| The Great King | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Veit Harlan |
| Written by | Veit Harlan Gerhard Menzel Hans Rehberg |
| Starring | Otto Gebühr |
| Cinematography | Bruno Mondi |
| Editing by | Friedrich Karl von Puttkamer |
| Release date(s) | 3 March 1942 |
| Running time | 118 minutes |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
The Great King (German: Der große König) is a 1942 German drama film directed by Veit Harlan and starring Otto Gebühr.[1] It depicts the life of Frederick the Great, who ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786. It received the rare "Film of the Nation" distinction.[2]
The film is a depiction of the Führerprinzip, with the analogy to Hitler being so clear that Hitler sent a print to Mussolini, and Goebbels warning against the drawing of the comparison in print, in particular because the pessimistic mood that opens the film.[3] After a sergeant gives an unauthorized order, the king orders him promoted and punished; his decision to desert after this results in his death, because no disobedience is justified.[2] Goebbels declared that the parallels were not a matter of propaganda but an obvious result of the parallels of history.[4]
Goebbels also regarded as it instructing that their current sufferings would strengthen them.[5]
Goebbels had some difficulty with the Army High Command over this film, because it depicted the king left in a lurch by his general, and complained that the army felt that any depiction, however historical, reflected badly on them.[2]
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