Since reading Heinrich Mann's "Man of Straw" (Der Untertan) two years ago, I only really knew this author as the brother of one of my favorite authors, Thomas Mann. But I enjoyed the novel so much that I absolutely wanted to read more of his work.
And I wasn't disappointed. The talent for writing clearly runs in the family, and I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.
I've never seen the film "The Blue Angel" and didn't even know it was based on this book. The double standards of the Wilhelmine era are depicted in great detail, as is what happened when you rebelled against them. Of course, things are different today. Or have they really changed that much? Yes, some things have improved, but if you were to imagine the milieu of that time in today's LGBTQ+ scene, you could story the novel being set in a similar way. People don't change that quickly, after all.
But, as I said, a fabulous novel.
Book Description:
"Professor Unrat, which translates as 'Professor Garbage', is one of the most important works of Heinrich Mann and has achieved notoriety through film adaptations, most notably 'Der blaue Engel' (The Blue Angel) with Marlene Dietrich.
The book caricatures the middle and upper class educational system of Wilhelmine Germany and the double standards of the title character. "
Cool! I saw the movie *ages* ago and remember liking it (Marlene Dietrich is fantastic as you can imagine). I must watch it again at some point with older wiser eyes...
ReplyDeleteHonestly, Kitten, I first thought i don't think I ever watched a film with her but then I remembered Witness for the Prosecution, and then I saw that she also had a little role in Around the World in 80 Days. But I've never seen this one. Must be a good one.
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