Patrioten DVD (Patriots) (Karl Ritter, 1937)

In Karl Ritter’s Patrioten, the brutal divisions of the First World War are refracted through an intimate story of survival, concealment, music, and forbidden affection. After a German bomber is shot down behind French lines in spring 1918, Lieutenant Peter Thomann is the sole survivor. Wounded and desperate, he hides his identity, discards his uniform, and assumes the name “Pierre” while trying to reach his own lines. His fate changes when he is discovered by a troupe of French actors traveling to entertain troops at the front. Though mistrusted by some, he is nursed back to health by Thérèse, the director’s granddaughter, and gradually drawn into the troupe’s lively world of theatrical performance and musical entertainment. Featuring appealing musical numbers and strong star turns by Lida Baarova and Mathias Wieman, Patrioten stages a melodramatic conflict between patriotic duty and personal feeling. The film competed at the 1937 Venice Film Festival alongside Jean Renoir’s La Grande Illusion, which won the top prize there; Patrioten was also shown at the 1937 Paris World Exhibition, where it was awarded the gold prize. Ritter’s film remains a revealing example of interwar cinema’s visions of war, sacrifice, entertainment, and national loyalty.

Starring Lida Baarova & Mathias Wieman. Directed by Karl Ritter. Germany, 1937, B&W, 91 minutes. German dialogue with English subtitles.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:
Original Promotional Materials Slideshows:
• Posters & Ads
• Behind the Scenes Pictures
• Lobby Cards/Stills
• Venice Film Festival Brochure
• Cinema Owners Guide Handbook

NTSC Region 0 encoding (Entire World)

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