Fritz Bauer Institut · Cinematography of the Holocaust
ID |
FBW000392 Fiction |
Country / Year |
USA, 1947-1948 |
Original Title |
Letter from an Unknown Woman |
Other Title(s) |
Brief einer Unbekannten (German) |
Directed by |
Max Ophüls (als: Max Opuls) |
Produced by |
Rampart Productions, Inc., Los Angeles, CA; for Universal International Pictures Co. (Universal Pictures Company, Inc.), Universal City, CA (New York, NY) |
Staff |
Producer: John Houseman; Executive producer: William Dozier; Production coordination: John Hambleton; Secretary: Renate Lenart; Location manager: Edward Dodds; Assistent director: John F. Sherwood (1. Assistenz), Les Warner (2. Assistenz), Mickey Bennett (2. Assistenz); Continuity: Adele Cannon; Script: Howard Koch; Based on: Stefan Zweig ("Brief einer Unbekannten" / Novelle); Camera: Franz Planer (als: Frank Planer), Glenn Adams (Matte Photography); Cameraman: David Ragin, Lloyd Ward (15.09.1947); Assistent cameraman: Walter Bluemel, Philip H. Lathrop (als: Phil Lathrop) (15. u. 24.09.1947), [Herr] Williams (23.09.1947), [Herr] Lowry (25. u. 27.10.1947), Lew Schwartz (08.01.1948), Robert Pierce (Matte Photography); Dolly: Lester Kahn, Arvid Woodin; Special optical effects: [Herr] Hoffman, David S. Horsley (11. u. 14.10.1947), James V. King (Assistenz, 24.09.1947), [Herr] Marlett (Assistenz, 11. u. 14.10.1947), [Herr] Abeis (Technik, 24.09.1947), [Herr] Johnson (Technik, 24.09.1947), Wes Thompson (Technik, 11. u. 14.10.1947), [Herr] DeFrancis (Technik, 11. u. 14.10.1947); Still photograpy: Albert Anderson, William Wallace (27.10.1947); Lighting: Tom Ouellette; Best boy: Tex Bellah; Editing: Ted J. Kent; Sound: Glenn E. Anderson (als: Glenn F. Anderson); Sound supervision: Leslie I. Carey; Sound recording: Martin Brown; Boom: Frank Gorbach; Sound, var: Ralph Butler (Mike Man, 19.-21.09.1947 u. 08.01.1948), [Herr] Tucker (Mike Man, 19.-21.09.1947), John Muchmore (Mike Man, 15.-16.10.1947); Art direction: Alexander Golitzen; Technical consultant: Paul Elbogen; Grip: Roland Smith, Ben Hawkins (08.01.1948); Set decoration: Ruby R. Levitt, Charles Baker; Set decoration supervision: Russell A. Gausman; Props: Wally Kirkpatrick, [?] Grundstrom (Assistenz, 09.-14.09.1947), [?] Laraby (Assistenz, 15.-16.09.1947), Earl Neal (Assistenz, 27.10.1947), [?] Rosencrantz (Assistenz, 19.09.1947), Jim Phillips (Tiere u. Wagen); Special Effects: [Herr] Jerowitz; Costumes: Travis Banton; Wardrobe: Virginia Tutwieler, Gene Goffin; Makeup: Bud Westmore (Masken-Überwachung), Lou LaCava, John Holden (08.01.1948); Haidressing: Carmen Dirigo, Helene Parrish; Music: Daniele Amfitheatrof; Orchestration: David Tamkin; Choreography: Bert Prival; Musiv, var: [?] Rubini (Musik-Unterricht für Louis Jourdan); Casting: Mildred Gusse; Double: Norma Holm (Joan Fontaine), Phil Shepard (Louis Jourdan), Sally Wood (Mady Christians) |
Cast |
Joan Fontaine (Lisa Berndle); Louis Jourdan (Stefan Brand (vereinbart mit David O. Selznick)); Mady Christians (Frau Berndle); Marcel Journet (Johann Stauffer); Art Smith (John); Carol Yorke (Marie); Howard Freeman (Herr Kastner); John Good (Lt. Leopold von Kaltenegger); Leo B. Pessin (Stefan, Jr.); Erskine Sanford (Porter); Otto Waldis (Concierge); Sonja Bryden (Frau Spitzer); Patricia Alphin (Pretty); Willy Trenk-Trebitsch (als: William Trenk) (Fritzel); Fred Nurney (Officer on Street); Torben Meyer (Driver); Hermine Sterler (Mother Superior); C.S. Ramsey-Hill (Col. Steindorf); Will Lee (Mover); William Hall (Mover); Lotte Stein (Woman Musician); Ilka Grüning (als: Ilka Gruning) (Woman Ticket Taker); Paul E. Burns (Concierge); Roland Varno (2nd Second); Leo Mostovoy (Older Man); William Gould (The Burgomaster); Roy Gordon (Elderly Man in Uniform); Shimen Ruskin (Older Man); Celia Lovsky (Flower Vendor); Lester Sharpe (1st Critic); Edit Angold (2nd Middle aged Woman); Michael Mark (Customer); Al Eben (Waiter); Walter Soderling (Man); Lisa Golm (Woman Musician); Lois Austin (Elderly Woman); Kay Morley (Daughter); Mauritz Hugo (Young Man); Elektra Rozanska (Elegant Lady); Paul Peter Szemere (Mover); Irene Seidner (Frau Mombert); Max Willenz (Baggage Man); Edna Holland (Nun); Gordon Clark (Street Singer); William Vedder (Street Singer); Elisabeth Kerr (Woman); Helen Spring (Middle aged Woman); Betty Blythe (Frau Kohner); John Elliott (Flower Vendor); Norbert Schiller (1st Second); Mary Worth (Musician); Rex Lease (Station Attendant); Hal Melone (Waiter); Walter Bonn (Col. Kohner); Bruce Riley (2nd Officer); Blanche Obronska (Young Woman); Erich von Schilling (Usher); Jamesson Shade (Musician); Lisl Valetti (Woman Musician); Jack George (2nd Critic); Edmund Cobb (Carriage Driver); Edwin Fowler (Dancing Master); Ashley Cowan (Callow Youth); Gabrielle Windsor (Ballet Girl); Joe Garcia (Collector); John Bambury (Midget); Sven-Hugo Borg (Mover); Diane Lee Stewart (1st Girl Friend); Doretta Johnson (2nd Girl Friend); Vera Stokes (3rd Girl Friend); Lorraine Gale (4th Girl Friend); Robert Bailey (Woman Passenger); Tay Dunn (Young Officer); Doug Carter (Man); Jack Gargan (Man); Peggy Remington (Woman); Cy Stevens (Man); Arthur Lovejoy (Footman); Frieda Stoll (Burgomaster's Wife); Jack Worth (Officer); Paul Rochin (Bavarian Man); Joseph Kamaryt (Bavarian Mountain Climber); Pete Sosso (als: Pietro Sosso) (Coachman); Tom Costello (Musician); Watson Downs (Conductor); William Schroff (Waiter); Howard M. Mitchell (Man on Streetcar); Sam Gilmore (Cafe Patron); Guy L. Shaw (Cafe Patron); June Wood (Cashier); Herbert Winters (Student); Jean Ransome (Maid); George Blagoi (Man); Roy Bross (Porter); Judith Woodbury (Model); Betty McDonough (Woman); Joe Ardao (Small Man); Donald Chaffin (Donald Chaffin); Helen Dickson (Large Woman); John McCallum (Store Helper); Harry Anderson (Man); Curt Furberg (Butler); Manuel Paris (Baron's Second); Robert W. Brown (1st Officer); Carli Elinor (Austrian Band Leader) |
Length |
2390,9 m / 87'23'' |
Format |
35mm/sw/1:1,37 |
Dates |
- 02 Sep 1947-27 Oct 1947: Shooting period |
Further Remarks |
- Zensurlänge, BRD: 2382 m / 87'10'' |
Abstract |
In Vienna, about 1900, a dashing man arrives at his flat, instructing his manservant that he will leave before morning: the man is Stefan Brand, formerly a concert pianist, planning to leave Vienna to avoid a dual. His servant gives him a letter from an unknown woman, which he reads. In flashbacks we see the lifelong passion of Lisa Berndle for him: first as a girl who was his neighbor; next as a young woman who, in secret, has his child; then as a mature woman who meets him again and abandons husband and son to be with him. Each time he does not remember who she is or that they have ever met. By morning, he has finished the letter, and her husband awaits satisfaction. |
Subject Terms |
|
Holdings |
- Freunde der Deutschen Kinemathek, Berlin |
Materials |
- Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research, Madison, WI: Howard Koch Papers; Drehbuch |
Bibliography |
- Hellmer, Kurt (als: k.h.): "Letter From Unknown Woman (Rivoli)", in: Aufbau (New York, NY), Jg. 14, Nr. 19, 07.05.1948 |
Credits |
- 1. WILLIAM DOZIER / PRESENTS / A / [RAMPART] / RAMPART / PRODUCTION |