Alte Gesetz, Das

Alternative title: Baruch Ancient Law, The
Synopsis: Feature film. In nineteenth-century Austria, a young Jew leaves the ghetto to become an actor. He eventually becomes famous and is reunited with his disapproving Rabbi father. Ernst Deutsch, as the Jew Baruch, plays in a modest production of Romeo and Juliet staged by a travelling company. The audience laughs at his Jewish appearance but his performance attracts the attention of the Archduchess Elisabeth Theresa. With her help he becomes a celebrated actor and acts the part of Hamlet (the opening and close of the play are shown), the scenes being intercut with scenes of his father conducting the Yom Kippur ceremonies.
Country: Germany
Medium: Film
Technical information: Black-and-white / Silent
Year of release: 1923
Duration: 83 mins; 7,532 feet

Director

Ewald André Dupont

Cinematographer

Theodor Sparkhuhl

Screenplay

Paul Reno

Production Design

Alfred Junge; Curt Kahle

Cast

Avrom Morewski	Rabbi
Avrom Morewski	The Rabbi
Ernst Deutsch	Baruch, his son
Fritz Richard	Nathan, the Cobbler
Grete Berger	Rabbi
Henny Porten	Archduchess Elisabeth Theresa
Herrmann Vallentin	Heinrich Laube
Jacob Tiedtke	Theatre Director
Margarethe Schlegel	Cobbler’s daughter
Robert Garrison	Ruben Pick
Ruth Weyher	Lady of the Court
Werner Krauß

Notes: The copy held in the BFI National Archive has Swedish titles.
History: Released in nine reels, 7,532ft. Commercial versions in the UK and United States were cut to 6,500 and 5,500ft respectively.
Reviews: Ball, Robert Hamilton. Shakespeare on Silent Film: A Strange Eventful History. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1968 (pp. 269-70, 374).

British Universities Film & Video Council