Film in Weimar Germany was both an art form and a political instrument. Its creators and producers were often political activists, seeking to shape public opinion through propaganda. But their work was also a sophisticated form of modern art, with aesthetic and narrative elements that competed with and at times eclipsed its agitational purpose. Ufa was no exception. In the 1920s and early 1930s, the company challenged Hollywood for cultural dominance and market share in Jazz Age Europe.
The company's early history was marked by scandal, squabbles, and mismanagement, but its directors were determined to overcome these problems and build an industrial giant. By 1924, profits had reached 8.5 million marks and its capital stock had reached 25 million. The company had two major subsidiaries: National-Film and Decla-Bioscop, both of which would prove critical to its success in the future. The firm was also involved in the development of cinematographic technology, introducing the first synchronized sound system and the first color process.
The war, however, brought ยูฟ่าแม็ก 24 new challenges. The government imposed a series of taxes on the industry, including state taxes and war payments. Moreover, a wartime shortage of raw materials drove up the price of film stock. The resulting higher operating costs and lower profits made Ufa less competitive and, by 1925, its business was in decline.
A new director, Ernst Winkler, was brought in to stabilize the company and turn it around. Winkler was a political activist who had been active in left-wing politics and he understood the role of propaganda in society. He recognized that film could be used to cultivate specific social and ideological ideas, but he was also aware of the limitations of the medium.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Ufa began to emphasize political themes in its films. In particular, the company produced a series of documentaries about the German political system and culture that were designed to cultivate a sense of civic responsibility among the populace.
At the same time, Ufa continued to produce feature films that were more focused on entertainment value. Among these were Fritz Lang's Die Tolle Susanne (Crazy Susanne, 1926), a drama about a woman whose life was transformed by an accident. The movie was a hit and set the tone for much of Ufa's future work. Its melodramatic style and plot twists, along with the use of color and special effects, influenced the later style of Hollywood films.
Arabic
Français
Español
Português
Deutsch
Türkçe
Dutch
Italiano
Russian
Romaian