Dr. Bessels Verwandlung

DOKTOR BESSELS VERWANDLUNG ,

was directed by Richard Oswald in 1927 and produced with his own company.

The novel on which it was based, by bestselling author Ludwig Wolff,

had already been published by Ullstein Verlag in 1919.

The film was reviewed by the Berlin Film Censorship Board on 22 November 1927

at 3,148 metres length divided in seven reels. Admission of minors was prohibited.

On 8 December 1927, it premiered at Berlin's Ufa-Palast am Zoo.

For distributor Matador-Film-Verleih GmbH,

a German subsidiary of Carl Laemmle's Universal Pictures Corporation,

the film was a great commercial success.

While advocating pacifism and international understanding,

the film by no means shied away from stereotypes, including anti-Semitic and nationalist clichés.

The ending 'could well have been omitted',

opined Hans Feld in his otherwise very positive review in the Film-Kurier.

French and British distributors shared his view.

In British cinemas, the film concluded with the word PEACE

appearing in a halo of light over a dune landscape

in place of the German closing sequence.

The original negative of DOKTOR BESSELS VERWANDLUNG

is preserved at Filmarchiv Austria in Vienna.

It is in good condition but has been re-reeled into 9 acts instead of 7.

Its embossed customs markings 'H.Z.A. B.P.' and 'H.A.B.' indicate the former act changes.

The title design is unusually elaborate.

Two export versions survive. Both derive from the original negative.

The CNC – Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée – conserves a nitrate positive print

of the French version LES METAMORPHOSES DE CLAUDE BESSEL,

with missing first and fourth act.

The British Film Institute's collection contains an acetate duplicate negative

of the British distribution version THE FUGITIVE LOVER.

The different versions reflect their respective countries' perspectives on the First World War

through their editing and rewriting of titles.

The Censors' approval card, preserved in the Bundesarchiv,

shows some discrepancies in its list of titles compared to those found in the original negative.

For instance, title designer Karl Jaschob is only listed in the opening credits of the negative.

THE FUGITIVE LOVER was digitally restored in 4K resolution in 2024/2025

by DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum – in collaboration with Filmarchiv Austria.

The aim was to restore the 1927 original version in a faithful digital rendition.

The main source was the original negative.

Missing sections were supplemented from the French print,

which also served as grading reference.

Eight unique shots were incorporated from the British duplicate negative,

although it remains unclear whether they featured in the original German version.

Four titles missing from the original negative were reconstructed using the approval card,

as well as a title in Act 7 that only survived in the export versions.

The new titles are designed in Karl Jaschob's style and marked '2025'.

Three titles from the original negative that were not listed on the approval card were retained.

The digitally restored version comprises 161,958 frames, approximately 3,077 metres.

Its running time is 135 minutes at a projection speed of 20 fps.

3 minutes – or 71 metres – are missing compared to the originally approved length.

THE FUGITIVE LOVER

Seven acts,

based on Ludwig Wolff's novel,

published in the Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung.

Produced by Richard Oswald-Produktion,

distributed by Matador-Film-Verleih

Manuscript: Georg C. Klaren and Herbert Juttke

Set design: F. Seemann and B. Lutz.

Cinematography: Axel Graatkjær.

Title design: Karl Jaschob.

Directed by Richard Oswald

Act One

Helene Bessel...

Pedro de Ferrante / a Spanish painter...

Karin Lundbye / a model...

"It's nice to be able to paint nudes in my free time for once.

These days, people only ever want war paintings."

"My husband is returning on leave today!"

"Tell him he must let you go

and then we shall marry."

"I dread that it will really hurt him.

Remember he's spent years in the trenches."

"Do you love me, Pedro?"

"I will tell him!"

Cigarette manufacturer Julius Bessel...

"This blend isn't good enough for a care package."

Mrs Bessel...

"Alexander is returning on leave today!"

"He didn't telegraph Helene the train's arrival time."

Dr Alexander Bessel...

Back home, back home, we shall meet again

"Quick, I do need a bath!"

"Dearest, it would be a shame

to disturb the lovebirds

as they chirp their first songs!"

"I've already got to go back tomorrow!"

"In Romania, you barely notice there's a war going on –

I'll be safe enough there!"

"I've been transferred to the West due to my command of French."

"Don't worry, my dear,

all this is in the hands of fate –

whether I return or not!"

"Leave me alone for a moment, Alexander,

I need to get over that first."

"I've a touch of fever, Alexander –

I just need to rest!"

THE FUGITIVE LOVER

Act Two

"I beg you, don't come to the station.

Who knows when the train will depart

and I just couldn't bear a goodbye

that goes on for hours!"

"Forgive me!"

"I wasn't very kind to you!"

"You're Dr Bessel, aren't you?"

"I'm Karin Lundbye, the model – I need to speak to you!"

"– Your wife is in love with Ferrante, the painter– –!"

"Please forgive me –

but I love Pedro de Ferrante!"

"What has your husband decided to do?"

"I couldn't bring myself to tell him.

He's been transferred to the Western Front."

"How could I cause him such pain

before he is sent back into battle –

perhaps to his death?"

"I love you – and I will wait for you!"

"My name is Antoine Chevallier."

"I'm Henri Trouille."

"You were lucky, my brave man.

The operation was a success,

you're out of danger now."

"You'll have to be patient with me, Pedro.

I'm a traditional woman –

a philistine, perhaps."

"I hope you'll come and visit me when you get out."

FIELD POST MISSING IN ACTION!

"My wife mustn't find out about this –

she couldn't bear the uncertainty!"

"– and let us not mention it

to my daughter-in-law either for the time being."

"Unfit for military service of any kind.

He is to be discharged from the Army!"

"It will be some time

before you can use your arm again."

"How about a pension?

Are you claiming benefits from the state?"

The landlady of a guesthouse.

FIELD POST

Paulette, the chambermaid...

"An entire German army corps eliminated!"

"A police officer!"

"Your papers, Sir!"

"Your bread ration card, Monsieur Trouille."

"Dearest, we received a letter from Alexander."

DEAR PARENTS!

I'M QUITE WELL AND HOPE THE SAME IS TRUE OF YOU.

IF ONLY I COULD BE WITH YOU SOON. LOTS OF LOVE, ALEXANDER.

THE FUGITIVE LOVER

Act Three

A bookseller...

HEINRICH HEINE THE WINTER JOURNEY

HEINRICH HEINE THE WINTER JOURNEY

"A soldier of France and you want to read that Boche stuff?!"

LETTERS FROM SOME PORTUGUESE AND GERMAN JEWS TO MR VOLTAIRE

"Ah, Voltaire, our great Voltaire!"

"A German spy –

he won't be alive for long!"

Is it possible to understand such utter madness as this war?

I wish that I could – with three good kicks –

demolish this ant-hill of asinine assassins.

"Why do you still wear your uniform?

You've been discharged, haven't you?"

"My civilian clothes still need to be sent to me."

We ought to punish those barbarians who sit idly by,

ordering the mass murder of a million men,

whilst they dine in the comfort of their warm parlours –

and then solemnly offer their thanks to God in their churches!

"If it weren't for that uniform you're wearing,

I'd swear that you're no Frenchman."

FIELD POST MISSING IN ACTION

Who knows if we shall ever meet again

On the green shores of the Spree

"I'm leaving this evening,

we mustn't see each other again."

Georgakopoulo, the Greek tobacconist,

business associate of the Bessel family...

"My name is Trouille – Henri Trouille!!!"

"I'm starving--!"

"I haven't eaten anything for days!"

"An old friend of mine – Monsieur Trouille!"

"Shall we have dinner, my dear?"

"I'm not at all hungry."

"Dr Bessel, what on earth has happened?"

"Dr Bessel is dead –