Lola Montés (1955)

Lola Montés
Directed by Max Ophüls
Written by Max Ophuls, Annette Wademant, and Jacques Natanson from a novel by Cecil Saint-Laurent
1955/France/West Germany
Gamma Films/Florida Films/Union-Film
First viewing/Hulu
#296 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

[box] “To all men and women of every land, who are not afraid of themselves, who trust so much in their own souls that they dare to stand up in the might of their own individuality to meet the tidal currents of the world.” ― Lola Montez, The Arts of Beauty, or Secrets of a Lady’s Toilet, with Hints to Gentlemen on the Art of Fascinating[/box]

Max Ophuls’ final film, and only film in color, goes to the big top to tell the sad life story of a notorious dancer.

The film begins under the lights as the ringmaster (Peter Ustinov) presents the scandalous Lola Montez (Martine Carol) to an eager audience.  He offers that she will answer the most intimate questions for fifty cents.  Before the show is over, she will leap head first from a high wire and exhibit herself for one dollar a piece while caged with the wild animals.

Lola’s scandalous life is told in vignettes starting from her elopement and marriage to a cad at a young age.  The story progresses through an affair with Franz Liszt, a dalliance with a young student (Oscar Werner), and a relationship with Ludwig I of Bavaria (Anton Walbrook) which almost brings down the monarchy.  The circus frames these events as luridly as possible but it is clear that there has been precious little real happiness for Lola.

I love many of Ophuls’ films and was looking forward to this one.  It left me disappointed. Despite the very lavish and beautiful production, I felt too distanced from the action.  The film was a failure and a scandal at the time of its release and was subsequently butchered by producers.  I watched a recreated version.  It may have been a bit too out there for me as well as for the 50’s audiences.

Re-release trailer