Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood

Synopsis

Eight hundred German filmmakers (cast and crew) fled the Nazis in the 1930s. The film uses voice-overs, archival footage, and film clips to examine Berlin's vital filmmaking in the 1920s; then it follows a producer, directors, composers, editors, writers, and actors to Hollywood: some succeeded and many found no work. Among those profiled are Erich Pommer, Joseph May, Ernst Lubitsch, Fritz Lang, Billy Wilder, and Peter Lorre. Once in Hollywood, these exiles helped each other, housed new arrivals, and raised money so others could escape. Some worked on anti-Nazi films, like Casablanca. The themes and lighting of German Expressionism gave rise in Hollywood to film noir.

Main Cast

Sigourney Weaver

Narrator (voice)

Age : 74 | Popularity : 35%

Marlene Dietrich

Self (archive footage)

Age : 90 | Popularity : 11%

Hedy Lamarr

Self (archive footage)

Age : 85 | Popularity : 13%

Elsa Lanchester

Self (archive footage)

Age : 84 | Popularity : 7%

Peter Lorre

Self (archive footage)

Age : 59 | Popularity : 19%

Billy Wilder

Self (archive footage)

Age : 95 | Popularity : 20%

Fritz Lang

Self (archive footage)

Age : 85 | Popularity : 19%

Lupita Tovar

Self - Interviewee

Age : 106 | Popularity : 3%

Crew

Department	Role	Name
Directing	Director	Karen Thomas
Writing	Writer	Karen Thomas
Department	Role	Name

Join the discussion