To start with the most important information right away:
This paper has been written on the basis that the reader has watched the movie Rancho Notorious and is familiar with its plot, its director Fritz Lang, and the actress Marlene Dietrich.
The reader ought to get a brief insight into Lang’s life before he got into film, through which circumstances he got there, and how he finally ended up in Hollywood. In addition to that I am going to explain some an aspect about his character and his work, and especially that he was not every actor’s favorite choice.
The second big part of this paper will deal with the great Marlene Dietrich, and with the collaboration of her and Lang – two impressive German originated names in America – in Rancho Notorious.
The paper will conclude with a closer look into the picture and its unique way of narrating the story and providing information to the spectator on three different layers.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Fritz Lang: His roots, his development, his road to America
- Before he was officially into films
- First contact with America
- Fritz Lang: A straightforward human, a multifaceted director
- Differences throughout Scarlett Street
- Differences throughout Secret Beyond The Door
- The myth Marlene Dietrich
- Before Sternberg
- Sternberg's school
- The male within Dietrich
- The price for glamour and success
- Dietrich versus Lang in "Rancho Notorious"
- A “Langian” innovation: three layers of narration
- Flashbacks
- The love triangle
- The ballad of "Chuck-a-Luck"
- The narration on screen
- Vern's progressing character
- Flashbacks
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to provide insight into the life and career of Fritz Lang, focusing on his path to Hollywood and his collaboration with Marlene Dietrich in Rancho Notorious. It also examines Lang's directorial style and the unique narrative structure of the film.
- Fritz Lang's career path and escape from Nazi Germany.
- Lang's personality and working style as a director.
- The collaboration between Fritz Lang and Marlene Dietrich in Rancho Notorious.
- The multi-layered narrative technique employed in Rancho Notorious.
- Themes of revenge and fate in Lang's films.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory section establishes the paper's premise: a discussion of Fritz Lang's life, his filmmaking style, and his collaboration with Marlene Dietrich in Rancho Notorious, assuming prior knowledge of the film. The author promises to explore Lang's early life, his escape from Nazi Germany, and the unique narrative structure of the movie.
Fritz Lang: His roots, his development, his road to America: This chapter details Lang's early life, his initial pursuit of civil engineering, his transition to art, and his eventual discovery of filmmaking as his true calling. It highlights his time in Vienna, his wartime experience, and the influence of Dr. Karl Grossmann. It further explains his rise in the German film industry, his later escape from Nazi Germany and eventual immigration to America, citing a 1965 interview where he describes his abrupt departure, leaving everything behind to avoid working under Goebbels' regime. The chapter concludes by observing the consistency of themes throughout Lang's German and American works, citing the recurring motif of protagonists battling fate.
Fritz Lang: A straightforward human, a multifaceted director: This chapter examines Lang's reputation as a challenging director, using examples from the production of Scarlett Street and Secret Beyond The Door. It discusses the conflicts arising from budgetary overruns, scheduling issues, and creative differences with producers, particularly Walter Wanger. While Scarlett Street was ultimately a success, the tension between Lang and the production companies is highlighted as a recurring theme. The problems encountered during Secret Beyond The Door are briefly mentioned but not detailed, emphasizing the overall difficult and strained atmosphere during productions.
Keywords
Fritz Lang, Marlene Dietrich, Rancho Notorious, film directing, narrative techniques, Nazi Germany, Hollywood, silent films, German cinema, American cinema, revenge, fate.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Fritz Lang and Marlene Dietrich in *Rancho Notorious*
What is the purpose of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive overview of a paper analyzing the life and career of Fritz Lang, focusing on his Hollywood career and his collaboration with Marlene Dietrich in the film Rancho Notorious. It includes a table of contents, objectives, key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What are the main topics covered in the paper?
The paper covers Fritz Lang's career path, including his early life, escape from Nazi Germany, and his work in Hollywood. It also examines his directorial style, his collaboration with Marlene Dietrich in Rancho Notorious, the film's unique narrative structure, and the themes of revenge and fate present in his work.
What aspects of Fritz Lang's life are discussed?
The paper explores Lang's early life, his initial career aspirations outside of filmmaking, his rise in the German film industry, his escape from Nazi Germany, and his experiences working in Hollywood. His personality and working style as a director are also analyzed, highlighting his reputation for being a demanding filmmaker.
What is the significance of Marlene Dietrich's role in the paper?
The paper focuses on the collaboration between Fritz Lang and Marlene Dietrich in Rancho Notorious. It examines their working relationship and Dietrich's contribution to the film. The paper also touches upon Dietrich's career and persona, particularly her relationship with Josef von Sternberg.
How is the narrative structure of Rancho Notorious analyzed?
The paper analyzes the multi-layered narrative technique employed in Rancho Notorious, specifically focusing on the use of flashbacks, the "Chuck-a-Luck" ballad, and the on-screen narration, to demonstrate Lang's innovative approach to storytelling.
What are the key themes explored in Lang's films?
The recurring themes of revenge and fate in Lang's films are explored in the paper, showing their consistency across his German and American works.
What are the key chapters of the paper and their content?
The paper includes chapters on Fritz Lang's early life and escape to America, his working style and experiences directing films like Scarlett Street and Secret Beyond the Door, a dedicated section on Marlene Dietrich, and a detailed analysis of the innovative narrative techniques in Rancho Notorious.
What keywords are associated with this research?
Key words associated with the research include: Fritz Lang, Marlene Dietrich, Rancho Notorious, film directing, narrative techniques, Nazi Germany, Hollywood, silent films, German cinema, American cinema, revenge, and fate.
- Citation du texte
- Tolga Güneysel (Auteur), 2007, The Movies by Fritz Lang, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/159382
