Episode (film)
| Episode | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Walter Reisch |
| Produced by | Walter Reisch, Viktoria-Film |
| Written by | Walter Reisch |
| Starring |
Paula Wessely Karl Ludwig Diehl Otto Tressler |
| Music by | Willy Schmidt-Gentner |
| Cinematography | Harry Stradling |
| Edited by | Willy Zeyn |
| Distributed by | Syndikat-Film |
|
Release date
|
23 August 1935 (Germany); 13 September 1935 (Austria) |
|
Running time
|
105 min. |
| Country | Austria |
| Language | German |
Episode is an Austrian film from 1935. It belongs to the popular Austrian light romantic comedy genre known as the Wiener Film, but also contains, for a film of this genre, unusually serious social comment. It was written and produced by Walter Reisch. The film has a particular importance in German-language film history as the only Austrian film with a Jewish producer that was permitted to be imported and shown in Nazi Germany after 1933 and the ban on Jews working in the film industry.
The German premiere took place on 23 August 1935 in the Gloria-Palast in Berlin. The Austrian premiere was in a Vienna cinema on 13 September of the same year. It was first broadcast on television by the ARD on 2 December 1958. On 1 April 1994 it was released on VHS video.
In Vienna in 1922 daily life is dominated by inflation and unemployment. In the evenings, the population attempt to divert themselves from the miseries of the economic situation by indulgence and excess in bars and clubs. Morale is low, and sinking further.
Through the failed speculations of the president of her bank, Valerie Gärtner, a student of applied art in Vienna, loses the small property on which she and her mother live. Torresani, an art dealer, notices her distress and buys some ceramics from her. He also offers her financial support in the form of a monthly allowance. Valerie however, in the belief that he would expect something unacceptable from her in return for this money, rejects the offer with disgust. Nevertheless, when some time later she has no further options left, she again approaches Torresani for help. He is now able to convince her that he is not looking for something in return, but is genuinely trying to help her, and in due course the two become good friends.
One day, when Torresani is unable to keep an appointment with her, he sends in his place Kinz, the tutor of his sons. Kinz believes that Valerie is Torresani's mistress and his initial demeanour towards her is therefore extremely cold. During the course of the evening however he falls in love with her. Valerie in the meantime learns from Kinz that Torresani has a wife and two children, and she decides that she can no longer accept the monthly cheques. BUt a friend of hers, who disagrees with Valerie's decision, intercepts the next cheque and cashes it in Valerie's place. The friend later regrets her deceit and visits Torresani's house to confess and put things right. But when she arrives she is unable to get a word in edgeways and is sent away again with a letter for Valerie. Valerie assumes that it is a letter of farewell from Torresani, and immediately goes to his house, where however she is received in an unexpectedly friendly way by his wife. It now appears that the letter was an invitation to a party.
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