The House of Rothschild
| The House of Rothschild | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Alfred L. Werker |
| Produced by |
William Goetz Raymond Griffith Darryl F. Zanuck |
| Written by | George Hembert Westley (playwright) Nunnally Johnson (screenwriter) |
| Starring |
George Arliss Loretta Young Boris Karloff |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
| Cinematography | J. Peverell Marley |
| Edited by |
Barbara McLean Allen McNeil |
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Production
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| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The House of Rothschild is a 1934 American pre-Code film written by Nunnally Johnson from the play by George Hembert Westley, and directed by Alfred L. Werker. It chronicles the rise of the Rothschild family of European bankers.
In 1780 in Frankfort, Prussia, youngster Nathan Rothschild warns his parents Amschel and Guttle that the taxman is coming. They hurry and hide their wealth, including currency, silver, etc. The taxman demands 20,000 gulden, an exorbitant sum, but accepts a bribe of 5000 in exchange for assessing 2000 in taxes. Nathan's satisfaction is short-lived, however; a courier bringing him 10,000 gulden is intercepted and the money confiscated by the taxmen. Nathan tells his sons that he tries to be as honest as possible, but the antisemitic authorities will not let him; he admonishes his children to acquire money, for "money is power" and a defense for their people.
Later, as Mayer Rothschild is lying on his deathbed, he instructs his five sons to start banks in different countries across Europe: Amschel in Frankfort, Salomon Mayer von Rothschild in Vienna, Nathan in London, Carl in Rome, and James in Paris. That way, they can avoid having to send gold back and forth as the need arises, for in war they are in danger of being robbed by the enemy and in peace by their own countrymen. Instead, they can draw on each other's banks.
Thirty-two years later, the sons have established banking houses. Then France overruns Europe in the Napoleonic Wars. Austrian Prince Metternich asks Salomon to raise 15 million florins to help defeat Napoleon. The other brothers are approached with similar requests. Even in France itself, Talleyrand asks for 50 million francs. Nathan refuses to loan the British Government five million pounds (on top of previous loans) to hold off the enemy, but offers the Duke of Wellington twice that amount to smash him.
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Wikipedia