Germany 1940, that is: Nazi empire fresh into WW2. The movie can certainly be suspected for propaganda, though set in 1749 Austria (which by 1940 was incorporated into German Reich).
This is supposed to tell the story of Franz Freiherr von der Trenck (check Wikipedia). Deviations from "real" history take a more European look: "Franz" (Hans Albers) in the movie is supposed to have served in Netherlands and Portuguese Army before the Russian, and close to the end gets to be a French general.
The film starts with his court-martial, which is prevented at last minute by his Russian girl, Natalie Alexandrowka. (In reality, Franz was only sentenced to forced labor). He gets home and builds his irregular Pandur army. (Pandurs were Croatians or Serbs who had lived under the Turkish/Ottoman empire for 150 years, and just recently got under Austrian control.)
From then on, a story of espionage, imperial court wheelings & dealings, and (almost no) battle develops. The real Franz fought in the Silesian Succession war which ended in the Austrian-Bavarian Truce - but as that was of no propaganda value, the movie turns to the battle for left-of-Rhine (Alsace/Lorraine, now France). Franz accepts to turn into a French general, delivers faked military plans, steals the French plans, sets fire to the powder chamber, and escapes to Vienna for the happy ending (to receive the Golden Sword of Hungary).
Watching this movie, I more than once thought: "What did Goebbels want me to think now?" Still, it has its undisciplined charms - the maverick officer with his maverick men (whose strength in the movie is music - in reality the Pandurs were known for brutal treatment, especially of civilians). Pandur hair-dress order seems to have been pigtails (as last seen in Asterix), which even princess Deinhartstein wears when masquerading as cornet (the late Sybille Schmitz - later seen as Fassbinder's Veronica Voss). Hardly any action (explosions at the powder chamber only), but decent stage acting (this was adapted from a play).
Sure not everybody's film, but I liked to watch it, better the second time. Käthe Dorsch gives an impressing Austrian empress Maria Theresia.
This is supposed to tell the story of Franz Freiherr von der Trenck (check Wikipedia). Deviations from "real" history take a more European look: "Franz" (Hans Albers) in the movie is supposed to have served in Netherlands and Portuguese Army before the Russian, and close to the end gets to be a French general.
The film starts with his court-martial, which is prevented at last minute by his Russian girl, Natalie Alexandrowka. (In reality, Franz was only sentenced to forced labor). He gets home and builds his irregular Pandur army. (Pandurs were Croatians or Serbs who had lived under the Turkish/Ottoman empire for 150 years, and just recently got under Austrian control.)
From then on, a story of espionage, imperial court wheelings & dealings, and (almost no) battle develops. The real Franz fought in the Silesian Succession war which ended in the Austrian-Bavarian Truce - but as that was of no propaganda value, the movie turns to the battle for left-of-Rhine (Alsace/Lorraine, now France). Franz accepts to turn into a French general, delivers faked military plans, steals the French plans, sets fire to the powder chamber, and escapes to Vienna for the happy ending (to receive the Golden Sword of Hungary).
Watching this movie, I more than once thought: "What did Goebbels want me to think now?" Still, it has its undisciplined charms - the maverick officer with his maverick men (whose strength in the movie is music - in reality the Pandurs were known for brutal treatment, especially of civilians). Pandur hair-dress order seems to have been pigtails (as last seen in Asterix), which even princess Deinhartstein wears when masquerading as cornet (the late Sybille Schmitz - later seen as Fassbinder's Veronica Voss). Hardly any action (explosions at the powder chamber only), but decent stage acting (this was adapted from a play).
Sure not everybody's film, but I liked to watch it, better the second time. Käthe Dorsch gives an impressing Austrian empress Maria Theresia.
