The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1928)

Entertaining film. I watched the film on mute as the modern score (by Carl Davis) is terrible and anachronistic. I played the soundtrack to "The Kiss" a Synchronized picture from 1929 along with the film to have a more authentic viewing experience. The film would have been better with a few songs added from Romberg's 1924 operetta, but MGM didn't start adding talking sequences to their films until late in 1928.Navarro and Shearer and great together. It's a shame they didn't make more films together.

Heidelberg, Germany is truly a wonderful city!!! Locate on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. It is the fifth-largest in Baden-Württemberg, and an absolutely glorious place. Sadly, this movie doesn't use any of the real-life locations like the Heidelberg Castle, Hotel Ritter, Old Bridge, or Heidelberg University; choosing instead to film in Laurel Canyon, California for establishing shots. It's one of disappointing things about this film. The fake looking castle model and the lack of local sights, make this movie seem like the story can take place anywhere in Germany, but most of all, remind me, way too much of Munich. Why, because for most of all the film, it only show the beer garden and not enough of the schooling. It really doesn't fit that well with 'Old Heidelberg' motif that much. Still, I have to say, this is one of director, Ernst Lubitsch's finest films. It was well shot. The way, his crew shot the beer-garden with all the students in the opening was amazing and epic. Also, the way, he show the sands of time, toward the end with the hilltop was very powerful. Truly, this movie had the 'Lubitsch Touch'. Loosely based on the 1901 play 'Old Heidelberg' by author Wilhelm Meyer-Förster & the operetta 'Student Prince' by Sigmund Romberg, this sophisticated coming-of-age story tells the tale of an melancholy introvert prince, Karl Heinrich (Ramón Novarro) trying to escape the strict reality of his imprisonment world by travelling to Heidelberg as a student, in attempt to learn what love and comradeship is really about, with the help of a beautiful barmaid, named Kathi Ruder (Norma Shearer). Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, unlike other fairy tale silent films, I had watch. This movie wasn't really boring. Yes, it does have some slow moments in the beginning, but toward the end, the pacing really does pick up. The story was very entertaining for most part, despite having no sound and song numbers. I think, the reason why it works, is because how compelling the acting from both of the main actors, were. While, the romantic chemistry of the two, might be questionable, seeing how one of the actors is gay in real-life, and how the movie doesn't really establish, a good reason for them to fall in love, besides 'love in first sight'. I have to say, both, do work with each other, somewhat well, even if Karl seem a bit 'forceful'. I think, the reason, why I love these two actors, so much in this film, wasn't because of their chemistry for each other, but the way, they were able to show, loneliness and a sense of longing. It's the reason why, I have to disagree with the director feelings that these two roles were miscast. However, it does seem somewhat odd that they would hired a Mexican-American and Irish American for a German role. Despite that, both were charming enough to keep me, interested. Plus, it does help that both of the main performers were very good-looking. I don't care, if Florenz Ziegfeld turn her down, because of her crossed eyes and stubby legs. Norma Shearer is one attractive lady. This was a break-out role for her. The same, goes to Novarro who was promoted by MGM as the next "Latin lover". He really became known as a sex symbol after the death of Rudolph Valentino. It just suck, that he got murder, later in his life. Another reason, why this film, somewhat work for me, was because the witty jokes and humor. It was very funny. Very few misses. Much of this success, goes to supporting actor, Jean Hersholt for the way, he portray, Dr. Friedrich Jüttner, Karl's sympathetic mentor. The way, he interact with his co-stars, makes his scenes, some of the best, in the film. Another reason, why I love this film, is the soundtrack by composer Carl Davis & English Chamber Orchestra gives for the home video reissue. It was very captivating. Added to the remastered version, with very few film grain. Then you have a very watchable movie. Overall: Even with the downer ending, the lack of music, the over promoting of alcohol abuse & cigarette smoking, I still found myself, glue to my screen. In my opinion, this movie is way better than 1954 or 1959 color versions or any of the previous films like 1915's 'Old Heidelberg' or the 1923's German version, combine. It's truly a classic that needs to be seen. Highly recommended checking out.

I disliked this story the first few times I saw it because of the selflessness (look it up ... in an Ayn Rand dictionary) demanded of the Student Prince.Seeing it again on Turner Classic Movies on 3 Nov 2015, in a marathon of Norma Shearer movies, I was so overwhelmed by the performance of Miss Shearer I could almost overlook the psychological destruction of Karl Heinrich.If Norma Shearer has ever given a better performance, I've not seen it and really can't imagine a better. She was lovely, and her character "Kathi," was innocent, beguiling, strong-willed, honest, exuberant, simply adorable. Simply wonderful.Henceforth, I am a confirmed Norma Shearer fan, a worshiper.Jean Hersholt has a great role as a lovable tutor who realizes the lonely little boy who is Crown Prince needs a friend as much as he needs a teacher.That Crown Prince is beautifully played by Ramon Novarro, whose career later fell on hard times for some reason, but who was so great in so many silent films, including this one and "Ben Hur."He was a good-looking young man, and more than capable. Watch his eyes, and his expression, especially during the drinking scene as the Crown Prince arrives at the school in Heidelberg. Especially watch his eyes. Magnificent performance.And watch him when he's told "Duty. Obligation. Tradition." Collectivist concepts are so destructive of human happiness.How an individual human being is subordinated to collectivist concepts is one key element of "A Student Prince" and we get a suggestion of why everyone needs to read I Samuel 8, for a look at the other side of the point of that biblical chapter.As sad as "A Student Prince in Old Heidelberg" ultimately is, it is still a classic film, with a superb cast in the sad story, and one reason it is a classic is its director: Ernst Lubitsch was one of the absolute masters of this visual art. (He directed a 1925 version of "Lady Windermere's Fan," the Oscar Wilde story. Just imagine a silent version of that talkative author's work! Yet Lubitsch pulled it off -- beautifully.)Carl Davis, a marvelous modern composer, is probably the perfect choice to create a score for a silent -- or talkie -- film, and he produced the one used here, adding one more layer of art and beauty to a moving movie.Obviously I do recommend, highly, "The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg."

Before Sigmund Romberg and Dorothy Donnelly wrote their immortal score for The Student Prince, it had originally been performed as a straight dramatic work by the great turn of the last century stage actor, Richard Mansfield. Entitled In Old Heidelberg it is what we are in fact seeing here as opposed to a silent version of the musical, an oxymoron if there ever was one.I do so love the music of Romberg and Donnelly, especially what they wrote for The Student Prince. Yet I was able to appreciate the fine dramatic work of Ramon Novarro as the prince of Karlsbad and Norma Shearer as Kathi the barmaid. They certainly were as romantic a couple as ever graced the silent screen.Without the music, this version of The Student Prince went for characterization instead. There is a long sequence of about a quarter of the running time of the film that goes into Prince Karl's childhood with young Philippe DeLacy playing the prince as a child. We see the relationship with the very stern King played by Gustave Von Seyfertitz and later on when he's introduced to his tutor and closest friend, Jean Hersholt. Hersholt has the best performance in the film.Novarro plays a most charming prince and Shearer is a fetching barmaid with whom he falls in love with. After the childhood prologue, the rest of the film is pretty much the same as the 1954 version with Ann Blyth, Edmond Purdom and the voice of Mario Lanza.For reasons I don't understand MGM which held the rights to the Student Prince did not make a sound version until 1954. Odd when you consider that during the Thirties they had Allan Jones under contract who would have been wonderful in the part. Having heard him sing Deep In My Heart I can attest to that. Failing that it sure could have been a property for Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald.I believe the German locale of the story probably had something to do with it not being filmed. Also the subject of an errant prince refusing to face his responsibilities was a big international story with the once and future Edward VIII giving it all up for the woman he loved. I can believe that Irving Thalberg and Louis B. Mayer probably did not want to anger the British market at that time.Though I missed the Romberg/Donnelly score, I still enjoyed the performances of Ramon Novarro and Norma Shearer and the rest of the cast being transported back to Old Heidelberg under the masterful direction of Ernest Lubitsch. Try to see this if it is ever broadcast again.