7) Anders als die Andern/Different from the Others (1919)

During the era of the Weimar Republic, there was famously a known movement advocating for the acceptance and normalization of homesexual people within society. Weimar Germany had a thriving gay scene, but one which still faced oppression and prejudice thanks to the tyrannical legal codes of the previous regime, which were not unlike the laws implemented elsewhere in the world. A brief window of free speech allowed advocates to create films about this subject, most of which were later censored and destroyed. One that survived was Anders als die Andern, a polemic starring German matinee idol Conrad Veidt, just a year before his career would take off staring as the terrifying somnambulant Cesare in Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari. Veidt's career saw him starring in some of the most popular and celebrated films of the day, before eventually being forced to make a decision to leave or stay when Hitler and the Nazis seized power in 1933. Listen as we explore Veidt's expansive career and legacy, while also diving in to the progress politics and representations of a pioneering LGBTQ text which nearly didn't survive to today.

As a bonus, Stephen discusses his thoughts on the German Expressionist classic Der letzte Mann (The Last Laugh, 1924), after watching it for the first time in light of last week's discussion. This pillar of Weimar Cinema remains one of the chief text's in understanding the era, and should not be missed in any judicious overview.

Stephen discusses Der letzte Mann (1924): 00:00-16:51

Conradt Veidt Biography: 16:52-33:03

Anders als di Andern (Different from the Others, 1919): 33:03-1:01:09

Many thanks to Graham Austin and Jack Davenport for the creation of our beautiful logo art and theme music respectively.