SKU 757
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DAS HERZ DER KÖNIGIN (The Heart of a Queen) (1940) *with switchable English and German subtitles*

Zarah Leander, Willy Birgel and Hans Mierendorff, Carl Froelich
$13.99

Als Königin Maria Stuart aus Frankreich nach Schottland zurückkehrt, verweigern ihr die Adligen, angeführt von Lord Bothwell, den Gehorsam. Dessen Auftreten imponiert ihr sehr, und sie verliebt sich in ihn. Für Elisabeth von England ist Maria Stuart jedoch eine Gefahr. Sie beauftragt Prinz Henry Darnley, die Schotten gegen ihre Königin aufzuwiegeln. Der jedoch bekennt sich zu Maria, denn er will um jeden Preis an die Macht, als König von Schottland an ihrer Seite. Da sie seine Absichten nicht kennt und der Prinz ihr imponiert, heiratet sie ihn. Als sie ihn schließlich durchschaut, lässt sie ihn mit Hilfe Bothwells umbringen, der ihr zweiter Ehemann wird. Doch da greift Elisabeth selbst in Schottland ein, Bothwell muss fliehen und wird getötet, Maria Stuart in England eingekerkert und schließlich nach Jahren der Gefangenschaft hingerichtet. Die Entstehung des Films zur NS-Zeit zeigt sich unter anderem in seiner antibritischen Tendenz.

As the title "The Queen's Heart" suggests, this German version of Mary Queen of Scott's eventful reign and death focuses on her emotional perception rather lyrically.  Starting in the Tower, awaiting and receiving her sentence to the axe from the English court,  we flash back to Mary's arrival after a long exile at the sophisticated, splendidly hedonistic French royal court, where she was raised as a Catholic.   In her people's eyes, she is effeminate and depraved; an elegant pleasure-accustomed lady at utter odds with the stern Scottish Protestantism of John Knox as well as England's Anglicanism.  No less rugged and troublesome, even turning bloody, are Mary's affairs with Lord Henry Darnley, a Scottish-born dandy Elisabeth sent her, who becomes Mary's unfaithful king-consort to give Scotland a male heir.  Scottish Lord Bothwell, like most of the all-male royal council, a cesspit of aristocratic intrigue, is envious of the influence of the Italian musician and poet David Riccio, her private secretary, alleged lover -maybe James's biological father- and the voice of the Pope.  Yet the major power-player on the isle of Albion is Elisabeth I of England, who wants control over its thorny northern neighbour.

 
Zarah Leander fans will be pleased with this film, and justifiably so.  But let us not forget when it was made and for what purpose.  Appearing under the guise of a semi-musical -- like all her films --  this film went beyond simply sending a message of support for the troops, like Die Grosse Liebe.  This film was anti-British propaganda at its best, like Ohm Krueger and Das Madchen JohannaIt is left to the educated viewer to decide how much was truth and how much was distorted to serve the message of the Reich's Ministry of Propaganda.
 
DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES AND OPTIONAL GERMAN SUBTITLES FOR THE HARD-OF-HEARING.  EXCELLENT DIGITAL QUALITY.  APPROX. 105 MINS. + 18 MINS. NEWSREEL.
 

PLEASE NOTE THAT SWITCHABLE (SOFT) SUBTITLES WILL NOT SHOW UP WHEN VIEWING THE SAMPLE BELOW.  IF YOU SEE SUBTITLES, THEN THEY ARE HARD-ENCODED (meaning, they cannot be turned off when viewing the film):

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Our thanks to GERMANFILMS.NET for allowing us to use their image in promoting this film.  The displayed poster can be found at the aforementioned website.

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