The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (Münchhausen)
Directed by Josef von Báky
Written by Erich Kästner
1943/Germany
Universum Film (UFA)
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] It is always the best policy to speak the truth, unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar. — Jerome K. Jerome [/box]
Despite its provenance, this Agfacolor fantasy extravaganza is truly entertaining.
The story is framed by scenes set in the contemporary present in which Hans Albers, who also plays Munchhausen, relates the 18th Century adventures of the celebrated liar and adventurer to some dinner guests.
Baron Munchhausen is a hearty, adventurous type with quite a taste for the ladies and a ready wit. His incredible adventures take him from the battlefields of Prussia, to the court of Catherine the Great where he conquers the Empress’s heart, via cannonball to a sultan’s palace in Turkey, thence to Venice and finally to the moon in a hot air balloon. Along the way, he is granted his wish to remain forever young until he decides he wants to die and a magic ring that allows him one hour of invisibility. With a cast of thousands, including some very beautiful women.
The moon according to MunchhausenJosef Goebbels actually believed that once the war was over and Germany ruled the world Berlin would be come the new Hollywood. He decided to give UFA an unlimited budget to film the beloved Munchhausen story in celebration of its 25th Anniversary in December 1942. This included granting permission to use a banned, but gifted writer. The movie was also intended to showcase the German Agfacolor process.
The large budget certainly all ended up on the screen. This film looks simply beautiful and has loads of impressive special effects for the time. It is also supremely light and humorous, a piece of enjoyable fluff with very nice performances.
The film came in behind schedule and way over budget, largely due to technical glitches with the Agfa process. UFA was concerned that the film would not recoup its investment but it needn’t have worried. By Spring 1943 when the movie was finally released, the tide of the war had turned and the 6th Army had surrendered at Stalingrad. German audiences attended in droves for some much needed escapism. My information has been gleaned from an introduction by the head of the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation, which did the restoration that appears on the Kino DVD.
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