The Threepenny Opera (1931 film)

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The Threepenny Opera

Directed by	G. W. Pabst
Produced by	Seymour Nebenzal
Written by	Béla Balázs Leo Lania Ladislaus Vajda
Starring	Rudolf Forster Margo Lion Carola Neher Lotte Lenya Reinhold Schünzel
Music by	Kurt Weill
Cinematography	Fritz Arno Wagner
Editing by	Henri Rust
Release date(s)	19 February 1931 (Germany) 17 May 1931 (USA)
Country	Germany
Language	German
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The Threepenny Opera (German: Die 3groschenoper) is a 1931 German musical film directed by G. W. Pabst. The film is based on a 1928 musical theatre variation of The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht. As was usual in the early sound film era, Pabst also directed a French language version of the film, L'Opéra de quat'sous, with some variation of plot details (the French title literally translates as "the four penny opera"). A planned English version was not made, due in part to a court case: the two existing versions were released on a video.

The Threepenny Opera differs in significant respects from the play, and the internal timeline is somewhat vague. The whole of society is presented as corrupt in one form or another.

[edit] Plot Summary

Macheath is presented as an anti-hero and is in league with Tiger Brown, Chief of Police, who is in charge of the coronation of an unspecified queen.

Macheath marries Polly Peachum, daughter of Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum, but still visits the brothel on Turnmill Street. Peachum is displeased at his daughter's marriage, and threatens Brown with disruption of the coronation - arranging for a protest march of beggars and others. Macheath is arrested, after a rooftop escape from the brothel where he had gone to visit Jenny, his former lover, as it is raided, imprisoned and sentenced to death.

Polly, meanwhile, buys a bank, and runs it with Macheath's henchmen, making him a bank director, and she then arranges surety for Macheath to leave prison. This causes a change of heart by her parents - her father tries to stop the protest march but fails.

Jenny visits the prison, and aids Macheath's escape: he makes his way to the bank, where he discovers his new status. Brown, whose police career is ruined by the demonstration, and Peachum, also come to the bank and agree to link up.

Only some of the songs from the opera are used, in a different order.