The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin

original title:
The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin
other titles:
The Kaiser, Beast of Berlin
country / year of production:
USA / 1918
original length:
70 min. , black/white
premiere:
9 March 1918
genre:
Propaganda film
based on:
Henry William Hubert Fischer. Das Geheimleben des Berliner Hofes. Berlin: Ziemsen, 1918.
director:
Rupert Julian
film script:
Rupert Julian , Elliott J. Clawson
producer:
Rupert Julian
cinematographer:
Edward A. Kull
editor:
composer:
cast (role):
Rupert Julian (The Kaiser) , Allan Sears (Captain Von Wohlbold) , Walter Belasco (Admiral Von Pliscott) , Lon Chaney (Bethmann-Hollweg) , Elmo Lincoln (Marcas the Blacksmith) , Rupert Julian , Allan Sears , Walter Belasco , Lon Chaney , Elmo Lincoln
more:
plot synopsis:
A pure propagandafilm, that presents Kaiser Wilhelm as a self-deluded, vain figure, obsessed with a insatiable lust for conquest. One scene shows the Kaiser in conference the the American Ambassador after the sinking of the Lusitania, followed by a meeting with the submarine commander respponsible for the catastrophy. Another part of the film deals with the fate of the Belgian family Marcas who suffers under the occupation of the German forces.
keywords:
silent movie , occupation , war crimes
war:
First World War (1914-1918)
literature:
remarks:
One advert for the film read: "Warning - Any person throwing mud at this poster will NOT be prosecuted".
Considering that the film was released eighteen months before the end of the war, director Julien came up with an almost prophetic ending when he had the Allies win the war and hand the Kaiser over to the Belgian people as a prisoner.
availability: