29 MAR 2024 | FRI | 3PM
Germany / 1920 / Silent / 65 minutes / DCP / Tinted
Standing as Lubitsch's most popular crowd-pleaser from his time in Germany, this silent masterpiece, now restored in 4K, was remade at least three times. Calling it ‘The Taming of the Shrew in the Bavarian mountains,’ the maestro of sophisticated comedy transforms the Shakespearen play into a droll farmer’s farce. Porten shines in the dual role of sisters – one uncouth but hardworking, the other ornate but vain – displaying foibles in a riotous send-up of marriage etiquette and romantic melodrama. Lubitsch’s strong visuals and exaggerated humour are on full display in this unbridled comedy.
Live Music Accompaniment: Hong Kong New Music Ensemble
Presenter: The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS)
29/3 (Fri): Post-talk (in Cantonese) with film critic Kiki Fung