Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
The Emperor of California is a Allemand film of genre Drama directed by Luis Trenker released in USA on 7 may 1937 with Luis Trenker

The Emperor of California (1936)

Der Kaiser von Kalifornien

The Emperor of California
If you like this film, let us know!
Released in USA 7 may 1937
Length 1h37
Directed by
OriginGerman
Genres Drama,    Western
Rating64% 3.2353353.2353353.2353353.2353353.235335

The Kaiser of California, better known as "The Emperor of California" (German Der Kaiser von Kalifornien), is a 1936 film that has the distinction of being the first western film made in Nazi Germany. Some exterior scenes were even shot on location in the United States at Sedona and the Grand Canyon in Arizona and at Death Valley in California.

The film follows the life story of Johann Augustus Suter, the owner of Sutter's Mill, famous as the birthplace of the great California Gold Rush of 1849.

While the basic story of Sutter's life is retained, the producers inserted some notable changes reflecting the political environment of the film's creation: though Sutter was a Swiss-German, the film emphasizes his German ethnicity and though he changed his name to John Sutter when he came to the United States, throughout the film he retains the name Johann Suter.

The film opposes the "easy" money of gold-digging with the wealth and values created by hard work, as the Gold Rush eventually destroys Suter's fortunes and creates social disintegration and the loss of solidarity and companionship.

In the final scene the aged and impoverished Sutter is shown in Washington, where he has a vision of America's future industrial might, seeing a land full of skyscrapers and factories.

Unlike most American Westerns of the 1930s, The Kaiser of California offers a sympathetic portrait of the Indians, whom Sutter respectfully befriends. In this it follows the Karl May tradition of German Western stories, which often featured noble Indians and German immigrants turned pioneers and gunmen.

The film won the 1936 Mussolini Cup for best foreign film at the Venice Film Festival. It was screened as part of the "Venice Days" series at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in September 2011.

The film was written and directed by Luis Trenker, who also starred as Johann Sutter. Trenker had previously directed Der verlorene Sohn (The Prodigal Son, 1934), the story of an Alpine immigrant in New York, which is the only other film produced in Nazi Germany with scenes photographed on location in the United States.

Synopsis

Le film raconte l'histoire de la vie de John Sutter, le propriétaire de Sutter's Mill, le célèbre endroit où l'on découvrit l'or qui provoqua la ruée vers l'or en Californie.

Actors

Trailer of The Emperor of California

Bluray, DVD

Streaming / VOD

Source : Wikidata

Comments


Leave comment :

Suggestions of similar film to The Emperor of California

There are 32 films with the same actors, 11 films with the same director, 63726 with the same cinematographic genres (including 987 with exactly the same 2 genres than The Emperor of California), to have finally 70 suggestions of similar films.

If you liked The Emperor of California, you will probably like those similar films :
Mountains on Fire, 1h49
Directed by Karl Hartl, Luis Trenker
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Documentary, Action
Themes Sports films, Political films
Actors Lissy Arna, Luis Trenker, Claus Clausen, Paul Graetz, Paul Graetz, Michael von Newlinsky
Rating67% 3.3702653.3702653.3702653.3702653.370265
Shortly before the First World War, an Italian and an Austrian take part in a mountaineering expedition together. Not long afterwards they find themselves fighting on different sides.
The Mountain Calls, 1h35
Directed by Luis Trenker
Origin German
Genres Drama, Documentary
Themes Sports films, Alpinisme
Actors Luis Trenker, Heidemarie Hatheyer, Lucie Höflich, Blandine Ebinger, Umberto Sacripante, Ernst Legal
Rating67% 3.382823.382823.382823.382823.38282
The Italian mountaineer Jean-Antoine Carrel wants to be the first man to reach the summit of the Matterhorn. He meets the British mountaineer Whymper and they decide to climb together. But due to an intrigue this agreement is dropped and the two men try it on the same day with two different teams, Carrel on the Italian side and Whymper on the Swiss side. The latter will successfully reach the summit along with his six companions, Hudson, Hadow, Douglas and the guides Croz and Taugwalder father and son. Only Whymper and the guides Taugwalder will survive the descent.
The Rebel
The Rebel (1932)
, 1h22
Directed by Luis Trenker, Curtis Bernhardt, Reinhart Steinbicker
Origin German
Genres Drama, Historical
Themes Sports films, Political films, Histoire de France, Napoleonic Wars films, French Revolution films
Actors Luis Trenker, Luise Ullrich, Victor Varconi, Ludwig Stössel, Olga Engl, Fritz Kampers
Rating64% 3.2227953.2227953.2227953.2227953.222795
1809, alors que le Tyrol est occupé par la Bavière. Quand Severin Anderlan retourne après avoir fait ses études dans son pays natal, il découvre que les Français alliés de la Bavière ont détruit sa village et tué sa famille. Anderlan tire sur des soldats français et fuit avec l'uniforme d'un Hauptmann dragon bavarois. Il apprend dans un bal de cour à Innsbruck que les troupes de Napoléon envahiront bientôt, et organise la résistance armée de ses compatriotes.
The Prodigal Son, 1h42
Directed by Luis Trenker, Werner Klingler
Origin German
Genres Drama
Themes Films about immigration
Actors Luis Trenker, Maria Andergast, Marian Marsh, Paul Henckels, F. W. Schröder-Schrom, Eduard Köck
Rating67% 3.3743953.3743953.3743953.3743953.374395
Tonio Feuersinger, le fils téméraire d'une vieille famille de paysans, a une vie routinière dans le Tyrol du Sud. Lors de la cérémonie après une course de ski, qu'il a gagnée avec deux camarades de son village, il rencontre un millionnaire américain, qui lui donne le trophée, et sa fille Lilian. Le père voit le masque du Roi des Douze jours et souhaite l'acheter. Mais comme il n'est pas à vendre, il en commande une copie. Lilian engage Tonio et son ami Jörg à une ascension du sommet. Au cours de l'ascension d'une crête abrupte, la neige tombe soudainement. Tonio se met à l'abri, Lilian et Jörg d'un autre. Tonio et Lilian s'en sortent, mais Jörg meurt. En raison de cet accident, Lilian et son père s'en vont. Tonio veut maintenant connaître le "grand monde" incarné par Lilian, loin de l'étroitesse supposée de l'isolement de la montagne. Il se moque des habitants et quitte le village et son amie Barbl.