Film Review: Alraune (A Daughter of Destiny, 1928)
Hollywood has accustomed us to promising concepts being wasted on mediocre films. This thing, however, used to happen before with cinema industries and traditions and with people who were supposed to know bettter. One such example could be found with Alraune, 1928 German silent science fiction film written and directed by Henrik Galeen, also known by its English language title A Daughter of Destiny.
The film is based on the eponymous 1911 novel by Hanns Heniz Ewers, itself partially inspired by medieval legends of mandrake (retold in somewhat more graphical way in Verhoeven’s Flesh + Blood) and partially by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The plot begins in 1908 when Professor Jakob ten Brinken (played by Paul Wegener), scientist obsessed with the idea of creating artificial persons, decides to conduct experiment that would determine whether such persons are be shaped by their nature or nurture. His nephew Franz (played by Ivan Petrovich) reluctantly brings “the lowest of the low” street prostitute (played by Valeska Gert) who is artificially inseminated with the sperm of a murderer condemned to death. The result of such experiment is a girl whom Professor, inspired by legends, names Alraune (“Mandrake” in German) and raises as her own daughter. Despite Professor’s kindness and wealth Alraune grows into beautiful girl without shreds of morality. Alraune displays questionable behaviour in boarding school, where she drowns flies, conducts all kinds of vicious pranks on teachers and flirts and manipulates teenage boys. One of them robs his parents only for him and Alraune to escape together, but Alraune on the way seduces circus performer who would make her join her company. Professor, who is obsessed with his “daughter”, finally finds her and brings her with him where she ultimately finds secret of her creation and plots vicious revenge on her “father”.
Hanns Heinz Ewers is the most influential author of German speculative fiction in 20th Century and his works served as basis for many classics of German silent cinema. Alraune was his most popular novel, already adapted twice in 1918, including now lost Hungarian version directed by future Hollywood film maker Michael Curtiz. Henrik Galeen was known as highly respected screenwriter with many grand Expressionist films in his credits, including Nosferatu. However, anyone expecting another German Expressionist classic is going to be very disappointed with Alraune. First of all, Galeen is obviously better writer than director, so Alraune, although competently shot by experienced cinematographer Franz Planer, looks like an ordinary cinematic potboiler of late silent era. The more questionable is the genre identification of Alraune. Although the original novel provided opportunities for film makers to deal with sex, and debates of scientific ethics, while providing audience with suspense, Alraune is actually more of a standard melodrama with rather simplistic plot that gives the audience rather conservative message. Apart from condemning Professor for trying to replace God with science and play with “natural laws”, Alraune equates female promiscuity with evil, which some of today’s viewers might see as unacceptably misogynistic. Although sometimes described as horror film, Galeen’s work hasn’t got any scene that would qualify for that genre. Even the science fiction credentials are questionable, because the Professor’s work on artificial insemination was only talked about instead of shown or even indirectly suggested. That might have been result of censorship concerns, but it is more likely due to lack of imagination.
What makes interesting Alraune is its main star Brigitte Helm, young actress who left great impression in complex dual role of Maria/Machine Man in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Here she is having somewhat simpler task, because Galeen and Ewers have reduced her character to manipulative vampish seductress. Helm does what she can with such role, but even her enthusiasm can’t transcend its limitations. And, despite the poster which was incredibly risque for its time, the film itself is erotic only in the most implicit terms. Paul Wegener, veteran actor and director, does much better job with his regal presence and character of Professor is convincingly transformed from arrogant scientist in the beginning to the pathetic wreck at the end. But their efforts aren’t enough to make Alraune of anything more than passable entertainment and curiosity. Alraune was nevertheless successful. Only two years later Helm repeated her role in sound remake directed by Richard Oswald. In 1952 the new version was made in Western Germany starring Hildergard Knef.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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