Kirsten Heiberg's first German film
"Napoleon ist an allem Schuld" (Napoleon is to blame for it all) from 1938 is Kirsten Heiberg's German debut film. It was directed and written by the comedian Curt Goetz, who also played the main part. Curt Goetz was in control of the most important functions in the film, and in this way, Goetz could avoid the film from being pro Nazi. But of course Goebbels watched the film as the superior censor of the German film industry. He wrote this in his diary after watching it: "Very witty and entertaining, but a bit too sharp. Goetz knows a few things, but this is no nourishment for the people."( Goebbels' diary November 21st 1938)
The comedy is a satire about a club of British Napoleon researchers who want to investigate what Napoleon meant about the great author Goethe, saying:: "Voila! Un homme!" Goebbels' plan was that this film should redicule the British, but Goetz managed to create a film making fun of all kinds of snobbish gentlemen's clubs. No wonder that Goebbels was in doubt whether he should permit it.
Watch clip:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cmNhZ3FToo
