Examine individual changes

'[[File:PommerZuckmayerJannings1929.jpg|thumb|Erich Pommer (left) with [[Carl Zuckmayer]] and [[Emil Jannings]] (1929)]] '''Erich Pommer''' (20 July 1889 – 8 May 1966) was a German-born film producer and executive. Pommer was perhaps the most powerful person in the German and European Film Industries in the 1920s and early 1930s.<ref>Nowell-Smith p. 145</ref> As producer, Erich Pommer was involved in the [[German Expressionism|German Expressionist]] film movement during the [[silent film|silent]] era. As the head of production at [[Decla Film]], Decla-Bioskop, and, from 1924 to 1926, at [[Universum Film AG|UFA]], Pommer was responsible for many of the best known movies of the [[Weimar Republic]] such as ''[[The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari]]'' (1920), ''[[Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler|Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler]]'' (1922), ''[[Die Nibelungen]]'' (1924), ''[[Michael (1924 film)|Michael]]'' (1924), ''[[The Last Laugh (1924 film)|Der Letzte Mann / The Last Laugh]]'' (1924), ''[[Varieté|Variety]]'' (1925), ''[[Herr Tartüff|Tartuffe]]'' (1926), ''[[Manon Lescaut (1926 film)|Manon Lescaut]]'' (1926), ''[[Faust (1926 film)|Faust]]'' (1926), ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]'' (1927) and ''[[Der Blaue Engel|The Blue Angel]]'' (1930). He later worked in American exile before returning to Germany to help rebuild the German film industry after World War II. == Early life and career == Pommer was born in [[Hildesheim]], [[Province of Hanover]], to the jewish<ref>https://moviemoviesite.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/enemies-of-the-state-jewish-filmmakers-in-nazi-germany/</ref> couple Gustav Pommer and his wife Anna. His elder brother was [[Albert Pommer]], who also became a film producer. After a brief apprenticeship with the Herrenkonfektion Machol & Lewin,<ref>Hardt p. 16</ref> Pommer began his film career in 1907, with the Berlin branch of the [[Gaumont Film Company|Gaumont]] company, eventually taking over as director of its Viennese branch in 1910.<ref>Hardt p. 19</ref> In 1912, Pommer concluded his military service and became a representative of the French [[Eclair (camera)|Éclair]] camera company in Vienna, where he was responsible for film distribution to Central and Eastern Europe. In 1913, he became Éclair's general representative for Central Europe, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Poland, based in Berlin. In the same year, he married Gertrud Levy and became, together with Marcel Vandal, the director-general of the Viennese office of Éclair. Under Pommer's direction, the company began the production of feature films including ''Das Geheimnis der Lüfte'' / ''Le mystère de l'air'' (in English, the ''Mystery of the Air''), the first films he produced.<ref>Hardt p. 20</ref> Another five films followed in 1915. With French capital from Éclair, and together with Fritz Holz, Pommer - while serving as a soldier in 1915 at the Western front - established the Deutsche "Eclair" Film- und Kinematographen-GmbH ("Deutsche Eclair" or Decla) in Berlin.<ref>Jacobsen p. 21</ref> Decla produced adventure and detective films, drama, and society pieces, as well as short film series. Its own Decla film distribution business, led by Hermann Saklikower, also presented foreign films. Pommer served in the First World War at the West and Eastern fronts, but injuries suffered in action led him to return to Berlin in 1916, where he was responsible for training recruits. Later, he worked for the Bild- und Filmamt (Bufa) at the German War Ministry. After the 1919 merger of Decla with the Meinert-Film-Gesellschaft, [[Rudolf Meinert]] became head of production while Erich Pommer took charge of foreign distribution. Decla's production became more ambitious. The brands "Decla Abenteuerklasse" (producing, among others, [[Fritz Lang]]'s ''[[The Spiders (film)|Die Spinnen. 2. Teil: Die Brillantenschiff]]'' (''The Spiders, Part 2: The Diamond Ship'', 1920) and "Decla Weltklasse" (including ''[[The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari]]'' (1919), under the direction of [[Robert Wiene]]) were created. Decla merged with [[Jules Greenbaum|Deutsche Bioskop]] AG to create Decla Bioskop AG, thus becoming in 1920 the second largest German film company after [[Universum Film AG|Ufa]]. Decla owned a studio in [[Studio Babelsberg|Neubabelsberg]] and a cinema chain. Two subsidiaries were formed: Uco-Film GmbH and Russo Films. The Uco Film GmbH, in whose establishment the Ullstein publishing house was involved, dedicated itself to filming serials from novels. ''[[The Haunted Castle (1921 film)|Schloß Vogelöd / The Haunted Castle]]'' and ''[[Phantom (1922 film)|Phantom]]'', under the direction of [[Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau|F. W. Murnau]], as well as [[Fritz Lang]]'s ''[[Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler|Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler]]'', were released. Russo Films focused on the adaptation of works of world literature. In a 1922 interview, Pommer stated that the international success of the German films would have to be linked to the production of quality pictures. Pommer gathered around him talented directors ([[Carl Froelich]] and [[Fritz Wendhausen]]), script writers ([[Thea von Harbou]], [[Carl Mayer]], and [[Robert Liebmann]]), cameramen ([[Karl Freund]], [[Carl Hoffmann]], and [[Willy Hameister]]), architects ([[Walter Roehrig]] and [[Robert Herlth]]), as well as actors and actresses. In November 1921, Decla-Bioskop was taken over by [[Universum Film AG]] (Ufa), although it maintained a modicum of independence. == Work with UFA == As a result of the merger with UFA, Erich Pommer not only continued as CEO of Decla-Bioskop, but also took over direction of Union-Film and Messter-Film. In early 1923, Pommer also joined the Ufa executive committee, to oversee all film production.<ref>Hardt p. 68</ref> At about the same time, he became the first chairman of the Central Organization of the German Film Industry (SPIO), which would shape German cinema during the Weimar Republic. The country's hyper inflation made expensive productions possible: at that time the work of several classical authors were adapted into movies, and internationally successful big budget films were released, including ''[[The Last Laugh (1924 film)|Der letzte Mann]]'' (''The Last Laugh'', 1924), ''[[Varieté|Variety]]'' (1925), ''[[Faust (1926 film)|Faust]]'' (1926), and ''[[Manon Lescaut (1926 film)|Manon Lescaut]]'' (1926). Pommer led Ufa to unprecedented worldwide prestige.<ref>Hardt p. 87</ref> However, Pommer came to disagree with the policies of Ufa's new CEO [[Ferdinand Bausback]], including the [[Parufamet]] agreement<ref>Jacobsen p. 75</ref> (which later proved disastrous for Ufa as Pommer had predicted<ref>Hardt p. 88–89</ref>). To save face, Bausback and the Ufa board blamed the company's troubles on increasing production costs, especially cost overruns of [[Fritz Lang]]'s ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]'' (UFA's most expensive film to date), on Pommer himself.<ref>Hardt p. 89–91</ref> ==Paramount and MGM== In January 1926, Pommer resigned from Ufa,<ref>Hardt p. 92</ref> and a few months later, he left with his family for [[Hollywood]]. He was followed by a number of his production and acting team, including film directors [[Ludwig Berger (director)|Ludwig Berger]], [[Paul Leni]], [[Ewald André Dupont|E.A. Dupont]], [[Lothar Mendes]], and [[William Dieterle]] and actors [[Conrad Veidt]], [[Emil Jannings]], and [[Lya de Putti]].<ref>Hardt p. 92</ref> Working for [[Paramount Pictures]], Pommer produced two films starring [[Pola Negri]], ''[[Hotel Imperial (1927 film)|Hotel Imperial]]'' and ''[[Barbed Wire (1927 film)|Barbed Wire]]'' (both 1927). He then was hired by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) to supervise all units involving foreign directors.<ref>Hardt p. 98</ref> His films at MGM included ''[[The Demi-Bride]]'' with [[Norma Shearer]], ''[[California (1927 film)|California]]'' with [[Tim McCoy]], and ''[[Mockery (1927 film)|Mockery]]'' with [[Lon Chaney]].<ref>Hardt p. 102–104</ref> Meanwhile, Ufa had been acquired by the right-wing press magnate [[Alfred Hugenberg]], and in July 1927, he sent Ufa's new CEO [[Ludwig Klitzsch]] to America to bring Pommer back to Germany.<ref>Jacobsen p. 83</ref> From the USA, Pommer brought organizational and technical innovations, such as the use of shooting schedules and camera crane cars. ==Return to UFA== Pommer was given his own production unit at UFA, working under the overall control of the new head of production [[Ernst Hugo Correll]], who effectively occupied Pommer's former role at the company. As head of the "Erich-Pommer-Produktion der Ufa" (Erich Pommer production of the Ufa), he produced ''[[Homecoming (1928 film)|Heimkehr]]'' (''Homecoming'') and ''[[Ungarische Rhapsodie]]'' (''Hungarian Rhapsody'', both 1928). His last silent productions were ''[[Asphalt (1929 film)|Asphalt]]'' directed by [[Joe May]] and ''[[Die wunderbare Lüge der Nina Petrowna]]'' starring [[Brigitte Helm]] and [[Francis Lederer|Franz Lederer]] Pommer was a pioneer of sound film in Germany and of multiple language versions (MLV) as a means to cope with selling big productions to different countries: ''[[Melodie des Herzens|Melodie des Herzens / Melody of the Heart]]'', made at the end of 1929 in Berlin, was produced in a German, English, French, Hungarian as well as a silent version. The film also created the [[Operetta film]] genre. The "Erich-Pommer-Produktion der Ufa" turned out several international box office hits in the following years, most notably [[Josef von Sternberg]]'s ''[[Der Blaue Engel|The Blue Angel]]'' (1930), starring [[Marlene Dietrich]]. Among his productions was a series of popular musical comedies such as ''[[The Three from the Filling Station (1930 film)|Die Drei von der Tankstelle]]'' and ''[[Der Kongreß tanzt]]'' / ''[[Congress Dances]]'' and the science fiction spectacle ''[[F.P.1]]'', which was shot in three language versions. == Exile and eventual return == After the [[Nazi Party]] came to power early in 1933, UFA rescinded Pommer's contract and he picked up an offer of [[Fox Film Corporation]] to build ''Fox Europa'' as its European arm in Paris, where he produced [[Max Ophüls]]' ''[[On a volé un homme]]'' (1933) and [[Fritz Lang]]'s ''[[Liliom (1934 film)|Liliom]]'' (1934), and then went on to Hollywood again. In 1936, he worked in the United Kingdom for [[Alexander Korda]]'s [[London Films]] (''[[Fire Over England]]'' 1936 and ''[[Farewell Again]]'' 1937).<ref>Hardt p. 149</ref> In 1937 he formed a production company, the Mayflower Picture Corp., with actor [[Charles Laughton]]. Pommer not only produced but also directed their first film, ''[[Vessel of Wrath]]'' (also known as ''[[The Beachcomber (1938 film)|The Beachcomber]]''), replacing [[Bartlett Cormack]] with the latter's agreement.<ref>Hardt p. 151</ref> Although Pommer subsequently received offers to direct and could have pursued a directing career, he preferred producing and never directed another film<ref>Hardt p. 152</ref> In 1938, Pommer produced ''[[Sidewalks of London|St. Martin's Lane]]'' directed by [[Tim Whelan]] starring Laughton and [[Vivien Leigh]] and in 1939 [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[Jamaica Inn (film)|Jamaica Inn]]'' again with Laughton and also introducing [[Maureen O'Hara]] in her first film.<ref>Hardt p. 154</ref> Pommer was in New York City for distribution negotiations when the [[Second World War]] broke out. Because he still held a German passport, he was unable to return to the United Kingdom and remained in the United States.<ref>Hardt p. 154</ref> In 1939 he signed with [[RKO Radio Pictures]], in Hollywood, for whom he produced two pictures, including ''[[Dance, Girl, Dance]]'' and ''[[They Knew What They Wanted (film)|They Knew What They Wanted]]''. Becoming seriously ill in 1941 (he was a chain-smoker and suffered a heart attack), his contract with RKO was not renewed. Between 1942 and 1946, Pommer worked on a few film projects, some of which eventually went into production but without him. Pommer and his wife rented a small apartment and lived off the proceeds from the sale of personal valuables. They also helped two close friends, [[Fred Pinkus]] (a former business manager from Berlin) and his wife, silent movie star [[Eliza La Porta]], who bought chinaware and glasses and then hand-painted them to sell to the higher-class department stores. Pommer's wife helped with the painting, and Pommer alternated with Pinkus to work the drying oven in Pinkus' garage.<ref>Hardt p. 162</ref> Having resided continuously in the United States since 1939, Pommer and his wife became naturalized American citizens in 1944. In 1946, Pommer returned to Germany, where he became the highest-ranking film control officer of the [[Office of Military Government, United States|American military Government OMGUS]] responsible for the reorganisation of the German film industry overseeing the reconstruction of studios and assigning production licenses. In spite of opposition from both Americans and Germans, Pommer rebuilt the German film industry from ashes.<ref>Hardt p. 202</ref> By 1948, a total of 28 feature films had been produced in West Germany under his supervision.<ref>http://www.ufa.de/channels/spotlights/ufa_stars/erich_pommer/</ref> Together with film director [[Curt Oertel]] and [[Horst von Hartlieb]], director of the film distribution association in Wiesbaden, Pommer also established a voluntary self-control system for the German motion picture industry, which evolved into the [[Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft]] (FSK), implementing a voluntary self-rating system for the movie industry modeled on the [[Hays Code]] in the USA. Establishment of this system (and the subsequent establishment of the FSK) avoided government regulation and censorship of the movie industry and replaced military censoring. In 1949 Pommer resigned his office, believing his work to be complete,<ref>Hardt p. 186</ref> and returned to the United States. He then attempted to launch Signature Pictures with [[Dorothy Arzner]] to produce American films in Europe, an endeavor that failed to obtain promised financing.<ref>Hardt p. 189</ref> In 1951 he started the "Intercontinental Film GmbH" in Munich, making a few movies, including ''[[Nights on the Road]]'' (1951), which won the 1953 German Film Award, and ''[[Kinder, Mütter und ein General]]'', which won the 1955 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film and the 1956 Grand Prize of the Belgian Union of Cinema Critics. However, restrictions forced on Pommer led him to resettle in California. Physically badly shaken (Pommer used a wheelchair after the amputation of a leg) his career as a producer was ended. He retired to live quietly with his wife. After his wife's death, he lived with his son's family. Pommer died in Los Angeles, California, in 1966. == Awards == *1953 German Film Award for "Nachts auf den Strassen". *1955 Golden Globe Award for Best Picture for "Kinder, Mütter, und ein General". *1956 Grand-Prix de l'Union de la Critique de Cinéma (UCC) for "Kinder, Mütter, und ein General". ==Films== * ''[[The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari]]'' (1920) * ''[[The Haunted Castle (1921 film)|The Haunted Castle]]'' (1921) * ''[[Destiny (1921 film)|Destiny]]'' (1921) * ''[[Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler|Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler]]'' (1922) * ''[[The Last Laugh (1924 film)|The Last Laugh]]'' (1924) * ''[[The Pleasure Garden (1925 film)|The Pleasure Garden]]'' (1925) * ''[[Variety (1925 film)|Variety]]'' (1925) * ''[[Faust (1926 film)|Faust]]'' (1926) * ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]'' (1927) * ''[[Spione|Spies]]'' (1928) * ''[[Der Blaue Engel|The Blue Angel]]'' (1930) * ''[[Liliom (1934 film)|Liliom]]'' (1934) * ''[[Music in the Air (film)|Music in the Air]]'' (1934) * ''[[Fire Over England]]'' (1937) * ''[[Vessel of Wrath]]'' (1938) * ''[[Sidewalks of London|St. Martin's Lane]]'' (1938) * ''[[Jamaica Inn (film)|Jamaica Inn]]'' (1939) * ''[[Dance, Girl, Dance]]'' (1940) * ''[[They Knew What They Wanted (film)|They Knew What They Wanted]]'' (1940) * ''[[Nights on the Road]]'' (1952) == References == {{reflist}} == Bibliography == *{{cite book |editor1-first=Hans-Michael |editor1-last=Bock |editor1-link=Hans-Michael Bock |editor2-first=Tim |editor2-last=Bergfelder |title=The Concise CineGraph. Encyclopedia of German Cinema |location=New York, Oxford |publisher=Berghahn Books |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-85745-565-9}} *{{cite book |last=Hardt |first=Ursula |title=From Caligari to California: Erich Pommer's Life in the International Film Wars |location=Providence, RI |publisher=Berghahn |year=1996 |isbn=978-1-57181-930-7}} *{{cite book |title=The Silent Cinema Reader |editor1-first=Lee |editor1-last=Grieveson |editor2-first=Peter |editor2-last=Krämer |publisher=Psychology Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-415-25284-3}} *{{cite book |last=Jacobsen |first=Wolfgang |title=Erich Pommer: Ein Produzent macht Filmgeschichte |location=Berlin |publisher=Argon Verlag |year=1989 |isbn=978-3-87024-148-3}} *{{cite book |editor-last=Nowell-Smith |editor-first=Geoffrey |title=The Oxford History of World Cinema |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-19-874242-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordhistoryofw00geof }} *{{cite web|last=Bezerra |first=Laura |language=German |publisher=Deutsches Film Institut |year=2002 |title=Erich Pommer |url=http://www.deutsches-filminstitut.de/dt2tp0117.htm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927183115/http://www.deutsches-filminstitut.de/dt2tp0117.htm |archivedate=2007-09-27 |url-status=dead }} == External links == *{{commons category-inline|Erich Pommer}} *{{IMDb name|0690143}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Pommer, Erich}} [[Category:1889 births]] [[Category:1966 deaths]] [[Category:Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States]] [[Category:German film producers]] [[Category:German Jews]] [[Category:People from Hildesheim]] [[Category:People from the Province of Hanover]] [[Category:Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] [[Category:Exiles from Nazi Germany]] [[Category:German military personnel of World War I]] [[Category:Film people from Lower Saxony]]'