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The Finances of the Grand Duke (1924)
Director: FW Murnau
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
The 1994 restoration confirms that this is indeed a farce by FW Murnau, featuring such uncharacteristic ingredients as a madcap Russian princess, a happy go lucky duke, stolen letters, disguises and the like; and featuring Max Schreck, Nosferatu himself, as a comic revolutionary. Murnau takes it all at a fast clip, combining extensive location shooting with a couple of elaborate studio sets, and bringing off two or three shots which, independent of context, are as haunting as any in the canon. Agreeable yet quite forgettable, except for collectors of directorial anomalies, and Murnau-ites on the hunt for correspondences, gay subtexts, etc.Author: BBa
Cast & crew
Director: FW Murnau
Producer: Erich Pommer
Cast: Harry Liedtke, Alfred Abel, Mady Christians, Adolphe Engers, Max Schreck, Walter Rilla full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 85 mins
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