'Ich möchte kein Mann sein' fits neatly alongside other silent comedies by Ernst Lubitsch such as 'Die Puppe' or ' Die Bergkatze.' It's a farcical romp filled with robust humor, with delightfully exaggerated characters and performances anchoring situational and physical comedy. With each figure before us bearing distinct, vivid personalities to lend to each scene, the actors are outstanding in leaning wholly into the ridiculousness. That goes not least of all for Margarete Kupfer, exhibiting a certain cheeky jest as the protagonist's governess; and for Curt Goetz, putting on utmost airs as impossibly stern and smarmy behaviorist Dr. Kersten, yet also surprising with an unexpectedly varied display. Those in even smaller and uncredited parts also impress with their lively pep, yet of course it's Ossi Oswalda, starring as "Ossi," who steals the show. As in 'Die Puppe,' she carries such wonderful range, physicality, and spirit in her acting, and it's an absolute joy to watch her practice her craft.
The screenplay director Lubitsch concocted alongside Hanns Kräly is superb. The characters are sharply considered, and the scene writing and overall narrative are rich, dynamic, and invigorating - engrossing, and fun. Geared only toward lighthearted zest, in both conjuration and realization the picture roundly succeeds in providing a good time. Honestly, this is simply such a blast. And still, even as it is solidly enjoyable, with a runtime of only a few reels, there's some noteworthy thematic content here as well.
The very title, commonly translated into English as "I don't want to be a man," carries a rather different connotation in the 21st century, when understanding of the diversity of gender, and especially trans rights, have thankfully advanced well beyond where they were 100 years prior. Rather before one begins watching it's obvious the feature will play with conventions and stereotypes of gender, and gender roles. The very premise emphasizes this as the main character, tomboy Ossi, embarks on a venture of dressing in men's clothing and trying to act the part. With that, given the name of this picture and retrospective assumptions about the early 20th century, it's natural to assume the plot may underhandedly reinforce cretinous traditional gender roles - disregarding cishet white male privilege to accentuate the woe of men's mountainous responsibilities, and disregarding female autonomy for the need that women's "delicate natures" be catered to. However, I am gratified to reflect that this isn't quite the case. What we get instead is actually a bit different: the difficulty Ossi discovers has less to do with demands of male responsibility, and more with the broad insensitivity and lack of social manners of men as balanced against her kindhearted nature; her independence and willfulness, compared to the frivolous socializing and male-centered focus of the "proper ladies" she encounters.
At that, there's nonetheless a large grey area where might otherwise sit the proclamations 'I don't want to be a man' would have to make about etiquette, propriety, and sociopolitical standing in regards to gender. At the same time that Ossi flouts cultural norms, the exhaustion of her experience is flavored with questionable suggested refrains of "poor men!" or "women have it EASY!" or "I, a woman, can't do what men do." I'd be lying if I said the picture didn't ride a fine line in how, exactly, it wants to fly in the face of social mores; viewers who fall on either side of the divide (rigid gender roles, versus liberated resistance thereto) may find content to suit their tastes. Yet in fairness, I may be nitpicking, and toying with these concepts is minor in the screenplay's attention - it above all wants to entertain. And whatever else may be true - though a pittance by our standards today, there's no mistaking the clear and somewhat daring (for 1918) inference that supporting character Kersten is bisexual.
No matter how you look at it, this is a movie built from the ground up for laughs and amusement. In its writing, direction, acting, and all other aspects of its creation, I'm of the mind that it firmly succeeds - regardless of how one may apply modern sensibilities to a film of so long ago. Why, if anything, one can't help but be further bemused by how different the outlook has changed over the past several decades when it comes to gender. At length, 'Ich möchte kein Mann sein' is another terrific silent movie - a great credit among Lubitsch's many - that I enthusiastically recommend to all. Wherever you may be able to watch it, this is handily worth 45 minutes of your time!
The screenplay director Lubitsch concocted alongside Hanns Kräly is superb. The characters are sharply considered, and the scene writing and overall narrative are rich, dynamic, and invigorating - engrossing, and fun. Geared only toward lighthearted zest, in both conjuration and realization the picture roundly succeeds in providing a good time. Honestly, this is simply such a blast. And still, even as it is solidly enjoyable, with a runtime of only a few reels, there's some noteworthy thematic content here as well.
The very title, commonly translated into English as "I don't want to be a man," carries a rather different connotation in the 21st century, when understanding of the diversity of gender, and especially trans rights, have thankfully advanced well beyond where they were 100 years prior. Rather before one begins watching it's obvious the feature will play with conventions and stereotypes of gender, and gender roles. The very premise emphasizes this as the main character, tomboy Ossi, embarks on a venture of dressing in men's clothing and trying to act the part. With that, given the name of this picture and retrospective assumptions about the early 20th century, it's natural to assume the plot may underhandedly reinforce cretinous traditional gender roles - disregarding cishet white male privilege to accentuate the woe of men's mountainous responsibilities, and disregarding female autonomy for the need that women's "delicate natures" be catered to. However, I am gratified to reflect that this isn't quite the case. What we get instead is actually a bit different: the difficulty Ossi discovers has less to do with demands of male responsibility, and more with the broad insensitivity and lack of social manners of men as balanced against her kindhearted nature; her independence and willfulness, compared to the frivolous socializing and male-centered focus of the "proper ladies" she encounters.
At that, there's nonetheless a large grey area where might otherwise sit the proclamations 'I don't want to be a man' would have to make about etiquette, propriety, and sociopolitical standing in regards to gender. At the same time that Ossi flouts cultural norms, the exhaustion of her experience is flavored with questionable suggested refrains of "poor men!" or "women have it EASY!" or "I, a woman, can't do what men do." I'd be lying if I said the picture didn't ride a fine line in how, exactly, it wants to fly in the face of social mores; viewers who fall on either side of the divide (rigid gender roles, versus liberated resistance thereto) may find content to suit their tastes. Yet in fairness, I may be nitpicking, and toying with these concepts is minor in the screenplay's attention - it above all wants to entertain. And whatever else may be true - though a pittance by our standards today, there's no mistaking the clear and somewhat daring (for 1918) inference that supporting character Kersten is bisexual.
No matter how you look at it, this is a movie built from the ground up for laughs and amusement. In its writing, direction, acting, and all other aspects of its creation, I'm of the mind that it firmly succeeds - regardless of how one may apply modern sensibilities to a film of so long ago. Why, if anything, one can't help but be further bemused by how different the outlook has changed over the past several decades when it comes to gender. At length, 'Ich möchte kein Mann sein' is another terrific silent movie - a great credit among Lubitsch's many - that I enthusiastically recommend to all. Wherever you may be able to watch it, this is handily worth 45 minutes of your time!