Mia May in Wogen des Schicksals (1918)
German postcard by Rotophot in the Film Sterne series, no. 527/5. Photo: May Film. Mia May in Wogen des Schicksals (Joe May, 1918).
Bank director Von Letzow (Erich Kaiser-Titz) meets in an antique shop the girl Vera von Bergen (Mia May) with a medallion of a noble lady, her mother. She tells him how, after the death of her mother, her stepmother together with her brother - who became Vera's warden after her father died too - turned Vera's life into a nightmare, sending her to boarding school and making her flee to her only friend, her former nurse and now a poor grocery shop lady. Letzow offers to marry her so she can repossess her castle and chase the intruders. He also promises to divorce her when necessary, so she can marry her love Alfred, who is in the US. In the castle, Vera discovers a bottle of 'medicine' which she suspects to be the poison the stepmother used to kill off Vera's father. Letzow finds out this is truly so. When Alfred comes back penniless from the US he proves to be an unreliable gambler, so Vera's eyes are opened and she stays with Letzow.
Neue Kino-Rundschau (29 June 1918) wrote: "A film that appeals to the taste of the big audience! It contains a series of strong conflicts, a good portion of excitement, and finally a happily united loving couple. It is also brilliantly and effectively staged, as the name Joe May vouches for. (...) Mia May ... holds the female lead, which embodies her full of charm and grace. Erich Kaiser-Titz is her partner, whose noble calm and gentle pantomime always captivates and delights. Finally, the photography must also be mentioned, as it is simply exemplary." While sometimes direction is attributed to Leopold Bauer, most designate May as both the scriptwriter and director of the film. Cinematographer was Curt Courant. It is suspected Frieda Richard and Hermann Vallentin played the stepmother and her brother, and Rolf Brunner Alfred, but no hard proof is available.
Sources: German Wikipedia, IMDB, filmportal.de.
Mia May (1884-1980) was one of the first divas of the German cinema. She starred in many films of her husband, producer, writer and director Joe May.
Mia May in Wogen des Schicksals (1918)
German postcard by Rotophot in the Film Sterne series, no. 527/5. Photo: May Film. Mia May in Wogen des Schicksals (Joe May, 1918).
Bank director Von Letzow (Erich Kaiser-Titz) meets in an antique shop the girl Vera von Bergen (Mia May) with a medallion of a noble lady, her mother. She tells him how, after the death of her mother, her stepmother together with her brother - who became Vera's warden after her father died too - turned Vera's life into a nightmare, sending her to boarding school and making her flee to her only friend, her former nurse and now a poor grocery shop lady. Letzow offers to marry her so she can repossess her castle and chase the intruders. He also promises to divorce her when necessary, so she can marry her love Alfred, who is in the US. In the castle, Vera discovers a bottle of 'medicine' which she suspects to be the poison the stepmother used to kill off Vera's father. Letzow finds out this is truly so. When Alfred comes back penniless from the US he proves to be an unreliable gambler, so Vera's eyes are opened and she stays with Letzow.
Neue Kino-Rundschau (29 June 1918) wrote: "A film that appeals to the taste of the big audience! It contains a series of strong conflicts, a good portion of excitement, and finally a happily united loving couple. It is also brilliantly and effectively staged, as the name Joe May vouches for. (...) Mia May ... holds the female lead, which embodies her full of charm and grace. Erich Kaiser-Titz is her partner, whose noble calm and gentle pantomime always captivates and delights. Finally, the photography must also be mentioned, as it is simply exemplary." While sometimes direction is attributed to Leopold Bauer, most designate May as both the scriptwriter and director of the film. Cinematographer was Curt Courant. It is suspected Frieda Richard and Hermann Vallentin played the stepmother and her brother, and Rolf Brunner Alfred, but no hard proof is available.
Sources: German Wikipedia, IMDB, filmportal.de.
Mia May (1884-1980) was one of the first divas of the German cinema. She starred in many films of her husband, producer, writer and director Joe May.