratt
Heinrich George as Kunsthändler Felder
Hubert von Meyerinck as Dr. Elk
Will Dohm as Konsul Brenkow
Charlott Daudert as Vera Brenkow
Hans Hermann Schaufuß as Hausbesitzer Herr Lemke
Wilhelm P. Krüger as Der Gasmann
Maria Wanck as Fräulein Klette, Felders Sekräterin
Leopold von Ledebur as Präsident der Akademie
Erich Dunskus as Gläubiger #1
Margot Erbst as Maria, Mädchen bei Pratt
Maria Loja as Frau Lemke
Hans Meyer-Hanno as Gläubiger
Karl-Heinz Reppert as Gläubiger
Walter Vollmann as Diener bei Felder

Reception

Writing for Night and Day in 1937, Graham Greene gave the film a negative review, describing the film as "unconvincing", and with "the added disadvantage of being [] unfit[] for irrational behaviour". The only point of interest for Greene was the costume and acting of Will Dohm which worryingly evoked German militarism.^[3]

References

^ Hake, Sabine (2001). Popular Cinema of the Third Reich. University of Texas Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-292-73458-6.
^ Klaus p.185
^ Greene, Graham (16 December 1937). "Monica and Martin/Mademoiselle Docteur/Eastern Valley". Night and Day. (reprinted in: Taylor, John Russell, ed. (1980). The Pleasure Dome. Oxford University Press. p. 186. ISBN 0192812866.)